Agents need a software system to match the changing working day, says provider

A cloud-based software provider has claimed that agents need to prepare for the future – and a very different working day – to ensure they aren’t left behind by the competition.

Openview – Powered by VTUK argues that technological innovations and the Covid-19 pandemic have dramatically changed the way people live and work, with the pandemic, in particular, encouraging businesses to welcome customer relationship management (CRM) systems and software into day-to-day practices to make remote working simple and more effective.

It says software is a long-term solution every company needs, with a rise in home and flexible working. In a recent FlexJobs survey of more than 4,000 respondents working from home in response to the pandemic, 73% said that working from home improved their work-life balance.

“Remote working has encouraged companies to rely on software systems to keep business in order,” Peter Grant, chairman and chief executive at Openview, said.

“These systems are the main reason the property industry has been able to flourish regardless of work being carried out at home rather than in the office. To keep communication transparent and make staying on top of workloads easier, the property market should make software a long-term investment.”

He adds: “Automation makes tasks human error-free and allows tasks to be done quickly. The clients get what they want quickly and accurately allowing trust to be established.”

Openview says that, while the circumstances surrounding the pandemic are obviously unwelcome, the changes Covid-19 has made to the working world have revealed what the future of work will look like.

Research shows only 5.1% of the UK workforce worked from home in 2019, despite the steady increase of software and CRM systems that made it a possibility. Since 2019, this figure has drastically increased because of the way the pandemic has changed the working day. The number of companies using software for support is likely to have increased, too.

“It is great to see so many agents and landlords adapting to PropTech. We need to keep the momentum going and understand that sales, job satisfaction, and productivity can be continued by trusting a cloud-based solution to do the hard work for you,” Grant explains.

Openview claims there is an opportunity to generate leads by establishing long-term relationships with customers through CRM systems, arguing that more widespread technological adoption will help agents and landlords focus time on more important tasks rather than time-consuming administration which could be automated instead.

“History often repeats itself and previously, despite warning signs, some companies were slow to adapt to technology and ended up getting left behind. There have been warning signs that companies need to adapt to software long-term. For example, the huge demand from the stamp duty holiday has proven that software is needed to minimise workload and stay in control,” Grant continues.

“Covid-19 has boosted the transition towards more hybrid, flexible ways of working and a greater use of PropTech. There’s no time to undo the hard work now. Through our technology-driven platform, you can guarantee your company will move forward during the changing working day.”