The importance of Hosted VoIP and UC in modern real estate offices

Real estate brokers are frequently on the go, moving from one property to another and then back to their agency offices again to regroup and plan next steps. Throughout their busy days, they will make and take many calls. 

Perhaps a prospective buyer is looking for an update about an offer they made, or a lawyer is relaying a last-minute message about the exact location of a property closing. No matter the subject in question, real estate professionals need to be reliably reachable — and that’s where a hosted VoIP system plus unified communications (UC) can make a transformative difference.

The limitations of a legacy PBX in real estate

To see why hosted VoIP solutions can make life easier for real estate agents, let’s consider the limitations imposed on their work by older on-premises private branch exchanges (PBXes).

High costs

A traditional PBX is costly to set up and maintain. A real estate company not only has to pay upfront for all of the equipment involved but also continually add capacity to it in the event of any increases in the number of users. This upgrade process can be complicated and may require costly on-site vendor visits. Ultimately, the high costs of maintaining the system can strain an agency’s budget, leaving less money available for core tasks like connecting with buyers and sellers.

Fragmented presence

An aging PBX can result in always-on-the-go agents having to juggle multiple phone numbers as they move from site to site. A buyer partnering with that broker might need to dial one number for the agent’s office and another to reach them when they’re elsewhere. They might even have to call a number from a faraway area code, which makes the agent seem less associated with the local market. All of this increases complexity, along with the possibility of mixups and missed connections. 

Agents end up with a fragmented presence — i.e., there’s no consistent way to contact them — and this reduces the perceived professionalism and reliability of their firms.

Limited flexibility

As the real estate industry evolves, so too must the communications tools that brokers and property managers use. Unfortunately, an on-prem PBX doesn’t typically lend itself to easy modification. 

Setting up a new branch office or bringing additional brokers on board? Looking to integrate your PBX with your CRM software, or simply make your corporate email, voicemail and fax play nicer with your business phone system? The necessary work involved with a PBX can be time-consuming and expensive.

Insufficient features

The limited flexibility of traditional PBXes also means that real estate professionals miss out on relatively newer features that help them connect with customers as well as come off as experienced professionals. 

For example, automated attendants allow every caller to reach a standardized menu no matter which number they call an agent on and then choose from the most relevant options. Accordingly, they can consistently find the right points of contact and also feel that their agents are running a highly professional and dependable operation.

How hosted VoIP and UC provide a much-needed upgrade

Both hosted VoIP and UC solutions are delivered through, and managed in, the cloud. As such, they require far less upkeep from real estate companies, which can instead focus on running their actual businesses. At the same time, VoIP and UC vastly expand the capabilities that real estate agents have at their fingertips, giving them a wide range of features that they can take advantage of in and out of the office.

Hosted VoIP

A hosted VoIP system routes calls through the internet and allows for straightforward moves, adds and changes from a web-based console. While that is happening behind the scenes, real estate professionals benefit from: 

•       Enhanced mobility: With hosted VoIP, it’s easy to take your office number with you to an open house, property showing or final closing. Calls, voicemails and messages sent to your deskphone can be synced to your mobile device so you don’t miss anything.
•       Local numbers: Ideally, callers will be able to reach an agent via an area code associated with their local property market. VoIP implementations make this simple. Even if a brokerage’s main office is far away, local inbound ensures a call to a local number will still go through as normal. 
•       Fax mail: The venerable fax is still a staple of real estate communications, as it provides a secure and standardized way to transmit key documents. Hosted VoIP streamlines fax management by supporting automatic emailing of faxed documents to designated addresses, along with access via a secure online portal.
•       Tight integrations: Hosted VoIp integrates seamlessly with many other essential tools of real estate business. CRM suites like Salesforce and email clients such as Microsoft Outlook can be connected to a hosted VoIP system so everything is in one place.

UC

Whereas VoIP primarily modernizes voice communications, UC delivers an upgraded experience for video conferencing, messaging and more. Real estate professionals can rely on a UC platform like Telesystem UC-One for:

•       Online meetings: In the COVID-19 world, web and video conferencing are practical alternatives to in-person alternatives. A UC platform enables secure sessions with flexible functionality including screen sharing and live video.
•       Messaging: Real estate brokers can use a secure messaging platform to communicate in real-time and reduce their overall reliance on back-and-forth email exchanges. 
•       Multi-device support: A UC mobile application can provide access to all calls and messages from an office number, plus handle, merge and move calls between devices.
•       Video calling: Set up HD video links via a link or dial-in number so attendees can get a deeper connection than possible over voice call alone.

Telesystem is here to help your real estate company find the right communications solutions and infrastructure for its requirements. From VoIP and UC to dedicated internet access and managed services, our team can provide you with the modern tools necessary for reaching buyers and sellers and sustaining your operations. Learn more on our real estate solutions page or by contacting us directly!