Technology has become an integral part of our daily life and it has important effects on business operations. No matter the size of your enterprise, technology has both tangible and intangible benefits that will help you make money and produce the results your customers demand.

Ultimately, the world is now smaller, life is faster and communication is quicker, thanks to today’s powerful technology, which can make your life easier and your business stronger.

Ever-changing estate agency software has improved dramatically in recent years to feature all the tools needed to run a modern estate agency, providing one-stop internet marketing solutions. Agents are now able to deal with and better manage more applicants and landlords by communicating more effectively with clients through automatic emails, text messages, phone calls, among other channels.

SOME OF THE MAIN PROVIDERS:

ASPASIA

Aspasia is the software brand from SPA Microsystems, now part of Qube Global Software, following its acquisition in November.

Launched in 2001, Aspasia Web and Aspasia Cloud are applicable to sales and lettings and offer tremendous benefits where companies are involved with both disciplines and wish to share common information without any data duplication. Aspasia clients don’t even need software on their PC to access the estate agency package – just access to a browser. All users have one system, one database, across all the agency’s divisions, says MD Trevor Youens. “Aspasia can help agents through the whole sales process through to letting, management, accounting and application. But the core part of the product is about letting and property management.”

“Many agents come to us because we offer lower costs, improved process efficiency, cheaper IT costs and fast set-up.”

Aspasia is used by leading agencies including Gascoigne Halman, Knight Frank and The Frost Partnership. Trevor says, “As a result of the acquisition, Qube Global Software now delivers a complete coverage of software products for the property industry, ranging from lettings and sales, commercial and residential property management and accounting through to facility and space management products.

“The product suite is used in over 50 countries. Aspasia fits perfectly in this product set and delivers the ideal option for customers looking for one supplier with everything under one roof.”

ESTATES IT

Launched in 1996, Estates IT recently launched its new product PCHomes Plus Estate Agent Cloud Software; a tailored software system based on solid business analysis.

The fully integrated system allows estate agents to logon to virtual office software from anywhere with an internet connection; providing a fully configured office environment.

The programme allows agents to send and receive emails, write letters, send texts, check their diary and manage their business, on almost any platform.

“Our cloud product, which includes Microsoft Office, allows agents to data-share as it uses a remote desktop that can be accessed anywhere in the world,” said Nick Hubbard of Estates IT Limited.

“The latest powerful software lowers IT costs, creates efficiencies in working practices, avoids risk and ensures compliance.”

Estates IT can be an estate agent’s total IT, Admin and Marketing solution provider, aided by highly trained staff and Version Five of the firm’s Software, which includes enhanced features, better tools and easier to use social media updating facilities.

ETSOS

ETSOS, an online quotation and referral system for property professionals, provides a wide selection of ancillary services and added value solutions all of which can be accessed through a single online platform, designed to help agents save time and money and to build a more profitable business.

Access to ETSOS’ online platform is totally free and agents can choose some or all of the services that they wish to use. Property conveyance, signboards, EPCs, anti-money laundering checks, these are just some of the things that agents can use the ETSOS system for.

“Our online platform offer agents the option of reducing their high street presence as well as potentially increasing revenue,” said Ben Robinson, Head of Estate Agents division at ETSOS.

The technology also allows agents to collect money from clients, earn referral fees and add their own charges on top of quotes from various providers.

“There are lots of things that we help agents to manage, as well as help cut their costs and generate revenue from third parties,” Robinson added. “Technology can help make people’s lives easier, and that’s what we aim to do.”

JUPIX

The estate agency software provided by Jupix is a multidiscipline system, designed to empower an estate agency firm and help them to ‘win more instructions, keep more instructions and sell more property’, ensuring that the business runs as smoothly as possible in the process.

Property matching, comparable tools, enquiry screen, detailed client reports, are all within Jupix software, making it easier to match clients to properties, based upon their requirements and expectations.

Jupix is ultimately designed to make it simpler for a prospective client to make an enquiry, arrange a viewing, make an offer and exchange contracts. It is also a technology system that reflects a growing shift in the estate agency industry towards a mobile workforce.

“All of our team, including some ex-agents, are firmly engaged with and passionate about the property market, said Oliver Gleave, Managing Director, Jupix. “From e-marketing to setting up floor plans, Jupix is effectively an estate agency out of a box, providing a cloud platform that suits all types of property firms.”

