Cutting costs and improving productivity
Going paperless can bring far more business benefits than you can imagine – and if you think about it, it’s not very hard to put into practice. You’ll be able to cut costs, become more organized, save time, and run a much more efficient business. And maintaining a paperless office is a lot easier than looking after paper documents, binders, and file folders.
Consider this: when you go paperless it says something about the type of professional you are; one that keeps up with today’s technology and provides modern service. Capitalizing on technology can not only make your life a whole lot easier but think about what your clients have to gain.
Why more professionals are going paperless
I recently came across a horror story about a REALTOR® who had all his files stolen from his car. If your pertinent client information is on paper, you risk losing that data or having it get stolen or destroyed in some way. As time goes on, I suspect that this may be the impetus by which more professionals will make the commitment to operating a paperless business.
We’re now able to fax via email, sign documents online, create and send online forms, and securely store an immense amount of files on the cloud. CRM systems give us the ability to manage our client and prospect information in one place, group and categorize that information, manage our transactions, store contracts, and take advantage of email marketing.
The drawbacks to going paperless
“Are there any drawbacks?” you ask? Well, there are always the initial expenses to think about as well as the learning curve. But relatively speaking, the costs are not at all prohibitive and many of the technology solutions available today can be learned in a matter of weeks (if not sooner).
Try to be receptive to change and open to new ideas. Because change, no matter how uncomfortable it may be (or seem), can actually turn out to be tremendously rewarding.
Matthew Collis is part of the Sales and Marketing Team at IXACT Contact Solutions Inc., a leading North American real estate CRM firm. In addition to overseeing many of IXACT Contact’s key sales and marketing programs, Matthew works with REALTORS® to help them achieve their real estate goals through effective contact management and relationship marketing. IXACT Contact is a web-based real estate contact management and marketing system that helps REALTORS® better manage and grow their business. The system includes powerful email marketing capabilities and a professionally designed and written monthly e-Newsletter.
