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The right online scheduling system is good for you and your clients. Here are some tips to help find the right technology to help you eliminate phone “tag” and increase per-listing sales.
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With the busy season upon us, it’s time to ask yourself the question, “Is my online scheduling process convenient for me and my clients?” Does it save everyone time? Is it a simple process for clients and the homeowner? Was the technology built specifically to meet the needs of real estate photographers?”
If you’re not answering a strong “Yes!” to all those questions, you could probably be saving time and money by giving your customers access to an improved online scheduling platform. Now is the right time to look for a system that’s built specifically for real estate
A great way to save time and provide an excellent experience for your customers is to allow them to schedule their appointment online during the booking process.
I'm talking about using a real-time scheduling platform that factors in the following:
With the right scheduling technology, you can eliminate time spent playing phone tag or exchanging texts as you try to accommodate three schedules (yours, the homeowners and the real estate pro). Instead, look for a system that lets your clients review what’s available so that they can work this out directly with the homeowner.
You may even want to encourage your clients to build this into their processes for signing the listing agreement, which could save time for both of you! Any time your client is integrating photo shoot scheduling into their standard processes, it’s sure to be a win-win situation for everyone and lead to more bookings for you.
Now you might be saying, “Oh my gosh, I could never let my clients schedule directly… they’d have me running all over my area and it would be so inefficient.” The best systems factor these needs in too.
At HDPhotoHub I specialize in serving real estate
If you aren’t quite ready to jump in headfirst and allow your clients to schedule real time appointments, look for a system that helps eliminate some of the initial back and forth.
For example, the HDPhotoHub system has options for you to simply have your client choose a day or choose a few appointment slots that could work for them. Then you, or your admin, can finalize the appointment with your client after the booking has been placed. With this approach, your business still gets the benefits of only showing photographers who service specific areas and/or specific products. This can be a great way to get some of the benefits of offering online scheduling, while keeping some control.
Ok, now you might be thinking “Ha! My clients book online? They’re still just going to call and text me when they need a shoot.” Guess what? Some still will. However, training them that ordering online is best for them is a simple response away, “Congrats on the new listing! I’m actually at another shoot right now but you can schedule an appointment that works best for you directly on my website! It’s really easy and it has my most current schedule. Thank you!”
Many customers have reported that they were surprised by what happens next when they use this approach: when clients who always just order a bare minimum shoot go online and see all the services available, they will often add something new and out of the ordinary. Maybe it’s a virtual twilight, maybe it’s a 3D floor plan or some drone shots.
So, not only are you able to save yourself the time of entering the booking and figuring out the scheduling via multiple phone calls or text messages. You may also find you end up with a higher dollar order and a happy client who is trying out a new service and satisfied with how easy it is to schedule online with you.
To save time and grow your business, you may also want to look for a system that reduces post-booking data entry and streamlines all the post-booking appointment details into one place. With HDPhotoHub, after the booking has been placed, you’ll benefit from a complete booking management system that was specially designed to help keep real estate photography businesses organized and ready to scale and grow.
HDPhotoHub gives you the post-booking tools you need:
As you evaluate the right online scheduling system to support your business, you may also want to consider what additional perks are included. With the right platform, the time savings and improved client experience should continue even after the shoot is complete.
With HDPhotoHub, you can collect payments and deliver your images through a white labeled experience that is easy to use, even for a real estate agent! And you’ll also be positioned to offer even more benefits to your clients with social media graphics, property websites, and flyers built directly from the media you provided. No extra work for you, just extra value for your client.
Now is the right time to ask the question, “How many different services am I using today, and could I replace them with an all-in-one solution? If I did, would having just one system to manage save me time and help me grow my business?”
There are serious benefits to simplifying your processes and using the right tool for the job. As you evaluate next steps, you’ll want to consider the following:
It’s time to set your business up for success with the right scheduling system and technology specially designed to solve the daily challenges facing real estate