BAS adds new functionality

New Listing Menu Option

To make it easier and faster to access information about a listing (such as the calendar, reports, feedback, etc) BAS has added a new menu option for listings. Next to each listing you will see a new house icon that is the link to the new menu. To make room for the new menu option, BAS has condensed a few of the options from the listings page into the new menu. We hope you'll find this new menu helpful!



New House Icon:

Sample Listing Menu (for your own listing):


For listings of other agents, you'll still see a menu but with limited options such as add appointment and get directions.

Text messages

From BookAShowing.com's website:

"The text message alerts that are sent to agents when a showing appointment is setup or confirmed now includes the showing instructions as well (due to an agent's request). Since this will often make the text message longer than 120 characters, you may receive 2 or 3 text messages to include all of the showing instructions."

Awesome stuff from this company. If any of you have directly talked with the people at BAS, you'll know that they do everything they can to make this program fit our needs. Want to see something new on BAS or not happy with how something works? Just call BAS at 800.826.7155

Questions From The BAS Session

I would like to thank those who have come out for the BAS demonstration this past week. A couple of questions came up during the sessions that I would like to address.

Who compared BAS and Showing Desk? The Broker Support Unit (BSU). All brokers are invited to the BSU meetings. All brokers have input. If your broker was not involved, it’s up to you to ask why. The BSU reviewed both programs. BAS has more to offer, per the BSU.

The BSU looked for a showing product to meet the needs of a desk agent, mobile agent, broker and most important, the client.

Did everyone involved know the product was just over a year old? Of course we did. Just because a product is new doesn’t mean it won’t work... or last. If you think about it, weren’t we all new at some point? Just because something is old doesn’t mean it is the best. Do you use a rotary dial telephone?

BAS is a live program. Not an off line database. The information is current within two hours. Safety is the main goal for me and my clients. An off line database cannot provide that. Simply taking a license number by the telephone and verifying on the Michigan Licensing web site is not enough. I had to show people in a demonstration how to look up licenses. This is not safe for you or your client.

Have you ever been attacked by a vagrant in a vacant home? I have. Once that happens, you look for any way to make our industry safer. Only members of FAAR have access to the codes in the BAS. I guess that’s another reason why I am so passionate about the program.

Please remember, I don’t work for BAS. I am a peer that is attempting to make our MLS System a little better. I do the demonstration on my own time.

What is the reward? If most the MLS users use BAS, my cell phone bill will decrease, my office will be better organized and my clients will be pleased.

Sincerely
Angie Ridley
Complete Realty, LLC

Client access to BAS

Can the seller see the showing agents email address when confirming a showing?

The answer is no.

The seller only clicks a button that takes them to the BAS website for confirmation or disapproval.

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Thanks to Angie Ridley for the question/answer that occurred during today's FREE BookAShowing.com training class! Stay tuned for more dates!

One agent commented:

"I do not feel this program will work for me. I prefer to speak with the agent scheduling a showing on my listings. I check my e-mails as often a possible but I can't check them as often as I check my cell phone messages. I prefer to receive a call and check the ID of the agent."

Thank you for your constructive criticism. Here are a few points that may serve as a constructive rebuttal.

You do have a point- with BAS, there is less personal communication. But email is the direction that almost everything is headed. Emailing appointments will not only save time, but help agents work more efficiently.

Yes, agents aren't always attached to their computer to check their emails. But since agents carry their phones everywhere - why not tell BAS to send a text message notifying you that there is a pending request.

The only agents who have access to BAS are ones that are full, active members of our association. Rest assured knowing that if someone's license or membership is not active, they will lose their access to BAS immediately. This should eliminate the need to check agent IDs.

Everyone has their preference. Of course there will be some that still want to receive calls - and that's their choice. But I hope some of the great features in BAS will help to convince you that phone calls aren't the only way to go.

Thanks for your comments!