The next evolution of Chas Everitt tech is here

This has been a really exciting month for us, and I'm especially pleased to share some news about the next evolution of our industry-leading technology ecosystem - including several upgrades to our Agent Connect application that will be of significant benefit to our clients - whether they are home buyers, sellers, tenants or landlords.

Firstly, I am very proud to say that Agent Connect will shortly be going "live" on both Google Play Store and the App Store, and that this will enable clients to quickly find and connect with the Chas Everitt office or agents in their area - or those working in any area around the country that they would like to move to.

They will be able to view agent profiles, including their qualifications, experience, awards and testimonials from other clients, and also their current listings, and then send a direct WhatsApp message to an agent regarding any listing they like or would like to view.

Another new feature is assisting us, and all our clients, to comply with the new Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA) requirements that recently came into effect, and which are intended to help stop global money laundering. 

This feature enables agents to send their clients a link to the standard documents that they need to fill in with the required personal and financial information for FICA. Once they do this and hit the "submit" button, the documents are immediately uploaded to the cloud and filed in digital secure storage, along with the other documents in that client's unique transaction file. A notification is also sent back to the agent to say it has been done. 

In this way, we are ensuring that we get the complete FICA information required from each client, and that their details are carefully and securely stored as required in terms of the POPI Act, and in terms of our determination that there should never be any unauthorised access to any client's sensitive information.

Meanwhile, we have also been making changes and additions to other aspects of Agent Connect to enhance the personal safety of our agents and clients, not only during "real world" meetings and property viewings where they could encounter criminals, but also online, where women in particular are often targeted with unsolicited information and images.

More than 80% of our agents and more than 60% of our clients are women so this is a priority for us and especially relevant in women's month, and as I've often said before, we at Chas Everitt don't do technology for its own sake, or to take anything away from our agents. 

In fact, it's quite the opposite. We continuously work to upgrade and improve our IT systems, marketing platforms and Agent Connect to simplify and streamline the admin involved in home sales and rentals, and to give our agents better tools, so that they can spend more time with our clients, listening to them, finding creative ways to meet their individual needs and becoming their trusted personal property counsellors.