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skills we have placed all our data with an organisation who has security steps way beyond what we could ever achieve cost effectively. Is it infallible? No, but way more secure than the set up most estate agents are using. Thus we feel that IT has the means to support competitive advantage by allowing agents to more closely meet customer needs and expectations.
“The current Aspasia product has kept pace well but is ready for a new update. It does the job well but is starting to get a bit cranky. The important thing is they are addressing it – the rest aren’t. The great thing about SPA is they aspire to be at the forefront of technology.” MATThew dAvIs Md, dAvIs TATe
the product is developed through stretching IT functionality and consulting with customers, resulting in a product that meets needs rather than creates a framework that restricts practices.
Looking forward, how much do you really see IT as a differentiator in estate agency?
The world is changing. We used to be able to operate effectively on manual systems but the industry has to awaken to what is going on out there. Customers expect to be able to do anything they want online – banking, shopping, research, you name it. And now that behaviour is increasingly mobile with iPods, iPhones and many other Internet accessible devices meaning that people can literally buy what they want, from wherever they want to and from wherever they are. Compare this to an agency with a high street presence open from 96 with negotiators sitting behind PCs. People fear the pace of change and change is
uncomfortable for most. We hear the same concerns and doubts expressed regularly such as data security and loss of control. But again, look out there. People are now very comfortable to put personal information on websites, trusting those organisations to have the security in place – and their trust is justified. Even with all our IT
so if technology is moving fast, how do you hope to keep pace? Two years ago Stewart Anderson, the founder of SPA and the real entrepreneur behind the product, put me in place to release more of his time to look at advances in technology and assess how we could exploit what was going on. He had been keeping an eye on the concept of cloud computing and saw the potential for how Aspasia could be part of the new era in IT. As the product started to develop, we created a ‘super team’ of customers who had been with us from the early days and got their input. Their enthusiasm boosted our motivation and our full commitment went behind Aspasia Cloud. Whilst we will continue to support the traditional web- based product, our future is at the leading edge of technology.
But cloud computing has been around for a while. why have we not seen cloud based products in the market yet? We believe we are the only company who have made a serious commitment to the market to launch a cloud-based product. The reality is that estate agency software is very complex. Relating to Aspasia, we support lettings, residential sales, and financial services. The scope of the task to rewrite code for all of that is phenomenal. We’d be the first to agree that the original
plans saw a product release before now but more important to us is the product has to be
We have over 150
staff and we have to keep pace with technology. If not, our staff will move to those companies that are providing the excitement at the forefront of technology.” Andrew dewAr Md, CurChods
right. Like any company bringing a radically new product to market, we will meet with a lot of resistance. Few people out there are willing to take the perceived risk of being the first to buy. We have been investing in our educational series to help people make a more informed decision with regards to Aspasia Cloud and we’ve had fantastic feedback from this. The original Aspasia was one of the first to market in its time and virtually all those customers are still with us. We are experienced in doing this and ready for Aspasia Cloud to take the market forward again.
For those waiting for this breakthrough, we are still a long way from economic prosperity. Is this the right time to be thinking about investing? Many businesses have experienced high costs when it comes to IT but with cloud technology there is very little financial cost at all. We moved our own business into cloud computing and have seen a reduction in our IT costs through the simplification of our IT infrastructure and this saving is clearly on going compared to a one-off investment. Our experience is mirrored by the plethora of other companies that have also move into cloud computing. I would urge people to consider the opportunity cost. Companies are making the move. We have customers impatiently waiting for Aspasia Cloud. UK Agencies are going to be using it soon and history shows that the first to market regularly ends up with the largest market share. The recession has seen weaker players leave the market. Those left can be building their infrastructure to ensure that when economic tides turn, they are poised to be riding high on the waves!
For more information on Aspasia or Aspasia Cloud, please go to
www.aspasia.net or call 01344 750100
PROPERTYdrum APRIL 2011 41
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