The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) has rolled out its new website and member database, also announcing its intention to release an iPhone app next year.
REIQ’s member services executive manager, Ian Murray, said the project has been successful in the Queensland real estate community.
“The most recent initiative for our members has been the very successful launch of reiq.com which features property listings by REIQ members exclusively,” Murray said.
“We already have more than 90,000 listings which make reiq.com the largest Queensland-only property website.”
After looking at what was on the market, Murray said the business chose to partner with iMIS; rolling out the vendor's iMIS 15 enterprise-wide member and donor management software solution for its ability to ‘bolt on’ modules more effectively than its competitors.
“We wanted to ensure a series of capabilities from the investment,” he said.
“Specifically, the attainment of a single database, the ability to communicate with all members, improved Web offerings and business intelligence.
“We liked the concept of ‘one customer, one record’ and the Web capabilities were impressive.”
Murray conducted a six-month investigation into the suitability of iMIS and rolled out the product over a two-year period.
With an IT team of four core staff who take care of the general IT requirements of the institute, Murray said REIQ have been busy since the rollout.
“Before iMIS, the REIQ operated a number of separate databases using proprietary software that were not economical to continue supporting,” he said.
“With more reliance on Web-based services, we were also eager to exploit the Web functionality offered in iMIS to reduce the need for manual updates between its membership system and website.”
The business now uses iMIS for its member and customer records, to manage its membership, email communication, financial transactions, and continuing professional development.
“We now have one single database that all staff has access to,” Murray said.
“Since implementing iMIS, communication with our members has improved significantly, member participation in events, training and services has increased, and we are now starting to see the benefits of greater business intelligence within the organisation.”
Murray said the next phase of the website project is the development and implementation of a mobile strategy.
“The next step is the further development of the website and aligned products with new features such as an iPhone app, a redesign of the homepage, enhancements to the agent admin area and improved search options coming online in 2012,” he said.
“There will also be enhancements to the find an accredited agency search engine and an online job board.”
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