Very Satisfying Day; Cancelled TopProducer 07/08/2011
Posted by Karleemonster in Software, Topproducer.add a comment
After all of the frustration I have had trying to make TopProducer 81 work; today I officially cancelled my TopProducer subscription. The good news it is over. The bad news is the money lost by having to wait the entire year before I could cancel. I literally logged in to TopProducer less than 10 times for the year.
What a waste.
Paperless Pipeline – Cont. 05/09/2011
Posted by Karleemonster in Edison, RE/MAX Diamond, Paperless Pipeline, RE/MAX DIAMOND REALTORS, Software, South Brunswick, RE/MAX Diamond.add a comment
First let me apologize for taking over a month to update our progress on Paperless Pipeline. The implementation goes well we are switching agents over to be paperless one by one and the response from the agents has been very favorable.
It is a different approach to maintaining records and it takes a little tweaking in procedures to make it fit your system.
So far my only complaint is that emails are not treated as documents by the Paperless Pipeline system. This makes it difficult to track the with the transaction they get assigned to.
I have added this problem to Paperless Pipelines enhancement form; so if your a member vote it up please.
TopMarketer Frustration 05/09/2011
Posted by Karleemonster in Software, Topproducer.add a comment
Here is something that should be easy. Change a customer’s email. But when you try to edit it in TopMarketer the email is grayed out and can’t be changed. I sent an email to TopProducer support for help. We’ll see what happens.
I have not had very good luck with any of the TopProducer Products. While I do like the TopMarketer reports that get emailed, I have been unable to setup the Newsletters and in general the user interface is horrible.
Update 5/12: I received an email back saying that it was not possible to edit the email address on a customer once they were setup to receive the TopMarketer report. I would have to delete the search and report and reenter them as a new customer and a report. This would be cutting edge for 1994.
Again TopMarketer/TopProducer has astounded me with their technical capabilities. These ranged from having to call the 800 number and sit on hold to change your password, to not being able to import a .csv file form another database, to not being able to simply print out address labels for customers, and ending with the new treat of not being able to edit an email address. They are consistent however; everytime I think of something to do with my database and say TopProducer can probably do that; I find that either they can’t or by the time I figure out how to do it between tutorials and sitting on help-line hold I could have done what I wanted by hand manually faster.
TopProducer does have beautifully colored display screens though.
Paperless Pipeline – The Beginning 03/04/2011
Posted by Karleemonster in Edison, RE/MAX Diamond, Paperless Pipeline, Software, South Brunswick, RE/MAX Diamond.add a comment
One of the brokerages that Agenttech does consulting for has begun the process of eliminating paper files. The program they are using is Paperless Pipeline and they are in the beginning stages of testing and implementation.
The program literally replaces a filing cabinet. “Transactions” replace paper folders. It is extremely easy to upload documents into the transaction folders . It is web-based so it works from anywhere. The best part is it works flawlessly on the iPad which is the next logical piece of equipment in a Real Estate Agents arsenal.
One of the best features is the ability to forward all emails to the transaction folder. Now there really is one spot that can have all of the correspondence for a transaction.
So far I have been very impressed with the customer service at Paperless Pipeline. They are genuinely involved with their customers and extremely concerned with making their product the best alternative to paper available.
They have a little over 40 transactions in the system. The office administrator is on board and five agents initially.
It appears to be a great solution. Keep checking the blog to see how this transition progresses.
Top Producer Bringing in Contacts 02/10/2011
Posted by Karleemonster in Software, Topproducer.add a comment
Update:
After two hours on the phone and three people my contacts were brought in. I then spent 20 minutes trying to figure out how to make labels for a mailing. I couldn’t do it. I officially give up on 8i. I am spending almost $150/month on TopProducer products that are two difficult and counter-intuitive to use. Now let me say that all the people I spoke to were extremely nice friendly and knowledgable. Unfortunately the products are lousy. Oh by the way I can’t cancel until 8/10/11 and I must call back after my billing date in July to cancel. So for the TopProducer part as of August I will have wasted $420. That’s almost an iPad. They won’t except a written email to automatically cancel me in August.
I am still trying to figure out the TopMarketer part (since August). Unfortunately, I can only spend 20 minutes here and there on it and it is way more time consuming than 20 minutes here and there. That’s a topic for another post maybe next week when I have another 20 minutes to spare. If I can’t figure out TopMarketer; it will be another $1200 wasted.
All in all a very expensive lesson…learn from my mistake stay away from TopProducer Products!
Original Post:
I have been trying since August of 2010 to bring in my file .csv file of contacts from my old database into TopProducer. I can’t do it!
First I couldn’t find anyway to do it. Then I sent an email to tech support a day later they told me where to find the import in preferences. I downloaded the TP Data Transfer file and it won’t install. I get an error about not having access to a folder.
