When the Delorean threw Doc and Marty into the future, October 21st 2015 sure did feel like a long time from 1985, but now, staring down the barrel of living through the same date, got us thinking; just how tech savvy are we all compared to the future Doc and Marty predicted for us?
Flying cars, hover boards and giant holographic sharks. The world of Back to the Futures 2015 seemed like science fiction. In reality it still is. Sure we have flying cars and hover boards and even holograms, but certainly not in the way we all envisioned Them. Our present is predictably, a little more sensible.
So what technological advances should the businesses of today really be getting behind, if not giant holographic sharks?
Online software has eliminated the risk factors that management types used to have nightmares about
Earthquakes, fires and floods, the things your risk management training always taught you could bring a business to its knees. Do you have documents in triplicate? Onsite and offsite backups? Are your backups weekly? Daily? Hourly? These questions are, if you’re not afraid of a bit of technology, things you shouldn’t have to worry about. Take WCPT as an example, because of our use of cloud based software alternatives your data, our emails, word documents and anything else you can think of are all safe. Take our worst case scenario, a dinosaur attack on our Joondalup HQ; WCPT’s staff could, without any worry, easily work from the safety of our homes in the exact same way we work from our office. All while we wait for the insurance companies to sort out the dino related madness. That’s peace of mind.
Customer Relationship Management systems mean businesses know who you are and what you want
If you’ve ever flown business class with Qantas, you’ll remember a slightly tired looking hostess pushing a cart up to your seat, with a huge ream of paper hanging off the top, they would scan down the list and then look up and say “Mr….Crank?” It felt a little disjointed from the personal experience and recognition you were hoping for. If you’ve flown with Qantas business more recently, you would have noticed a pretty serious change. Now, a hostess casually strolls along the isle with iPad in hand, “Hello Mr Crank! It’s a pleasure to have you with us again!” Is it? How do you know this isn’t my first time? They do; in fact, they know a lot about you, because they, like many modern businesses they have accepted the CRM way of doing business. For the uninitiated, a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system contains every piece of information a business knows about you. For Qantas, this is who you are, how often you fly, your dietary requirements and anything else you may have ever told them about who you are. For businesses, this can be the difference between a chilly encounter and making your customer feel like they never left, like they’re part of your family.
Social marketing can put your message in front of thousands for dollars a day
Imagine you could put a huge billboard on the side of the Mitchell freeway, an estimated 40,000 people per day would see your billboard. Now imagine the costs involved, do you imagine you could pay for it? Think of a different scenario instead, putting your message in front of thousands of Perth residents, for only a few dollars a day. This is a reality, with digital marketing mediums like facebook and GoogleAds. For as little as $10 US, facebook will put your ad in front of more than 7000 people a day. You almost can’t afford not to advertise in this medium, especially when you compare the price and reach to mediums, such as newspaper ads that you’ve probably paid for since you started in real estate. In truth, it’s the belief of most people in the tech industry that online advertising rings the death knell for many other forms of advertising.
So that’s the technology we think you should be keeping an eye on in 2015, do you think differently? Tell us in the comments below!
If technology and the future of real estate interest you, remember to check out Bali inspire 2015: The Future of Excellence!