Chatbots are getting cheaper and easier to implement, with many companies offering chatbot solutions capable of making this process effortless. It doesn’t matter if you work as a solo real estate agent or as part of a team, you should be able to implement and manage your own chatbots with minimum effort.

Since you can, the question then becomes: should your agency use chatbots? Well, let’s take a look at the benefits chatbots can bring to customer experience. Then you can decide for yourself whether to invest in one.

1 - Give customers support all day, every day

Chatbots are always online, allowing for cheap and effective 24/7 live customer service. In fact, the ability to gain instantaneous information and set appointments even outside of business hours is often the first thing customers compliment when it comes to chatbots. There’s no need to wait for a human broker to be available, your real estate business can be available to customers 24/7.

Your chatbot doesn’t even have to be complicated. Just sending an automatic response saying when an agent will be available to respond to customer’s messages is already a huge improvement over complete radio silence. It’s even better if your bot can help buyers browse your property catalog.

2 - The learning curve is almost flat

Getting to learn your way around a real estate agency’s website, catalog, and many different departments can be quite a hassle. A chatbot, however, greatly reduces the need for a learning curve. There is no need to browse the website or call phone numbers: just ask the chatbot what you want, and it will serve out the correct link or put a customer in touch with the correct broker.

Advanced bots can even help customers browse your catalog and find the right property for their needs and budget. All with little technical knowledge required from the user.

3 - Your customers aren’t bothering anyone

People are often self-conscious about bothering others. Even when the person helping them is kind and patient and being paid to help, your customer may feel he is imposing too much on the other person. Just think about how many leads you might have missed because the customer was too shy to call your agency.

Bots, on the other hand, can eliminate smooth over social interactions. If a customer wants to check the price of a property for the 20th time that week, or if they want to reschedule for the fifth time, they are more likely to do so with a bot than with a person.

In the latter case, a worried client might have canceled just to avoid the embarrassment of rescheduling once again. And you may be left stuck with a property for years more than you would otherwise.

4 - Give your agency personality

Having a distinct voice can do wonders for a brand. Bots can be programmed to express themselves in a way that matches the image you want to project with the brand of your real estate agency. Be it a serious, technical, or a more friendly tone — once the code is ready, the bot will never break character.

5 - Why fill out forms?

An online form with 10, 15, or 20 fields can give you all the information you need about a potential buyer’s property needs, but it also makes for a lousy customer experience. No one likes filling those.

Chatbots can make that process smoother by turning what could’ve been a form into a simple Q&A. Answering questions made by another entity — even a digital one — tends to be more engaging than filling up a cold form. Which in turn will allow you to get more information on the customer’s property needs, budget, and past history without being heavy-handed.