Wireless I.Q.’s Weblog

5 Tips to Help You Become More Efficient and Productive

As originally posted on ActiveRain:

There is a reason real estate agents are among our largest demographic of clients. You will hardly ever find a real estate agent in one place all of the time. The best in the industry are always on the go, doing what they can to get more listings and to close more sales. These are the agents that are making the money, not settling for average. Most of these agents are well versed in using tools and techniques to help them stay on top of their game by having a high level of efficiency and productivity. At Wireless I.Q., we coach current and aspiring top producers and develop an “action plan” to use technology to achieve goals.

I have compiled a list of 5 tips to increase your efficiency and productivity in 2009:

1. Adopt a new technology and openly look for ways to utilize it to your advantage.

I give a free presentation at real estate company sales team meetings. At the beginning of the presentation, I ask for a show of hands from smartphone users. During one presentation, I was shocked to see that out of over thirty agents there were only three or four hands raised . The week after the presentation, I received calls from a dozen of those agents looking to make the jump to a smart phone. Try to overcome whatever is holding you back from adopting a new technology and approach it with an open mind.

2. Better Manage Client Relationships

What makes a good salesperson? I have always thought of myself as a successful salesperson because I understand who my client is, exactly what they are looking for, and use techniques to help me position my services to their individual needs. If you are asking the right questions, or “power questions” as they are sometimes referred to, you are quickly gathering all of the necessary information needed to help you find the right listings to show your clients. A long sales process can be very stressful for both parties, especially if your client seems to be unhappy with any listing you show them. Maybe they are being difficult. Maybe a better relationship needs to be built.

When I meet a new client, I always add them into my phone’s address book. In my BlackBerry, there are many different fields of information that can be entered. I fill in as many fields as possible, especially the birthday field. Then in the notes section, I write as much as I can about our conversation when I asked them “power questions.” I now have all the information I need to position our services to fit their individual needs.

A few good books to read if you want to improve in this area:

• Spin Selling
• Getting Past No
• Sales for Dummies

3. Showcase Your Property Listings

Find a new way to communicate new listings and changes in listings to potential buyers. If you are reading this on ActiveRain, you have already taken the first step. Social Networking has become a very effective way to market products and services. In the United States alone, there are over 36 million Facebook users. As time progresses, many of the people on Facebook will become first time home buyers. You can setup a Facebook page to help scoop up some of these people and make them your clients. Businesses can now setup their own page with loads of information for Facebook users to view. A few other sites worth checking out are MySpace and LinkedIn.

Another great way to communicate to your clients is to setup a blog or an email distribution list. You can tell your new and existing clients that they can check out your blog for new listings or price drops. If you start an email list, you can send out a weekly newsletter that showcases one particular property. Use your cell phone to take pictures or video of a property and post it on your blog or email it to your clients. If you choose the email newsletter, make sure to tell your clients that you will not share their email address and use the bcc option to hide their email from others.

4. Remain Focused on Your Goals

It is hard to juggle all of the aspects of your job. This is especially true when your family or personal life come into the mix. I use a few techniques to keep up with everything that needs to be done.

First I use my calendar to store every event in my life. I enter deadlines, business trips, meetings, and other events into my BlackBerry or into Microsoft Outlook and set reminders to give me enough time to remember everything I need to do for that particular event. You can change the length of time your reminder goes off in relation to the event. If I have a meeting, I will set it to give myself enough time to get to the meeting. If it is a deadline, I give myself enough time to complete the project, and so on. I even put entries into my calendar when bills are due.

In conjunction with my calendar, I use a task list to mark my progress on my to do list. By using the tasks on my phone, I can set priority and the status of the task on hand. I also use a whiteboard in my home office to give me a visual reminder of tasks that need to be taken care of, calls to be made, and if I am waiting on anything needed to complete my task.

