Shattering 4Proptech Myths

Marc: Good morning, everyone. Thank you for tuning into today's session. We are super happy to have you here and if you haven't attended before, my name is Marc Persico. I am the Content Creator here at Forms Live and I'm joined by Ben Slawitschka and Chelsea Dwyer, who are our Business Development Managers.

Before we start today, feel free to ask any questions throughout the session - through the chat or even the Q&A feature - but know that we'll also be allocating time at the end of the session to answer any questions you might have as well. So getting into it...Forms Live's theme for this month is embracing tech, particularly proptech, and this webinar came about because we wanted to dedicate some time to shattering and dispelling certain myths and concerns that people have had around technology as it becomes a bigger and bigger part of the real estate industry, which it definitely is, you know, especially in the last few years isn't that right, Ben and Chelsea? You guys are both out and about a lot, and you've probably come across a lot of agents and managers who aren't sold on the technological shift, haven't you?

Ben: Yeah, I suppose we're all creatures of comfort. So, we like doing what we're used to and if you just look over the last 5 or 10 years how things have changed and then consider that some of them might've been in industry for 20 or 30 years, and how they did things back then...things have definitely changed. So, they're probably a bit slower to embrace some of the technology, but when they do, they find that it is beneficial and that they should have done it sooner, so, it is very helpful.

Chelsea: Yeah, I agree. I mean, most of the people that I meet that are against proptech, it kind of comes with a level of fear about how much it will mess with their flow. Everybody, you know, gets used to what they're doing, and if it ain't broke, you know, why fix it? But I think, even just tapping into a few different changes that can enhance your business can start to open people's eyes. At least that is what my experience is and- then they're a lot more open to other workflows and proptechs that can, you know, enhance what they're doing and keep them customer facing. So, really, that's the goal, isn't it?

Marc: Awesome, thank you for sharing, that takes us perfectly into the first myth that we're bringing up today, and the first myth that we're breaking, which is the concept that technology might replace certain jobs. You know, this is a very valid concern and in many other industries, I think it might even be the case. However, when it comes to proptech, you know, especially when it comes to Forms Live, it's simply not the case and it's actually the last thing that we want to happen. Isn't that right, Ben?

Ben: Yeah, that's right, Marc. We see it as a tool. So, it's there to help you make your workflows run smoother, take the load off of certain team members, and so on. So if we frame this around, sort of, Forms Live for a second and take a moment to consider if you didn't have a forms provider, you're losing a lot of time making endless amounts of forms personally, then having to constantly keep an eye out for any legislation changes, having to edit those forms to reflect those changes, and believe us when I say it never ends. You might think, well, what's wrong with doing my own forms? Well, one of the biggest things is neglecting any legislation changes puts you at major legal risk, especially for monetary value as well, and reputation repercussions. So, if you have to put them all together, I think it's well worth while embracing technology.

Chelsea: Well said, Ben. Everyone's tuning in, we know that there's likely one specific member of your team that's carrying the load of form creation and upkeep and its no easy task. So, understanding that proptech like Forms Live isn't going to replace them is pretty key for the business. It will elevate service standards for your customers and will strengthen their relationships with them because of that, doubling the benefit it's going to free up their time for more important and hopefully more exciting work.

Marc: Awesome, good points, everyone. You know, that actually also takes us into our next myth, which is about data and people who believe that data is at risk in the digital space, which is completely valid. You know, let's face it, cybercrime is at an all-time high, and navigating these spaces can be quite scary and uncertain at times. But it's important that we be as cyber-smart as possible, which you know, means regularly changing passwords and creating complex passwords, as well as being cautious around emails and phone calls, isn't that right?

Chelsea: Absolutely, that's sound advice, Marc. On Forms Live, we do our absolute best to keep your data as safe as possible. One of the biggest ways we do this is by keeping forms and data stored within the platform safe behind encryption. However, that doesn't mean that you can't take steps of your own to stay cyber safe as well with two-factor authentication for example. With two-factor authentication enabled, you'll have to enter a one-time password after your primary password every time you wish to gain access to Forms Live, but it's a surefire way to ensure that you're the only person accessing your account. So, here's how you can activate 2FA on Forms Live. So, from your account settings on the bottom left, find the user tab, scroll to the bottom and find the 2FA section and click enable. Then you have to just scan the QR code on the screen from your phone or preferred authentication app. Then enter the generated one-time password into Forms Live and you'll have 2FA activated.

