Your customer relationship management (CRM) tool is essential to powering the day-to-day running of your agency, whether that involves sales, lettings or both.
Deciding which tool to use is a significant decision, and one which requires plenty of research.
Why do agents use estate agency software?
Due to the nature of the role, agents are constantly on the go, juggling multiple transactions and facing a fair bit of admin as a result.
Having a database which allows you to store and manage your operations more effectively gives you more time to focus on growing your business.
What to consider when choosing an estate agent CRM
What features are essential to running your agency? Do you need software that works just as well on the go? Or do you need strong client accounting for managing your landlords?
With estate agency software you need to know your non-negotiables and what’s nice to have, so you can work out whether a product is genuinely a fit for your agency.
Migrating your data across
One of the most common pain points for agents when moving CRM is ensuring data is safely transferred without the need for manual rekeying. Your data is the backbone of your agency, so think carefully about what the company offers to make this transition smooth.
Do they have dedicated migration specialists? A support team to answer your queries when you need them? And what about on-hand training, so your team is ready to go on day one?
What integrations are available?
Proptech integrations have become a must across estate agency software in recent years. They give you a more joined-up way to manage all your operations without logging into multiple systems and rekeying information. If there are third-party tools you rely on day to day, research which CRM providers already integrate with them.
Ensure your agency’s operations are in safe hands
You need to have confidence in your CRM for estate agents, as it should be taking care of the day-to-day running of your business while you focus on your best work.
Look for a partner with an established product backed by reviews from fellow agents, rather than a newer brand that brings innovation but may not yet offer the reassurance you need. Both have their benefits and drawbacks, but it’s an important factor in your decision making. We’d recommend an established product that’s still actively developing, so you get the best of both.
Future considerations
Choosing a CRM for your agency is an important long-term decision. As part of your research, keep an eye on what’s new from each provider. You need software that supports you now but also grows with your agency.
We’re a bit biased, but with Alto we release updates regularly based on what our customers tell us, including 125 product features in a single year.
Kerfuffle’s guide to CRMs
There’s a lot more to consider when deciding on your estate agency software.
For more information we’d recommend downloading the Kerfuffle guide to CRMs. It gives you a comprehensive overview of the best CRM for estate agents in the UK, including Alto.
If you’d like to understand more about switching your CRM to Alto, we’d love to help.
