Quick Tip: Pair These 2 Tools to Automate Showing Feedback Requests

Getting your real estate apps to work together can save a lot of time. There are the obvious time savers: Gmail integration with your eSignature tool, for example, which makes it a snap to dash off documents for review.

But don't overlook more unorthodox pairings. Take the humble lockbox, for example. Pair it with a property data app, like RPR or HomeSpotter, and you can automatically pull up detailed listing information upon entering a home for a showing.

The simple act of opening a lockbox can trigger other useful actions. Want to automatically send feedback requests to all agents who have shown your listing? Pair your SentriLock lockbox with a showing solution like Showing Suite. Your lockbox will prompt your showing tool to send out a showing feedback request when another Realtor opens it.

How to Use Showing Feedback to Your Advantage

So why would an agent want to receive showing feedback, and how can they use that feedback in their business.

The most obvious answer is to help identify listing weaknesses, but many agents also leverage showing feedback as a starter for difficult conversations.

Take listing price as an example. We know it's one of the most important factors in selling a home—but agreeing on what a fair price looks like can be challenging, especially with some sellers. List a home too high, and you risk fewer showings, or disappointment from buyers who do tour the property.

So some Realtors with stubborn clients turn to showing feedback to open a conversation about too-high pricing. Honest comments from third parties are easier to swallow for some homeowners, and can help them realize that their preferred listing price is actually driving away potential offers.

Tip: Call it a "price adjustment" rather than a "price reduction." By using a different term, you frame your objective in a new way and change your seller's focus. The word "reduction" brings to mind the idea of loss (of money, in this case). "Adjustment," on the other hand, suggests that you are using your expertise to fine-tune the price so the listing doesn't languish on the market.

Showing Feedback Questions to Ask

Not sure what to ask on your showing feedback questionnaire? Design it so that it's quick and easy for showing agents to complete. The majority of the questions should be in multiple choice format; limit the open-ended questions to just one or two to increase the likelihood of a response to your feedback request.

For example, if you ask showing agents to rate the exterior/interior/certain rooms, let them choose a number between 1-5, with 1 being "poor condition" and 5 being "excellent condition." If all agents have to do is click a button, they'll be much more likely to answer your questions.

Here are a few sample questions to help you flesh out your feedback survey:

1. How accurate is this property's pricing?
2. Was the property misrepresented in any way in the MLS?
3. How easy was the home to show (e.g., was the home clean and the owners gone)?
4. Rate the condition of the home compared to others your client is considering.
5. Rate the interior/exterior/individual rooms.
6. What would improve the condition of the home? (For example: remove clutter or clean, refinish floors, remove odors, etc.)

Do you send out showing feedback requests? If so, how do you use them in your business? Share your thought with us on our Facebook page!