Best CRM for Real Estate Agents in Canada
A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System is a tool to assist businesses in managing and nurturing their relationships with their customers. A CRM involves the use of technology and data to streamline communication, track interactions, and personalize the customer experience, all aimed to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. An efficient CRM system is an invaluable tool for REALTORS®, as they can leverage the CRM’s abilities to build stronger, more distinctive relationships with their clients.
Now most times REALTORS® already have some sort of CRM… however, is it efficient? Is it organized? Is it alleviating stress? Or is it just a long list of contacts? Before deciding a CRM platform, it is important to ask yourself… “What do you want a CRM for?”
In this article, we are going to compare multiple CRM platforms based off three main groupings:
Group 1: Basic Contact Management
Group 2: Basic Customer Relationship Management
Group 3: Customer Relationship Management with IDX/VOW Websites
We will look at their features, pricing, and ease-of-use so you can decide what platform is best for your business.
Group 1: Basic Contact Management
This is for the individuals who just want to keep in contact with their database. Examples of a Basic Contact Management System include:
- Your Cell Phone
- Google Contacts
- Google Sheet
- Excel
- Social Media
And the main features of Basic Contact Management include:
- Basic contact record keeping.
- Ability to send mass emails.
- Ability to send mass SMS/texts.
- Ability to reverse prospect it.
Group 2: Basic + Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Examples of Basic CRM include:
- IXACT Contact
- Top Producer
- Follow-Up Boss (FUB)
- Buffini’s Referral Maker
- Wise Agent
- Pipedrive
- Agent Locator
- LionDesk
The main features these CRM’s have:
- Mass communication by segmented groups (email, SMS/text or even direct to voicemail messages).
- Helps you categorize your clients and leads by type (buyer, seller, tenants, investors) so that you can more effectively market to them.
- Systematize your lead nurture campaigns and follow-up, including reminder tasks/calls.
Contact Management + CRM Platform Showdown
Group 3: CRM + IDX/VOW Website
These platforms include multiple complexities to provide ultimate function for your database.
Examples include:
- kvCORE (MAXTech powered by kvCORE)
- Chime
- Commissions Inc (CINC)
- Boomtown
- Real Geeks
Features you can expect from Group 3 Platforms include:
- All the functions that Group 1 & 2 do.
- Integrates with your IDX/VOW website/mobile app for your clients and prospects.
- Centralizes all Google PPC, Facebook, Instagram and other paid ads into one lead capture system. Plus, gives you the capability to nurture and filter those leads.
- Provides landing pages.
- Has the ability for funnel marketing.
- Other automation tools.
CRM + IDX/VOW Platform Showdown
CRM Summary
After reviewing the numerous CRM options available, ultimately choosing one really depends on your specific needs and budget. If simplicity and affordability are paramount, the simplest form of contact management is Google Contacts. Google Contacts is free, allows for easy importing and exporting of contacts and does automatic back-ups.
For those seeking more advanced features without breaking the bank, IXACT Contact provides an excellent balance of functionality and cost, with user-friendly real estate-specific tools. Plus, IXACT Contact is directly connected to Morris Marketing which provides their users with a print newsletter services, an additional feature that can add value to the users relationship with their clients.
Now, if you’re willing to invest both financially and with your time in a comprehensive CRM solution that’ll act as virtual assistant, kvCORE stands out. kvCORE’s robust capabilities, customizable options, and its integration with various marketing and communication tools makes the platform a one-stop shop.
As seen above, there are many CRM options and many brokerages have aligned themselves with various CRM platforms to empower their agents and streamline their operations. REMAX has a partnership with kvCORE, which provides associates access to the kvCORE platform through their office fees.
Again, before deciding a CRM platform, it is important to ask yourself… “What do you want a CRM for?”
The CRM Process
With a complex CRM, you can expect more leads, better lead nurturing and an organized system that will keep you on top of your tasks and push you forward in your business. Using a system like KVCore if properly set-up, the system can act as an assistant through automated campaigns that are triggered by different stages a lead goes through.