Ben: It's really super easy, with that added layer of protection to your Forms Live subscription...and, just a little sneak peek at the future of security on Forms Live, we'll be adding SMS verification to remote signing in the future as well - so, you can be assured and know exactly who is signing, when you're sending out for a signature request.

Marc: Absolutely keep an eye out for more information on that, everyone. We have a lot of exciting updates coming for signing and that brings us to our third myth for those who are questioning whether digital forms are even as compliant as hardcopy forms. You know, we really do get it, there is something more 'official' about hardcopy paperwork that's signed in-person and then filed away somewhere, but it's really not as practical and nor is that the industry standard and 2024.

Ben: No, definitely not, Marc. Especially with the way technology is heading. Rest assured that every form and Forms Live has been read and approved by leading Victorian property lawyers, who ensure that they reflect that all the legislation changes have been made. we truly handle it all for you, we're notified of any changes from our Victorian lawyers, with any legislation. Our Quality Assurance Officers will view those changes and implement them into the forms immediately. The forms are automatically updated within Forms Live without you having to worry about a thing. One of the best features that I love - it should be noted that if you've created a draft form, so you might have created one today, but you're not going to finalise it until Monday, and there's been a legislation change between then, when you go to complete that form it will update and reflect those changes as well.

Chelsea: That's actually one of my favourites too, Ben, people feel a lot more assured when you're taking them through the platform. And they see that as a feature. We take great pride in not just the number of our forms, but their compliance more importantly. So, if you have any forms related questions, feel free to reach out.

Marc: Awesome, absolutely a big point of pride for us. That also takes us in today's fourth and final myth, which is about the time it takes to implement proptech into your business and train your team in its features so that they're using it to its full capabilities. I feel like there's a misconception around proptech that it's not worth it because of how much time it takes to understand and bring everybody up to date, it might be true for some platforms, but it's certainly not true for Forms Live.

Chelsea: Absolutely, not Marc. In fact, we've had customers tell us that implementation training didn't take them more than 30 minutes. Just check out our reviews page. If you don't believe us. We have an abundance of resources. So, let's just touch on those. We've got the help guide there so you can read through our help guide - step by step instructions on everything so from creating forms, to creating a template, ordering reports, and sending out an Info Request, all the options are in the sidebar, literally, the A-Z. Think of it like your 24/7 Forms Live teacher. Then we also have the Learning Centre, flip over to that for me, Marc. So, if you're a visual learner, you can visit the Learning Centre for an in-depth video walkthrough.

So, they are all really, really short, sharp and shiny as well. Videos are organised into their own allocated page that delve into eSigning, forms, PDF, attachments, and more. They're great to work into your weekly sales meetings or PM meetings as well for team training. Then we have the monthly webinars, which you're in right now, and a hands-on support team that actually understand the technology inside and out. But if you're in need of a little extra assistance, I'm more than happy to provide you and your team with one-on-one training, just reach out to me, contact our support, speak to Ben, all roads lead to Rome! We're all here to help. So yeah, feel free to reach out and we can set something up for you that's tailored to what your office requires.

Ben: I think that wraps everything up today, doesn't it? Hopefully you can walk away with a little bit more confidence in what technology plays within your office and the real estate industry. You can start by better utilising it within your business, it is there as a tool, as I said earlier, it can improve your business and make lives a lot easier for everyone in your office.

Marc: Okay, well, before we sign off for today, I would like to spotlight the partners program. This is something new that we've established for our existing subscribers. Basically, when you recommend Forms Live to a friend or another agency and they subscribe to the platform, you'll be given a free additional month of access if they mention your name. You can claim additional months for every person who signs up and you successfully refer us to for more information on that program I'll point you to our partners page where you can sign up, you'll find that on our website or you can contact Ben and Chelsea, their details on the screen - they're also happy to talk forms, free trials, pricing and more. Awesome, well thanks for tuning in everybody!