5. Save Time Where You Can

This is usually the most complicated step for our clients. We sit down and brainstorm on ways to save time on daily tasks. One of the most frequent dilemmas is answering an entire day of emails after work. Even with a mobile email device, I see many clients that spend an hour or more responding to emails on their computer at the end of the night because they only read the emails coming in throughout the day. Try to answer an email when waiting in line for coffee, while on a smoke break, or as you scarf down lunch. If you can respond to a few at a time throughout the day, you will have more free time to work on other things at the end of the day.

Another popular solution is setting up wireless synchronization for your smartphone. Many BlackBerry, Palm Treo, Windows Mobile, and iPhone users get home, power up their computer, and plug in their phone to sync with their computer. We help setup a lot of real estate agents for wireless sync. Now when you enter an appointment into your phone, it automatically goes into your computer without having to do anything. The same works vice-versa and for contacts as well. This could save you 15 minutes per day. It can also help if you have someone that helps schedule appointments. When you enter something into your phone, they would immediately be able to see that change and could reduce scheduling conflicts.

You may already be doing some of these tricks. If you are, you are one step ahead of the game. I am always looking for different solutions to help in these areas. If you have any tips or tricks that work for you, leave a comment below.

For more information on how you can improve your efficiency and productivity, feel free to email me or call the number listed in my profile.

Mileage Trackers for BlackBerry

Depending on what industry you are in, you may either get reimbursed for mileage through your company or write off the mileage on your taxes.  Last year, the IRS made a change to the deduction amount for mileage.  It went up to 58.5 cents per mile (if you are claiming for 2008, the first six months is 50.8 cents per mile).  I logged almost 4000 miles and am going to have a nice deduction.

There are a few programs out there for BlackBerry that allow you to track your mileage.  I tested out two programs, TrackIT: Vehicle Edition and Mileage Manager.  They both work very well to record your mileage.

TrackIT: Vehicle Edition - $24.99 at Handango

This program allows you to track all vehicle expenses in one place: mileage, fuel costs, vehicle expenses, and maintenance.  It also allows you to track multiple vehicles.  The program is very easy to use and even has a feature to view reports and graphs for your expenses.  Data can be exported to your computer using email on your BlackBerry.  Filters can be set to export certain types of data.

Mileage Manager - $9.50 at Handango

This is a more basic way to track your mileage.  If you are not interested in tracking other expenses, this program is for you.  You can easily add mileage entries to the list and export it using email in either HTML or CSV (for Excel) format.  Mileage Manager allows you to set a reimbursement amount for your mileage and will keep a running total of how much reimbursement you are owed.  This application does not allow you to view reports or graphs.  There is one “bug” with Mileage Manager.  Normally, if you press the back button on a BlackBerry, it prompts you to save or discard your changes.  With this program, the back button will automatically discard your changes.  You have to press menu, then save in order for your changes to take effect.

Trial versions of both software is available for download:

TrackIT: Vehicle Edition

Mileage Manager

Check out the video review of both applications below:

Supra eKey for BlackBerry

GE is releasing a long awaited eKey for BlackBerry.  eKey is used by realtors to access lock boxes on properties available for sale or lease.  The technology also allows realtors to search for listings using eKey lock boxes from their cell phone and to track statistics regarding their listings.  Previous lock box users were confined to using a device with an infrared port, generally Palm Treo and Windows Mobile devices.

BlackBerry users can now purchase an infrared eKey fob (pictured).  This is a bluetooth device that connects to the BlackBerry similar to a headset and is small enough to connect to your key chain.  Once you enter your PIN to open a lock box, the keyfob translates the signal from the BlackBerry to infrared in order to open the lock box.

There are two types of eKey service designed for the BlackBerry.  The first is eKey Basic, which is available now.  This allows you retrieve keys for iBoxes, program iBox access hours, beam data to iBoxes (showing notes, listing highlights, and business card information), change shackle codes, and track KeyBox inventory.

eKey Professional will be available sometime in March of 2009 and will include all of the features of eKey Basic.  It will also include eDATA Mobile which allows realtors access to listing information while on the go.  eDATA allows searching of MLS listings that can be viewed on Google Maps.  It also shows updated contact information for other agents and gives you the ability to receive real-time showing notifications.

