November 2007

PCS attracts new software buyers

THE Property Computer Show, or PCS Expo as it is known now, seemed, as ever, the place to be if as an agent you were looking for software.

Of course there were a great number of Home Information Pack providers in evidence — and incidentally an even greater number of Energy Assessors looking for work — but the real focus of the show is, and always has been, on the software providers.

For many software suppliers, the year has been frustrating in that much development time has been spent in ensuring that their products are HIP-compatible and they are as frustrated as the agents at how negative the public response has been.

There have therefore not been many dynamic software developments this year and many of the changes have been subtle user-demanded changes.

The exception is for Encore — recently acquired by the parent company of rivals Vebra — whose stand was the busiest at the show as they demonstrated their new EncoreLive software.

Encore have always been at the forefront at the show and their stand position has usually been right in front of you as you walk in so it is normally busy but I have never seen queues like it and it was only after lunch on the second day that I was able to get a good look at the new product.

The old Encore structure with its client server format and Windows form remains at the centre of the product but there is now an additional capability to access information through the internet.

The vast majority of data can be accessed through the internet connecting straight to the Structured Query Language server that stores the same data as the offices are inputting.

There is therefore still the need to have a local network within the office and a Wide Area or Virtual Private Network between branches with a central SQL database. The connections need to be a minimum of ADSL Premium Max or Leased Lines.

The basic functionality has of course lent heavily on the developments of the original Encore product but it has been updated and is in a user-friendly form with access to multiple screens in the office format.

One area that did particularly impress was the ease of producing printed information in any number of different template formats and the simple way of producing advertising copy.

Gary Norton, co-founder of Core Systems and the brains behind EncoreLive, commented: “We’re confident that EncoreLive is the most powerful software solution currently on the market.

“Over the last 13 years we’ve built up a reputation for outstanding desktop-based software. But times have changed and our customers now want something different that allows them to work when and where they want.

“We’ve listened to our customers, and the result is EncoreLive, the next generation of estate agency software that gives estate agents the freedom to work wherever and whenever they want to.”

To some extent this is what the Active Server Pages software providers have been saying for some time but the challenge with ASP software has been to appeal to users who are looking for multiple windows open at any one time.

They have all overcome this need in different ways and most ASP software systems claim to offer flexibility.

Aspasia would certainly challenge the ‘most powerful software solution’. They provide not only a residential package but also a most comprehensive package with residential sales, lettings, client accounting, property management, new homes and financial services all in one totally integrated web-based product and based on an Oracle database.

Dezrez recognises the need to have some backup information available to the user at all times and they have developed their thin-client solution whereby some local data is stored on the individual PC in the office.

The ‘tools’ functions also means that secondary and even tertiary windows can be opened at any one time.

Dezrez, like the other ASP providers, does not need a Wide Area network in that the connection to the dedicated servers are through the Internet.

Stewart Anderson of Aspasia said: “Aspasia is a totally web-based application capable of being used on any PC anywhere without the complications of loading any software onto the local machine — a real saving in terms of the total cost of ownership.”

Traditional systems were still very much in evidence at the show with Vebra showing its comprehensive range of products — GMW Solex and Estate Craft.

GMW claim to have resolved their difficulties with replication by use of their Inter-Branch Connectivity system.

Solex and EstateCraft both offer more comprehensive solutions especially for agencies with sales as well as lettings functions and they have both been developed continuously over a period of 15 years or so.

There is no doubt that in market share they are the market leaders and as such they are determined to defend their position.

They both offer a number of add -on services and this to some extent can become quite confusing when trying to look at price comparisons.

I show in the accompanying table comparable costs for three different office configurations — the small two-branch office, six-user firm; a medium five-branch office firm with 20 users and a larger 10-branch office, 50-user firm.

Most of the firms have a transparent pricing policy — and it is adhered to — thus reassuring agents that each is treated in a similar way and that competitors are paying a similar price.

Aspasia, Dezrez, CFP and Expert Agent all publish their prices and discount structures.

Encore used to follow this thinking and it was at the heart of Geoff Core’s relationship with his agency customers, but now they have been taken over by Vebra they too are not disclosing their pricing structure and will now only quote on an individual basis.

This does mean that the sales representative can customise pricing for each situation but it does make it difficult for firms to compare on a like-for-like basis — and prices do now depend on the agent’s negotiating skills.

As the table shows, the older, more traditional client server solutions — GMW and CFPWinman —are the least cost alternatives over a three year period for all office structures with PropertyPro at a level above them.

The Vebra Solex and EstateCraft products will come in at higher prices than these especially with the add-ons, as does Vebra’s leading challenger Reapit.

Encore did in the past compete with Vebra both on price and service but now they are in the same stable it may well be that the overall corporate position reduces some of the former competitive pricing.

Agents wanting a client server structure have a lesser negotiating position and so the likes of PropertyPro may well see an upsurge in interest.

Of course, each individual software package has its own features and each agency has to evaluate what it wants and what it will use.

I have noticed over the years that what attracts the principal buying the software is not always what is actually used by the negotiators and it is worth considering whether more basic forms actually compel the negotiator to think and actually use his or her selling skills.

Robert May of CFP certainly feels this. He commented at PCS 2007: “I was surprised at the number of agents who are recognising the need to get back to traditional agency practice and provide a more personal touch.

“CFP Software recognises that good negotiators will get agencies through the hard times ahead of us and CFPwinEstate is a great tool for those negotiators; it thinks the way they do!”

There are of course a number of other software suppliers I have not included in the price comparison most of whom were not at PCS — ISS, Webdadi, Jupix, Estate Agent Pro and others.

There are also numerous specialists in lettings and estate management software that I have not attempted to cover.

Bob North’s detailed firm-by-firm round-up of what leading estate agency software suppliers have to offer — and how much they are charging...>>