Great CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software comes in many different forms for a variety of industries. There are CRM tools made generally for any business person and then there are those that are industry specific.
For CRE brokers and agents, we recommend choosing a CRM specifically made for commercial real estate pros – even residential CRM features are different. What else should you look for in a great CRM? Here are the top 7 features CRE brokers and agents need.
7 Features Every Great CRE CRM Should Have
A really good CRM will cut your work in half while giving your prospects the impression that you are spending hours and hours working solely on their project. CRM software streamlines your everyday tasks like entering numbers into a spreadsheet or sorting your contacts and projects.
Instead of flipping through a tattered address book for notes and business cards, you should have a CRM database that is easy to search with all of the information you need right at your fingertips. It leads to better customer relationships and more conversions. Here are the 7 features your CRM should have:
#1: Automated Administrative Functions
If you’re still manually typing in your new contacts, you are way behind the curve. Great CRM software does most of the administrative work for you. That includes managing your team. Automating alerts for lease renewals and prospect follow up. In fact, the best CRM tools for CRE agents and brokers today can process payroll, assist with tax filing, track time and commission, send out invoices, and package projects for easy file sharing and reporting.
#2: Team Collaboration Tools
Brokers with several agents working on the road and from the office will need a good strong CRM database with tools that enhance collaboration. In CRE, most deals are a team effort and each member of the team brings a specific and important piece to the puzzle. Great collaboration tools help to provide excellent customer service from a team that is always on the same page.
#3: Prospect Management and Conversion
It used to be that CRM databases were largely a computerized version of a broker’s address book. Now top CRE CRM software is designed to find leads, to nurture them, and to convert them into clients. Your software should be able to connect you to more prospects, help you contact and follow up with those leads, and easily organize notes and details of each contact.
#4: Easy Integration and Adoption
The average agent is in their 40s and 50s. When adopting new software, it will usually require some training and a general learning curve before realizing results. The best CRM software for CRE brokers and agents will provide a seamless and easy transition and integration. The easier it is to mesh new software with existing tools, the more quickly agents will adapt to it and begin putting it to good use.
#5: Remote and Mobile Access
Agents today are working as much from the road as they are from the office. A good strong CRM for CRE pros needs to have remote and mobile access. Whenever your team needs to access the database, they should not have to find a place to hook up their laptop. There should be a mobile app with all the features they need to work on the go.
#6: Marketing Features
Prospecting today involves a lot of social media work. That includes sending e-mails to prospects and following up. Your CRM software should allow you to easily sync your contacts with your email address book and social media sites so that you can effortlessly start a marketing campaign from your CRM database.
#7: Report Building and Analytics
Whether customizing reports for prospects or analyzing the quality of your CRM pipeline, analytics is crucial for top quality CRM. It should be able to create actionable reports that are internal as well as external.