PropCo

Established by Technology Blueprint, PropCo Enterprise is the firm’s flagship software product; a web-based property management system which, although designed primarily for lettings agents, is also suitable for sales  agents.

PropCo software, an innovative platform that is accessible on a range of devices, is designed to provide solutions for agents’ requirements through support and development cycle.

New features, such as new productivity tools, are regularly being added to PropCo, as part of continuous innovation and development. Marketing, front office, property management, client accounting, business intelligence, are just some of the features in the PropCo software.

Mark Howlett, Head of Technology Blueprint, said, “PropCo is a complete software solution for industry professionals, developed continuously since 1998, within our PropCo Core software system, at the heart of PropCo Enterprise and other PropCo products.

Reapit

Reapit provides market leading RPS (really powerful software) to over 18,000 estate agents globally, complemented by dedicated project and account managers who focus on achieving an agent’s distinct business objectives, to ensure that the firm’s software is best supporting the business.

Reapit’s service ethos is based around understanding the bespoke requirements of each and every client, reflected by RPS software that “works for you and does not ultimately limit your ability to make money”, said Simon Whale, Director, Reapit,

“With many top agents using our software, Reapit has carved a niche in understanding the needs of some of the most demanding businesses around.”

One of Reapit’s USPs is to offer free technical training; the company trains over 8,000 people annually, as part of its continual investment in client retention.

“Functionality can be copied but a service like ours needs a commitment to invest that most of our competitors aren’t willing or able to make,” Whale added.

Rentman

Rentman offers a fully integrated letting, property management and estate agency software – available on desktop or cloud version – with various features including ‘things to do’ reminders, marketing, maintenance,  accounts, data storage, and website management, among others.

Rentman’s programme can offer all the functions  that an estate agent needs, including the means of instantly uploading a property to a website or portal within minutes of taking on a new instruction.

The software also features a range of legal documents and agreements which allow agents to issue letters, as well as notifications, a memorandum of sale, create an invoice for commissions, sales contracts, valuation letters, terms of business, along with a host of other important papers.

Gary Whittaker, Director, Rentman, says, “Our software will track an agent’s sales pipeline, from the moment an offer is received on a property through to completion.”

Whether agents opt to purchase or rent the software, they gain daily access to a fully trained telephone, email and remote access support.

Resource Techniques

Resource Techniques has developed a client focused, cloud-based software system for estate agents – RTLive is a bespoke CRM-based (Client Relationship Manager) software system, which enables the user to establish and maintain an ongoing relationship with ‘people’ over many years.

It is, says Troy Stanley, Technical Director, clientcentric, storing an individual’s details long term, including a comprehensive record of their dealings with an agency and their full property history and consequent changing needs; from renting and buying to selling and letting.

“We provide software designed to extend the life of a client relationship from 30 days to 30 years, software that’s future proof, software for life,” said Troy.

This feature rich software system offers HTML mailers, full integration with MS Word, wizard driven data entry systems, one touch property matching, as well as allowing larger firms to automatically share properties and applicants between all offices.

Vebra

Forming a part of GMG Property Services, Vebra is one of the longest established brands in the business. It’s software which is used in over 7,000 branches nationwide, supported by around 180 dedicated members of staff in the customer care division. This may explain why the firm has seen a surge in the number of agents enquiring about their software systems in recent months.

“There does seem to be a real optimism in the market at the moment and also a genuine realisation that software is now something you can’t do without,” said Mark Goddard, Group Sales Director, GMG Property.

Vebra caters for all types of agencies with their desktop, hybrid and cloud software solutions.

Goddard continued, “We have a very unique view of the market and whilst there is a clear shift to online products, many of our clients continue to be equally happy to work with Desktops tools but with web browser interfaces.”

Vebra will shortly launch new cloud-based software, VebraAlto, which offers rich functionality through its extraordinary front-end user face that works across every tablet and mobile platform.

“The concept of an estate agent not needing to be office based is now very much a reality, he added.”

Contacts:

• Aspasia www.aspasia.net
• Estates IT www.estatesit.com
• ETSOS www.etsos.co.uk
• Jupix jupix.com
• PropCo www.propco.co.uk
• Reapit www.reapit.com
• Rentman www.rentmansoftware.com
• Resource Techniques www.resourcetechniques.co.uk
• Vebra www.vebra.com