Realty Times has completed the beta testing for its new mobile personal safety monitoring system, Mobile Callback(TM), and announces that it is now available for use by REALTORS®.

Mobile Callback(TM) is the first safety product to be included in the National Association of REALTORS' prestigious REALTOR VIP® program and is offered at a special savings for NAR members at Realtor.org.

Realty Times founder and co-inventor of Mobile Callback(TM) Jody Lane says that the concept behind Mobile Callback was created to give Realtors personal security while showing homes, viewing vacant properties, hosting open houses, or other activities during which they may be vulnerable to robberies, attacks or personal injury.

"My wife and mother-in-law are top Realtors," says Lane. "I want them to feel safe while showing homes, as well as other Realtors who are working outside the confines of their offices."

Lane says he knew the key to Mobile Callback's success would be ease of use.

"If you can use a cellphone, you can use Mobile Callback," he says. "It's inexpensive, and you don't have to buy or learn any software."

How it works is that a Realtor subscribes to the service, and immediately has round-the-clock access to a personal protection system. The next time they have a showing, off-site client meeting or view a vacant property, they simply dial the Mobile Callback system when they arrive, check in, and report their location.

Mobile Callback(TM) monitors the Realtor. The system, a combination of automated tools and live operators, will then call the Realtor every 30 minutes (or whatever time intervals the user specifies) to check in on their well-being and to confirm their current location.

As Realtors frequently change field locations, especially while previewing or showing homes to buyers, the system allows unlimited calls, enabling Realtors to report every time they are at a new location. If at any time, an emergency arises and the Realtor is unable to respond to a callback, the system assumes that the Realtor needs help - and uses the Realtor's last confirmed location to determine the correct authorities to dispatch. Mobile Callback then calls and reports all of your information to the local authorities and help is dispatched.

"Mobile Callback protects you when you can't call 911," says Kate Kemp, Director of Marketing and Sales for Mobile Callback. "This isn't a passive monitoring system that only responds to an alarm. You want to be actively watched over, and this system will do that. Simply advertising the fact that you're being monitored by an advanced security system will be enough to deter most potential assailants. This is a deterrant. You want to tell your prospects that you are being monitored, so they will think twice about taking advantage of you."

Realtors can also use the system to keep in touch with someone when they feel uncomfortable.

Kemp explains, "If you are at an open house and someone walks in who makes you feel uncomfortable, you can call the system and converse with a live operator until you feel out of danger or give the code to initiate an emergency dispatch. Sometimes, you just feel uneasy and want someone there with you. With Mobile Callback, you never have to be alone."

The amount of information you supply about yourself can only help in the event of an emergency. For the best results, subscribers are encouraged to fill out a personal profile detailing their physical description, vehicle, and other helpful information. This information is relayed to emergency personnel when a call is dispatched.

As with home security systems, there is some potential for false alarms, so the Mobile Callback system will call the Realtors three times in quick succession to make sure that the Realtor didn't put in an incorrect code. If the Realtor doesn't answer or continues to put in the wrong code, the system will contact authorities.

"We are going to err on the side of safety," says Lane, "this person has asked us to look out for them, so we are going to assume that if they don't put in the right code, or don't answer, that they need help."

Mobile Callback is available at MobileCallback.com, or call 866-756-7233.

Published: July 2, 2003

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