TECHnews ENERGY
Butler Sherborne is energised
Cotswolds property specialist, Butler Sherborn, is launching a new service for homes, businesses, farmers and landowners – Butler Sherborn Energy. “However you heat and provide power to your property – gas, electricity,
oil or solid fuel – the cost is increasing, and with growing demand on global resources, this situation is only going to become more critical,” says Richard Palmer who heads the department. “A lot of people are already considering
alternative renewable fuel sources, largely driven by recent Government incentives, but these are not without their costs and complications. This new service is designed to help people make well informed investment decisions now to ensure, for example, cost savings, a low carbon future and enhanced capital value of their assets.”
On the right track INNOVATION
Contact Counts is a new interactive online property tracking system that allows house sellers to monitor the progress of their house sale and communicate with their agent 24/7. It promotes improved communication and complete process transparency during the house selling process. In February 2012 it was launched in Sunday Times gold medal winning agent Lex Allan & Grove. MD Richard Dalton said, “We identified
a gap in the market with the way that agents use modern technology to communicate with their vendors. Traditional forms of communication such as telephone, post and email are becoming increasingly ineffective. People are now working longer hours and have less time to make or answer telephone calls this can lead to frustration for both the house seller and agent. Email is becoming a more ineffective form of communication with inboxes constantly filled with junk mail and many people now choose to communicate via social media. Our system makes best use of modern technology to aid communication resulting in a more efficient service delivery.” Contact Counts is made up of simple
screens that require only basic IT skills to navigate. The screen is laid out with the house selling process on the left side and a message board in the middle that allows the house seller and agent to
18 MAY 2012 PROPERTYdrum
interact about the relevant process step. The agent can attach documents and web links so that the client is aware of progress. The system acts as the house sellers own secure online property folder. “We believe the system helps house sellers understand the process and simultaneously improves communication resulting in reduced stress levels and a better overall experience. On analysing industry reports it was apparent that poor communication and perceived lack of process transparency were continual issues for vendors.” Contact Counts can be offered to
vendors as part of their house selling package. Contact Counts is white labelled and a link created via the agents website. The system is set up to suit each individual agents business requirements,
white labelled marketing material and a tablet presentation is included assisting agents to promote their service at market appraisals. “There are multiple benefits for
agents it provides them a USP to take on market appraisals enabling them to increase instructions, client satisfaction and recommendations at the same time as reducing costs and helping to save the environment. I believe a high quality level of service leads to increased recommendations and ultimately that is the best form of marketing. In addition our product in most cases will work out to less than £2 per new instruction.” Contact Counts are currently offering
free trials visit
www.contactcounts.co.uk |or email
info@contactcounts.co.uk for more information.
Butler Sherborn Energy offers wholly independent and impartial advice. It takes a strategic approach, starting with assessing the energy needs of a property as well as providing advice on effective energy purchasing. Key consideration is given to energy efficiency gains before advising on the suitability of renewable energy generation such as from wind power, photo voltaic (PV) and biomass. Full project management can be undertaken including professional services to provide valuations, oversee planning and due diligence, as well as information about current legislation and the
availability of grants. Richard is a qualified Chartered Surveyor
having previously spent 12 years in the energy industry, latterly specialising in renewables. He worked for npower (formerly National Power) between 1994-2006, and from 2007-2010 for Savills before joining Butler Sherborn in early 2011. He is an approved consultant under the South West Regional Development Agency’s Agricultural Resources Management (SWARM) initiative to provide farm energy audits, and has an MSc in Real Estate and BSc (Hons) in Statistics with Management Science.
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