You can find out more information about eKey for BlackBerry, including an order form for the IR keyfob by clicking here.

Review: e-Mobile Today Professional for BlackBerry

For you BlackBerry users that have used Windows Mobile in the past, e-Mobile Today Professional Edition is a great program to utilize an “active” desktop. Windows Mobile phones have an “active” desktop as the home screen. When an event occurs, such as an upcoming appointment or new email, the desktop updates. BlackBerry has a similar theme called the Today theme, but it does not work as well as the Windows Mobile counterpart.

e-Mobile Software has created a program for the BlackBerry operating system that allows you to have an active desktop. e-Mobile Today Professional lists missed calls, contacts, calendar entries, tasks, emails, and text messages all on the main screen. Add-ons can also be purchased to include weather, news, and stocks. You can customize the background image and also remove certain features from the home screen. Shortcut keys can be assigned for easy access to applications on the BlackBerry. To exit to the main BlackBerry operating system, just press the end call button.

Some things that can be improved:

• E-mail accounts are not separated.
• The home screen does not recognize MMS (picture messaging).
• Voicemails show up as an SMS.
• Interface takes a little time to get used to.
• Must exit program to lock keys.
• Cannot dial from active desktop. Green button can be pressed to access call screen.
• Program takes over BlackBerry OS. Returns to the program after a certain amount of time.

The program is pretty useful despite a few shortcomings. I am looking forward to testing out the News, Weather, and Stocks add-ons. Check out a video of the software in action below:

Download software:

e-Mobile Today Professional Edition

e-Mobile Today Weather Expansion Pack

e-Mobile Today News Expansion Pack

e-Mobile Today Stocks Expansion Pack

Review: Mobylo Quick Response for BlackBerry

Quick Response for BlackBerry is a useful piece of software for anyone that needs to quickly respond to email with information. Real Estate agents are perfect for this software. You can create a quick response template for each property listing that you have and list the amenities that property has to offer.

The following video demonstrates how Quick Response can:

• Help you quickly respond to messages by using preconfigured templates.
• Create templates from scratch and using received messages.
• Insert templates.
• Use placeholders.

You can purchase QuickResponse or download a trial version here: Quick Response Download

Hurricane Preparedness for Wireless I.Q. Email Users

To our email subscribers:

With Hurricane Gustav and Tropical Storm Hanna threatening the gulf coast region, I wanted to share a few tips on being prepared for these storms.

Continue reading Hurricane Preparedness for Wireless I.Q. Email Users…

AT&T’s Systems Are Running Slow…On Their Busiest Day of the Year

You think they would be a little better prepared for this.

From my live blog:

9:29: Just saw a copy of an email about the system issues stating:

“Current Issues and Workarounds

These are the issues that are currently being worked. We do not have solutions for some of the systematic issues just yet. As many workarounds as are available are provided below.

Issues upgrading a FT line (CARE only):

Work around to get customer out the door: split line off of the FT, make individual and then put back on the FT account.

Tethering for Unbrick is slow or erroring (telegence and care)

Send customer home to tether. Reps will still be comped.

Cannot add a line to an existing FT account (CARE only):

New line Port-in Failures:

The vast majority of our port failures have been because the rep is not asking for the Pin/Password. This field MUST be populated if the customer has a pin/passcode on their account.

Cannot sell out the 16GB white device (69115)- not available for sale (care and telegence) on both new line (port) and upgrade:

Not showing as a 3G device.

The CSS for upgrades in CARE markets is not printing the Upgrade Fee for ANY phone sales. iPhone and non-iPhone.

Rep must be sure to cover the fee with the customer. Fix is not until Tuesday.

Feature Conflict with Existing FT Messaging”

I didn’t get the second page, so if anybody wants to fill that in, email me.

Picture after the jump.

