Technology

Real estate agents and technology: how to use technological devices in your favor

One of the biggest benefits of technology is that it can dramatically increase your productivity…if you know how to use it right. Sometimes it seems that the new products out there are nothing short of gadgets or so difficult to understand that only an engineer could figure out how to use them efficiently. Case in point: Although most agents now use the Internet to communicate with their clients, surveys found that many real estate agents don’t fully use the Internet to capture and retain leads. An article in the Realty Times reported that homebuyers’ top complaint about online real estate agents is that they don’t respond to email inquiries quickly enough.

Real estate agents can use technology devices to help them manage their schedule, advertise, keep in touch with clients, and perform many other tasks. And many actually use technological devices. A 2002 survey by the National Association of Realtors, “Technology and the Realtor,” shows that 80 percent of realtors use between 4 and 6 devices for their work. Additionally, another NAR survey conducted in 2000 found that 77 percent of respondents used email for business purposes. However, many do not use these devices to their full potential.

Some people have a natural gift for quickly understanding how technology works and how to use it to their advantage. For everyone else, there is help.

For example, ePro, a comprehensive Internet certification program for real estate professionals, teaches the basics of doing real estate business online. People who complete the course learn more about websites, online tools, and the Internet as a way to reach today’s consumers. ePro has been offered by the NAR since 2000.

For agents looking for more specific device training, the Internet is also the first place to go. In fact, many companies offer courses on how to make better use of PDAs, Blackberries, etc.

New technologies have the potential to help professionals be more productive with their time. However, these professionals will need proper training to be able to control these technologies instead of wasting time trying to make them work.

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