ADVERTISEMENT Feature Tinking ahead
THESE ARTICLES have outlined various arguments for adopting a cloud based model. The case for considering the move to the cloud gains momentum all the time and with the recent launch of Google Drive the evidence becomes even more compelling. As we move towards a formal launch of Aspasia Cloud it is worth clarifying what we feel makes Aspasia Cloud a key contender for anyone considering investing in technology. A decision to invest in software is not one that is made lightly. Influences may include familiarity or previous experience with a product, or you may be persuaded by another agent’s recommendation. Whatever the background, there has to be a compelling argument for change. When it comes to software, moving from one provider to another is likely to present some challenges. When we first started to look at the need for a new approach in terms of agency software we had to consider the requirements of our existing clients as well as projecting forward to consider what agents would be seeking to do in the future. Our philosophy has always been to create products that fit around your business rather than making business procedures fit around the software, thus we acknowledged that some clients may not want to take on the full functionality of Aspasia Cloud as there are certain elements to it which require that you move away from a traditional desktop computing architecture. Hence, we will continue to support and develop our Aspasia Web product alongside Aspasia Cloud. Aspasia Web is now a mature and trusted product and was one of the first true web based solutions in the market. It has grown and evolved over this time and offers a comprehensive sales, lettings, property management and accounting tool. However, certain elements of the product, most notably email and document management, are dependant upon Windows technology. Whilst not a problem historically, this dependency can restrict the software’s scope when using the product via mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones. Aspasia Cloud is fundamentally different in a number of areas. Aside from the different way the product deals with emails and documents,
Need more information? There is much more information in relation to both Aspasia Web and Aspasia Cloud on our website at
www.aspasia.net.
Alternatively call us on 01344 750100, we would be happy to chat things through with you further.
PROPERTYdrum JUNE 2012 31
there are other features which place the product very much at the cutting edge in terms of web based applications. One example of this is the ability to have more than one session running concurrently. A criticism sometimes levelled at web based solutions in the past is that users are usually only able to do one thing at a time. Aspasia Cloud deals with this issue in that users will be able to log into various sessions at the same time if so desired. Whilst on the face of it this is a minor issue, it’s fundamental in terms of users being able to multi-task in the office.
GOOGLE APPS FOR BUSINESS We have mentioned the fact that what we are
aiming to achieve with Aspasia Cloud is a seamless interface with the email client. This has involved a number of complex challenges from a programming point of view. For many reasons we took the decision early on to integrate the product with Google Apps for Business. One of the many benefits of this integration has been the ability to embed all emails in relation to a particular sale or tenancy within the application itself. The biggest gain this gives is a more thorough and complete audit trail in relation to correspondence for each record without the need to copy and paste the text from separate external email clients. Email has transformed the way in which we do business. Whereas historically, the most important communication has been undertaken by post, the ability for quality delivery of information by email and associated electronic media is now the norm. The importance of making sure that this email communication is not only professional and well delivered but is
also fully integrated into your office systems is paramount. Simply having emails delivered to an individual staff member’s mailbox is inefficient and open to failure – automatically replicating these emails into the specific record for the client has to be a more elegant and reliable solution. Similarly the integration with Google Apps For Business means that there is no need to have an external Word Processing package like Microsoft Word in order to generate letters. The letters are generated and saved within the application itself. In isolation, these features may not appear to be good reason to completely rewrite an entire application. Our motivation, however, is not just about a new way to promote a cloud based agency software package. We feel that the time is right for firms to seriously consider the benefits of moving from a desktop to a cloud based model. Google Apps for Business allows the hosting of all email and other key documentation in the cloud thereby negating the need for expensive on site servers and their associated costs in terms of management, maintenance and not least, power. In coming away from a dependence on expensive in house systems, agents can free up time and other resources and concentrate on what they do best. At the start of this article we mentioned Google Drive. Whilst currently it may seem that it is little more than a rebadged and more user friendly version of Google Apps for Business, the proposed development of this area over the next few months promises to be quite dramatic. Far from being merely a central repository for documents, Google Drive will offer hugely increased storage capacity together with the ability to utilise various applications (Apps) whilst also sharing documents and collaborating with clients and staff alike. It is clear that Google Drive will assist in opening up other areas of opportunity which may be advantageous to all agencies as they seek to grow and develop in today’s challenging digital environment. Aspasia Cloud’s integration with Google Apps will mean that its users will always have access to this new functionality without cumbersome upgrades, ensuring that agents can remain at the forefront of technology without the upheaval of reinvesting in new systems.
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