Continue reading AT&T’s Systems Are Running Slow…On Their Busiest Day of the Year…

My Journey For an iPhone Begins…

It’s 5:30 and my journey begins for an iPhone. Although I am not as hardcore as these people, I am pretty excited to get my wife and her sister an iPhone when it releases today. Having a four year old daughter, I am not able to wait in line overnight to get my hands on one. Daycare does not open until 6:30, so this is as early as I could get started. Our daughter is not going to be happy when I wake her up this early. Heck, I am not happy to wake up this early. I will keep you updated as I arrive to the AT&T store (which I actually worked at for three years). I can’t wait to see the look on all the Apple fanboys when I show up blogging on my PC…

7:00: Daycare was a few minutes late opening but traffic was not too bad. I am number 59 in line. It just so happens that my spot has a bench to sit on. They won’t tell us how many are in stock. I got a free bottle of water. I wonder what happens if I have to go to the bathroom. I’ll take it easy on the water. Pictures below.

I just saw a person that was waiting in line last year for the iPhone and the Ms. Debbie Heroman, the lady that did our flowers.

7:22: The guy in the number 61 spot bought a first-gen iPhone two weeks ago and now has to wait in line to exchange it for the 3G version. What rock was he hiding under?

8:00: The doors are finally open. I ran to Starbucks to use the bathroom while someone held my spot in line. I talked to the first people in line and they said they got here about 11:30 last night. I also got a glimpse of the new phone. Pretty nice looking. The line is moving fast.

8:30: Pretty much at a standstill. I’m sure activating in store this year is going to make the wait a little longer. I’ve made a few business contacts while waiting in line.

8:40: Someone just came outside and said there was a “small glitch” in the system. Great.

8:44: I’m starting to hear a lot of cell phone conversations saying “I’m gonna be a little late for work.”

8:49: Some guy just shouted “Does anybody want to buy a BlackBerry Curve?!” My battery is about to die on my laptop. I’ll be back when I plug it back in.

9:29: Just saw a copy of an email about the system issues stating:

Continue reading My Journey For an iPhone Begins……

AT&T Expands Insurance Coverage to Include PDAs/Smartphones

First thing first, this insurance coverage does not include the iPhone.

AT&T is finally allowing customer’s to cover PDAs and smartphones under their insurance program.  This coverage includes unintentional liquid/physical damage and lost or stolen cell phones.  You may also make a claim if your phone has warranty issues after the one year warranty is up.  The monthly service charge for insurance coverage remains at $4.99 per month per phone.

Until November 3, 2008, all claims covered under the insurance program will have a $50 non-refundable deductible.  After that time, a tier system will be used to determine the deductible you will have to pay.  Tier 1 will be a $50 non-refundable deductible and Tier 2 will be a $125 non-refundable deductible.  Tier 2 phones are high end PDAs, including the latest BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, and Palm Treo devices.  Phones may be moved from Tier 2 to Tier 1 during the phone’s life cycle, reducing the deductible.

There is a 30 day enrollment period that begins on the day you purchase the device.  You may want to call the insurance number (1-888-562-8662) and ask if they will make an exception due to the new policy.

Check here (pdf link) to see if your phone is eligible.

You can view more information about AT&T’s insurance policy here.

Ben
ben@wirelessiqllc.com
www.wirelessiqllc.com

Video Review of Facebook Application for Palm Treo

Millions of people use Facebook. A majority of these users are unable to sit in front of their computer all day reading friend updates, wall posts, and to poke or be poked. Sure, in college, I had nothing better to do (homework, study, go to class) than sit in front of my computer. With mobility in mind, Facebook has launched a number of mobile Facebook applications.

From any cell phone browser, you can go to m.facebook.com and pull up a mobile version of the social networking website.

You can upload pictures and video from your cellphone by sending a multimedia message (MMS) to mobile@facebook.com.

In the video below, we review the Facebook application that was designed for the Palm Treo 680, 755p, and the Centro. Facebook is accessed using the internet connection through a program instead of the web browser.

To download it directly to your compatible Palm device, use the phone’s browser to go to http://mobile.palm.com/facebook. The installation process is also covered in the video.

Click “Continue Reading…” to view the video.

Ben
ben@wirelessiqllc.com
www.wirelessiqllc.com

Continue reading Video Review of Facebook Application for Palm Treo…