Have suggestions for products that you’d like to see reviewed by our real estate technology expert? Email Craig Rowe.
CRMs.
You just can’t get enough of them.
That makes sense, though. Managing all the people you meet and hands you shake with Excel and business card scanners can be daunting.
In the spirit of this oft-debated and expensive component of real estate sales success, I thought it would be worthwhile to give a brief summation of a few solutions I think stand out in this ever-crowding software market.
This column is not to be confused with this this one, which was derived from your responses to our recent CRM survey (PDF). Here goes.
1. Bullhorn
Bullhorn is equally at home on your device screen as it is in your desktop browser.
Its “Pulse” feature is a real-time activity tracker that enables agency stakeholders to keep their cursors hovering closely over the revenue streams. It uses powerful email analytics to probe deep into an contact’s interaction with the company.
Key benefits:
- Mobile-first design: Agents by nature are on the go. As mobile devices grow in size and power, they may soon be our only devices. Might as well have your CRM be ready for that shift.
- Proven across industry: Bullhorn has more than 10,000 clients. That means customer management processes from very large companies find their way into their real estate solution.
Bullhorn’s “Pulse” feature.
2. GoConnect
The mobile GoConnect combines project management, tasks and contact oversight to address multiple levels of earning a sale.
This CRM employs an interconnected system of checklists that start at the 50,000-foot level of lead contact and eventually delves into ground-level task lists, like those that follow a lead’s house going under contract.
Key benefits:
- Unique approach: A good CRM should do more than manage contacts, but not much more. GoConnect smartly addresses the nitty-gritty tasks and makes the busywork of contact management a joy to do.
- Great interface: The tap-friendly visual ergonomics are inspiring, organizing commands fluidly and intuitively. It’s an impressive example of how to get a CRM into a mobile device.
GoConnect’s home detail.
3. Realvolve
Agents multitask and multidevice, and you multiply your contacts. Realvolve synchronizes that multitude of communication tools and methods to assemble them neatly into a smooth, efficiency-driven workspace.
Realvolve has a contact management module that enables you to monitor social media feeds, assign documents, track lead origination, and actively communicate via email, text and social media direct messaging. There’s also a nice calendar tool, task management capabilities, and a sharp tagging system that is searchable systemwide.
Key benefits:
- Beyond CRM: Do more than manage names and numbers, interact with them. Realvolve is a terrific mix of everyday interface and long-term planning.
- Radar: This is a cool feature that compiles everything important to you about contacts, tasks and listings.
Realvolve’s dashboard.
Any CRMs you think should replace one of these? What’s your favorite? Let us know!
Do you use any of these CRMs — and what do you think? Leave a comment and let us know!
Do you have a product for our tech expert to review? Email Craig Rowe.
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