Since the introduction of on-demand shopping where consumers can get what they want when they want it and all from the comfort of their home, big brands are creating a sense of immediacy and setting expectations of instant gratification being possible. This is according to Richard Combellack, Chief Commercial Officer at BriefYourMarket, who adds that people have become accustomed to convenience and now expect to receive a reply from a business within just a few hours of their enquiry.
“Technology is deeply embedded into everyday life and continues to change the way business is conducted. It has allowed businesses to become more efficient which, in turn, has led to customers expecting efficiency. While it is technology that has raised people’s expectations, it is also technology that will help agents to meet those expectations and deliver the type of service that many consumers have become accustomed to in other sectors,” says Combellack. “Property professionals are using proptech to automate and expediate an array of administrative processes, as well as services that provide customers with an instant reply. An example of this is LeadPro, which is an automated system that replies instantly to all buyer and tenant email enquiries from portals. In the reply, every applicant is sent a questionnaire asking if they have a house to sell, let, or whether they need a mortgage.”
Combellack adds that with more than half of enquiries being made in the evening or over weekends, without an automated system in place, many will be missed. “An immediate response to enquiries enhances the customer experience while helping agents to ultimately convert more business. Nobody objects to a phone call they expect after filling out a web form that asks when the most appropriate time would be,” he says.
Integrating products like LeadPro and live chat services such as Yomdel into your website help cover off the current need for immediate and 24/7 communication. “A conversation management provider is a great solution for agents to engage with customers around the clock and without further adding to their own workload. Yomdel is also integrated with Facebook Messenger and email so customers can choose their preferred method of contact and receive a comprehensive service from a business even outside of normal working hours. It’s yet another way of increasing engagement and converting more business that may have otherwise been lost,” Combellack comments.
He notes that proptech can also be used to enhance the customer experience through using platforms that track the entire sales process and deliver data that provides actionable insights. “Understanding your market and customers is pivotal to making the right business decisions. Having access to data about customers and what they want, will help agents to make informed decisions that improve customer service as well as their sales performance. “The property industry is about people and technology can’t replace all the human touch points. However, it can be used to examine and enhance those touch points. A platform such as KnowYourMarket uses market research from mystery shopping and customer feedback to analyse every touch point an agent has with their customer. The data can then be used to identify strengths and weaknesses against desired company protocols where teams are involved to formulate and implement a strategy that will optimise an agent’s processes,” he concludes.
