How digital technology can help estate agents connect with customers

‘Digital technology in the property industry is here to stay’ was very much the opinion drawn from the recent FUTURE: PropTech conference, as an ever-increasing number of estate and lettings agents partner up with technology to enhance their businesses.

This is unsurprising. Digital technology – through apps, sophisticated websites and online portals – has advanced at such a rate that we have seen a 'disruption' of the property industry.

More and more agents are adopting these clever websites and software to attract new home buyers and tenants, and to manage their clients’ needs.

Of course, this isn’t unique to agents. Countless businesses in various industries, particularly retail-based sectors, now provide more than one digital platform of some kind.

People like the immediacy and convenience that digital technology offers them – we all use an app for something, whether it’s entertainment, socialising or retrieving information – and agents are discovering that they need to adapt and fit in with people’s ever-evolving digital preferences, or run the risk that their potential clients and tenants will look elsewhere.

These advancements in the property industry have been quick and vast, helped by a number successful digital-based companies such as Reapit and LetMC, offering software and apps with industry-specific features geared at helping agents best serve their customers.

Even property-specialist creative agencies are coming to the fore.

But this digital-adoption isn’t just being seen in the world of sales. Agents are increasingly using technology to manage the clients they already have on their books, and improve the service that they offer.

Jon Chapman, sales director for property repair software company, Fixflo, agrees: “Digital technology is certainly improving the property business.”

“In the lettings industry alone, it is enabling agents to offer simple and effective service solutions with a focus on client and customer needs. This has lead to the simplifying of processes, improved efficiencies and clearer communications, all of which allow agents to grow and scale their businesses.”

Through discussing modern communications with our clients at Moneypenny, we discovered that tenants and home buyers enjoy the ease in which they can connect with agents using digital technology, and their experience can be further bolstered with the option of speaking directly to a person when they need to. Putting the customer at the intersection of digital, online and telephone communications.

We harnessed digital advancements to empower our clients and improve their user experience with the creation of our Moneypenny app and online portal.  Here, busy agents quickly and easily notify their Moneypenny Receptionist of their schedule, so that every call they receive is answered by a real person if they are unable to take the call.

With current trends, the digital offering in the property industry looks set to grow and grow, but a good mix of digital and direct communications gives customers the very best of both worlds.

The convenience of initial information at their fingertips, and the reassurance of real people ready to serve them on the end of the phone.

Combined, they offer a better experience for home buyers and tenants alike.

*Samantha Jones is Commercial Manager for Property at telephone answering specialist Moneypenny