Formerly known as ProsperWorks, the software’s latest iteration known as Copper not only represents a savvy business turn, but also an effective commitment to improving the CRM experience.
Have suggestions for products that you’d like to see reviewed by our real estate technology expert? Email Craig Rowe.
Formerly ProsperWorks, Copper is a multi-industry CRM solution with a designated product for real estate.
Platforms: Browser; apps for iOS, Android
Ideal For: Teams, boutique brokerages, individual agents
Top selling points
- Very modern, sleek interface
- Browser access; no longer only for Gmail
- Emphasis on agent response to leads
- Highly mobile
- Pure CRM, avoids unnecessary features
Top concerns
Agents may be wary that Copper doesn’t include a slew of built-in marketing tools. Although as a true CRM, it shouldn’t.
What you should know
Inman first reviewed this software in 2017 when it was called ProsperWorks and focused heavily on working within Gmail.
Now called Copper, this version has a browser experience outside of Gmail, but still maintains that seamless back and forth should an agent want it. It remains the only CRM officially recommended by Google.
The software is aiming at improving responsiveness to both leads and business activities by providing tools that automate contact between agents, colleagues and leads.
Lead and deal information is divided into three content sections in the dashboard, with personal details occupying the left, lead interaction notes in the center, and tasks and related properties on the right. It’s a standard way to separate information, but Copper’s UI goes a long way toward calling attention to what’s new and critical with each log-in.
The left nav offers the person’s contact information, employment notes, social links and a tag cloud for customizing, always a great way for agents to use their own terms and notations for how they connect to a person.
The communication record in the center syncs emails automatically with Gmail and Outlook 365.
The Copper Activity Log is used to record and notate everything done with, and for, a client, including open houses attended or held, tours given, inspections scheduled or closings scheduled.
Filters allow for a quick search of every activity, and each form of contact that drove it. Agents can look for an email or text about square footage they sent to a lead after an open house or drill down to a phone call with notes they took about a foundation issue.
Emails can be created and sent from this module, and it’s also where follow-up rules and automations are set up.
Consolidating such a spectrum of granular activity to a single column within the dashboard makes for a very tidy user experience, and allows the leads to drive the use of the software, not the activity. It’s a top-down approach that puts the lead or customer first, instead of the deal.
(After all, it’s called customer relationship management, not property relationship management.)
Copper also enables the user to create automated task lists that launch when a new buyer lead is entered, or when a contract is executed. Tasks are synced with both Google and Outlook calendars.
Documents can be synced per contact with either Google Drive or Dropbox, and connected to specific folders under each platform.
Email marketing campaigns can also be managed from within Copper, which again, cleverly wraps up the subscription process and contact list assignment under a subtle text field and drop-down in the lower right corner. Accounts with a number of popular third-party tools can be connected.
Entire contact lists can be filtered according to last date contacted, birthday month, or by email campaign status, along with a number of other forms of interaction or contact status.
The Deals menu is the best example of Copper’s design. Clicking it opens a timeline of data cards categorized by deal stage, from lead to listing presentation to home tour to offer to inspection periods on down, customized according to the user’s specific workflow.
Editing the workflow doesn’t require diving 10 clicks deep into an admin settings panel; users only have to click the Customize Pipeline command under the gear icon. Each pipeline can be labeled and made a template.
It’s one of the more effective visual displays of critical deal data seen recently, and allows agents to jump in and out of different points of activity with their most active customers.
Copper helps agents through simplification. It’s user experience is all about quick access to information, smart sliding menus, and visual ergonomics that encourage interaction. There’s little noise, and menus and features don’t try to grab your attention when you aren’t using them.
As ProsperWorks, the software was sharp and simple, but limiting. It’s new form as Copper not only represents a savvy business decision, it represents a very effective commitment to bettering the CRM experience.
No doubt, Copper shines.
Have a technology product you would like to discuss? Email Craig Rowe
Comments