This should be an easy straight forward thing. It’s not. Everytime I sit down to do something in TopProducer I spend 20 minutes searching to try and do it. Can’t figure it out and I give up. At around $100 bucks a month it should just work and be easy to use. Over six months and I have 2 manually entered customers in it.
Plus I believe you commit to a year so I can’t cancel even though it provides no value.
Very frustrating.
Commentary on NJAR Cover Story 02/04/2011
Posted by Karleemonster in Commentary, Other Technology Publications, Smartphone, Tablet.add a comment
The January/February 2011 issue of NJ Realtor from the New Jersey Association of Realtors has arrived in Realtor’s mailboxes.
The cover story is “Choosing the Right Mobile Technology for You”. As the IT Consultant for two RE/MAX offices with over 40 agents and staff and a realtor myself; I anxiously turned to the story. Unfortunately like much of the periodical information on technology and Real Estate of late; the article is too general to be helpful and by trying to cover every option the author has made some misleading statements that will confuse the general Realtor and perhaps cause poor timing and costly purchasing decisions.
Based on the article, I’ve already had several Blackberry users in our offices ask me what store is selling the Playbook because they’ve been looking and can’t find it. Now the article clearly states the PlayBook is coming in 2011 but then goes on to present it as the “smartphone/tablet combination for the agent-0n-the-go”. So agents want it as it is recommended. Now here is a product (PlayBook) that was announced months ago is currently vaporware (non-existent and not available); but it is the answer for the “agent-on-the-go” (essentially every real estate agent on the planet). How? This product may never be released or it could be released next week who knows. Agents waiting for this ideal combination of tablet and smartphone may never be able to purchase it.
The author then goes on to say that the Apple iPad is a “9-inch screen version of an iPhone”. This is like saying a Ferrari is a larger version of a go-cart. A statement like that leads agents to make an incorrect correlation between the usefulness to their business of a true available tablet and a smartphone.
In addition, the author states the iPhone “doesn’t work directly with the iPad as the PlayBook does with Blackberry phones”. First this is untrue the iPhone and iPad connect through iTunes and numerous applications. Second the part he left out was that based on what the PlayBook manufacturer has said about their to be released product an owner of a PlayBook has to tether it to and be in close proximity to their Blackberry to get basic functionality like email. This implies that the PlayBook might not be a viable stand-alone device. But; since you can’t get one to try we will have to wait and see.
The author also made some very good and valid comments about the other types of phones. Although giving Windows 7 phones and WebOS phones more attention and detail versus Android OS phones seems out of proportion based on installed base and Application availability.
What I expected to see in an article with this title is answers to questions like these:
1. Can I utilize my MLS service on the phone or tablet ?
2. Is there presentation software available so that I can utilize the phone or tablet without needing my laptop?
3. Can I transfer my email attachments to native applications on the phone or tablet so I can read them on the go?
4. When I delete email on my phone or tablet do I still have to go back and delete it off my computer?
5. Does the phone or tablet have lockbox key functionality so I don’t have to carry a separate item?
Answers to these questions based on the phone and the operating system would truly point agents in a direction for picking mobile technology that they can utilize in their business.
This article falls into the typical technology article that doesn’t understand Real Estate. I’ll never forget the vendor who five or six years ago sold several agents in our office a software product that could burn virtual tours to CD’s to give away at Open Houses. What he left out was the 20 minutes per CD it took to burn; so 30 CD’s for an Open House is 600 minutes or 10 hours. What agent has 10 hours to burn CD’s before each Open House that they sponsor?
Just because a technology product can do something doesn’t mean utilizing it practically fits into an agent’s business and helps them do what agents do best; SELL. Technology, especially mobile technology, needs to be evaluated on how it fits into the Realtor’s business not on what it can or can’t potentially do.
My opinion.
HP’s Return Policy plus Update 02/01/2011
Posted by Karleemonster in Hardware, Printers, Support.add a comment
Some times we forget in the excitement of getting a new computer or printer and shopping for the best bargain; that what we are buying has a warranty that may need to be used.
For example: I purchased from amazon.cm an HP Envy 100 All-In-One to be able to print from the iPad and iPhone natively. I got it up and running and was very pleased with it and after my typical four day wait period I threw out the original boxes since it worked fine. Well on day 7 it stopped working. Amazons return policy is very good but you need to have all of the original packing material and usually the amazon box it came in to make the return easy. I didn’t have this so I needed to rely on the one year warranty from HP. After a lengthy technical support phone call they came to the conclusion that the printer stopped working and needed to be replaced. Here is where the fun begins. They are replacing it with a refurbished unit. I was taken by surprise as I had bought the printer less than a week ago. I was told by HP (very nicely actually) that there warranty policy was to replace with “refurbs” not new units regardless of how long ago purchase was made.
