Virtual reality software for real estate agents has arrived to completely change the way properties are managed: thus, many agencies already see the incorporation of these tools as an excellent way to save costs, speed up the purchase and sale processes and increase the exposure of each property among so many other business advantages. But from the customer’s point of view, how do virtual real estate tours benefit them?
5 uses of real estate virtual tours that benefit the customer
INDEX:
2. Visits available from anywhere
3. Repeat visits as many times as the client wants
5. Visits that collect sales information
1. 24-hour virtual viewings
Which agency allows a client to visit a flat exactly when they wish to do so? Adjusting the visiting hours to the needs of the agent and the user is one of the main headaches that must be endured during the sales process.
Thus, to the agency’s own timetable is added that of the client, who cannot always leave before or after work, who sees that the time which suits the client best is already taken up by another appointment… All this causes frustration that can easily be exacerbated upon viewing the property, which may not be at its best during early evening (and therefore poorly lit) or, as evident from the agent’s mood, has already been seen by several clients that day.
How virtual real estate tours benefit the client: the degree of realism is such that, by viewing the property comfortably from a computer or mobile phone, they can get an idea of whether it is what they are looking for or not, without having to adjust their agenda or “waste time”.
2. Visits available from anywhere
It is not only the moment when we want to see the property that is important: the where is also fundamental so that, in the case that we cannot go and see the flat because we are working, we find a space in the office to go through it in just 5 minutes.
On the other hand, we should not just look at the property that the client has in mind, but also those that they do not know about and could be of interest to them. If we offer him the opportunity to see them in detail thanks to the virtual tours, such as comfortably in the underground or bus, or at night after returning from the gym relaxed, we will be gaining sales opportunities.
What are the benefits of virtual real estate tours for the client? You save yourself the trouble of going to the agency, reviewing the catalogue or property files and even making an appointment to visit the property. A link or search through the real estate portal is enough for you to decide from anywhere if you are looking at your dream home.
3. Repeat visits as many times as the client wants
After a visit we do not always have a decision made. The feeling of “Yes, but…” is constant when it comes to deciding on something as fundamental as where we are going to live for the rest of our lives.
For this reason, many clients, after a first visit (and the whole organisation involved), ask for a second or even third visit in which they include family members or third parties who can help them decide. Time that will be well invested if you end up buying, but which can be a huge waste of time if you don’t finally manage to convince them.
How virtual real estate tours benefit the client: we will probably never conduct the confirmation visit digitally (nor should we, it is a very important decision for the buyer), but all the rest such as showing the property to third parties, can be done comfortably from any place and as many times as we want.
4. Visits by videoconference
There is something that we must confess, virtual tours are not capable of fully replacing a face-to-face property tour due to the lack of human contact and reassurance they offer. Our solution to this is the introduction of videoconferences – tours in which you are accompanied by professional agents who explain and solve your doubts in the moment.
For these cases, the virtual tour software incorporates the option of being able to be shown by means of videoconferences, so that the agent accompanies the client during the visit for greater realism, even being able to make visits to multiple interested parties at the same time.
How do virtual real estate tours benefit the client? If we don’t want to wait to see the property, why wait to resolve doubts about it? Incorporating these visit systems into the virtual tour software, as well as other real estate management tools such as a chat or flexible communication via Whatsapp help to speed up the sales process and thus increase customer satisfaction.
5. Visits that collect sales information
Not everything is a direct benefit: when a visitor comes to a house and leaves without being convinced, we may never know what has caused him to be rejected.
By means of virtual real estate tours, it is possible that -unless it has been done by means of a video conference, where the relaxed atmosphere allows this type of question to be answered-, we will not be offered this information either, but thanks to the analytical data collected, we will be able to know which customer profiles visit each property, to how they interact with it (requesting more information, leaving the page and visiting another properties shortly afterwards, etc.).
In this way we will be able to know, or at least intuit, which characteristics of properties cause rejection, which profiles are prone to which type of housing, etc. All assorts of information that can be used to improve services, offer the right properties to the right profiles and, in short, improve customer service.
How do virtual real estate tours benefit the customer? By making proper use of this information collected, we will know which properties fit which customer profiles in a more experienced and truthful way, not making them waste time visiting homes that might be rejected in the first place.
Improving the satisfaction of the user of a real estate agency is to improve how they perceive your agency, so investing in everything that makes a service easier, is to invest in growth, attraction and business success. In this sense, virtual real estate tours have a lot to offer.
