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Apartment Ocean’s real estate ‘Chatbot’ works for brokerage companies and agent businesses.
Platforms: Browser-based
Ideal for: All agents with active website marketing and online lead-gen strategies
Top selling points
- Quick install
- Conversational; “un-bot-like”
- Prospect answers become data records
Top concerns
- Agents fear of losing lead control hampering full potential
Rating: 4/5
1 = Not ready to improve business
2 = Functional; Lacking features to better business
3 = Good; Features will appeal to some
4 = Excellent; Wide appeal, minor concerns
5 = Superior; Best of breed features
What you should know
Apartment Ocean’s Chatbot is the most ready-for prime time automated lead capture tool I’ve reviewed. The bot installs upon copy-and-pasting two lines of code and uses a natural conversation flow to pull in prospects.
I think most consumers can detect when a bot is at the other end of the line, but engaging dialogue certainly helps. The team behind Apartment Ocean agrees.
After exchanging pleasantries, the bot begins soliciting for common buyer information needs, and leads’ responses are recorded in their respective profiles.
The answer to “Why are you relocating?,” for example, becomes a field. The bot also asks for the location, number of bedrooms and price range.
It wraps up the succinct process by securing an email address and the promise to be in touch with some possibilities.
Customization
Real estate agents will soon be able to customize questions for the bot, too. This will allow users to get a buyer’s desired ZIP code or ascertain whether they need a two-car garage, for example.
However, it’s best to keep these automated conversations limited to the basics with the intent of capturing the email address.
In addition, users can take over the chat at any time in the process, export their leads to Excel or as .CSV files, and choose to be alerted by email each time a chat is initiated.
Simple is better
There isn’t a lot to this bot. And that’s a good thing.
After all, the point of any real estate website is to create as many opportunities as possible to capture a website visitor’s information, whether it’s a newsletter subscription landing page or chat tool.
When the acquisition of a lead costs as little as possible, that’s even better. An agent’s time is money, and Apartment Ocean Chatbot claims very little of it.
Have a technology product you would like to discuss? Email Craig Rowe.