What did I learn?
1. Since quality control seems to be an ever increasing problem; keep the original boxes and receipt until you can’t return it to the store anymore. A store return is usually your best bet. The store doesn’t troubleshoot for two hours on the phone before allowing a return.
2. Really check the warranty policy on something. I have no problem buying refurbished equipment when I know upfront and get the appropriate discount. But to purchase new and during the warranty period be given a refurbished item to replace the companies quality control problem is not right.
So check the warranty return policy, even if you don’t like the policy you’ll at least know what could happen to your brand new purchase.
I will think twice before I buy any HP Product again.
Update: Its been a week since HP said they would replace the printer and nothing. I got s call today saying that they have none in stock in the refurb center and hopefully there will be some in by the 11th. In the mean time I have a $200 printer that is only usable as a doorstop.
Business Plan Software 01/05/2011
Posted by Karleemonster in Software.add a comment
It’s that time of year again where Real Estate Agents think about Business Plan’s and Goal Setting. This year like every year I comb the web looking for a low cost Business Plan maker or template specifically geared to an agent. Not a team. Not a brokerage. I have not been able to find one.
My advice:
Use any word processor make an outline of the items that will be in your business plan. For example: Marketing, Financial, Goals. There are plenty of websites out there advising what should be in a business plan but ultimately it should be personalized to be relevant to you and your business.
Then for each topic in your outline make a page in your document and fill it up with the pertinent data. Now you have an easily editable business plan in a format that you can probably use on most of your electronic devises.
Since your business plan is your road map you should have easy access to it.
Have a prosperous and planned 2011 !
VMWare’s Fusion better than Parallels 12/29/2010
Posted by Karleemonster in PC to Mac, Software, Windows.add a comment
So since Parallel’s took my money in July and then took more money for the version 6 upgrade I have decided that I am not going to give them any more money. They have not responded to my emails for help and they require a payment for technical support which I consider ridiculous since their update stopped my web pages from printing.
I have been using VMWare’s Fusion for the past 14 days on the trial download. Admittedly the interface isn’t as nice as Parallel’s but its speed is faster and it actually lets me print web pages. If you have to use windows on your Mac this seems to be the way to go for a realtor. I haven’t tested their customer service yet because there haven’t been any issues. The program just works.
Sharing files and folders between the virtual machine and the Mac is a little complicated but I was able to figure it out without looking at their documentation.
When the trial is up I will be purchasing VMWare’s product and lamenting the upgrade money I spent on Parallels. I have to admit I was influenced by the availability of a Parallels iPad app which I downloaded and never got to work.
Bottom line if you are a realtor and want a simple way to run Windows on your Mac use VMWARE’s Fusion.
Don’t touch that it’s hot ! 03/06/2011
Posted by Karleemonster in Commentary, Smartphone, Support.add a comment
One of the first learning experiences almost everyone has is the definition of hot. At a young age they reach for something an adult says “don’t touch that it’s hot”. The very next thing we do is touch it. Hopefully we don’t get burned; but we do learn that the next time someone says “that is hot” we don’t touch it.
This is kind of like giving computer advise. I’ll spend a lot of time with someone learning how they physically do there work and advise them on a product that fits their needs and would make them more productive. They go to the store and come back with the exact opposite of what I advised and with a couple hundred (or sometimes a thousand less dollars). They come back to my office and can’t wait to show me. Inevitably they are extremely pleased with themselves with an almost defiant, rebel, kind of attitude. Also, inevitably a couple days or a week later they come to me with problems with the device that were exactly the reasons I told them to get a different device.
Example: As much as I like the iPhone4 I often don’t recommend it. In the Real Estate business there are a lot of women with long fingernails. The iPhone has a touch screen that requires an actual touch not just pressure from the tip of a fingernail. My experience has also shown me that women with long finger nails are not inclined to cut them to be able to work their new phone. So I impart this wisdom on someone seeking my advice. They come back to my office an hour later with an iPhone because the sales person says their Mom has an iPhone and doesn’t have a problem with the screen. Now I’ve known this person for years have shown my computer expertise and they talk to a clerk who they’ve never met before, may never see again, and whose had the job for two weeks and because supposedly the clerk’s Mom uses it OK; the purchase occurs. Of course, after trying to type the first email with the on-screen keyboard the agent hates the iPhone.
Where’s the logic? It’s the same logic as touching the hot item after a trusted parent says don’t.
I think most humans learn by doing. That being said; the next time you ask for and receive advise from a trusted source and are about to do the opposite think for a second, “Is that hot?”. You may find that you have learned from someone else getting burned and avoided the pain yourself.
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