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ERA Franchise Systems LLC
1 Campus Drive Parsippany, NJ 07054 (973) 428-9700 |
Media contact: Stacy Quinn
(973) 496-7904 stacy.quinn@ERA.com |
System announces establishment of ERA® National Training Advisory Council
PARSIPPANY, NJ, September 18, 2002 - As more homebuyers become accustomed to using the Internet for purchase information, astute real estate professionals are employing - and learning how to fully use - the latest technology as a strategy for continued success.
A recent survey by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) confirms the growing importance of technology in the real estate industry. NAR reports that 41 percent of all homebuyers surveyed used the Internet as an informational resource. Notably, the study also found, Internet users tend to buy homes in a higher price bracket.
To take advantage of that trend, ERA Real Estate has several initiatives underway to ensure that homebuyers recognize the distinct advantages of working with an ERA professional; and, at the same time, that ERA brokers and sales associates are equipped to understand and present those benefits effectively.
One of the latest initiatives is the ERA Move Planner, a client follow-up email utility introduced to consumers this year. Brokers in the ERA system, especially those who know the ERA network's history of innovation, see real value in the latest developments.
"ERA Move Planner is particularly useful as a consumer follow-up tool," said Tom Neubauer of ERA Neubauer Real Estate, Inc. in Panama City (FL). "The automatic nature of this e-mail system adds another contact with the customer, contributing to the quality of our company."
An ERA affiliate since 1976, Neubauer has been committed to the use of technology since the late 1970s when his company purchased an $11,000 Cannon AX1 computer. Not long after, he was among the first to network his office computers with the help of an ERA-provided platform and continued to expand his capabilities by offering e-mail and a company Intranet to his sales associates in the early 1980s.
Like Neubauer, Gloria Frazier of ERA American Realty in Shalimar (FL) was attracted to the ERA system in 1981 by its use of technology. With four offices and 70 full-time associates in northwest Florida, Frazier saw technology evolve from an old fax-driven paper system to a more dynamic, Web-based listing showcase on ERA.com.
"We remain technologically competitive using ERA products. When I first joined the ERA network, it was during the pre-Internet days of the ERA Moving Machine, which, at that time, was the latest technology equipment that enabled us to retrieve any listing in just six minutes," Frazier said. "Today, we have a variety of technology products to choose from the challenge is to keep up with them all."
To ensure that ERA system members remain current, ERA Real Estate recently re-launched its eCampus online training center and enhanced its training curriculum. The ERA training programs expanded to include continuing education credits as well as management and administrative-focused offerings. As one of the originators of real estate online training, ERA Real Estate currently offers over 100 online training courses in a variety of topics.
Critical to their success of these initiatives is the newly formed ERA National Training Advisory Council (NTAC), a 22-member panel of ERA professionals from around the nation chartered to evaluate the system's technology and training initiatives. The council held its first meeting recently at New York's Waldorf-Astoria.
Ervin Robertson of ERA Real Estate Professionals in Jackson and Hattiesburg (MS), a member of the council, said the gathering allowed system members to relate to the challenge at-hand. "We shared our own experiences in dealing with the growing number of tech-savvy clients. It's important that we as Realtors look at ways to use and improve technology to remain competitive," said Robertson.
"After meeting with the NTAC, we learned that sales associates don't want technology alone, but require additional assistance and training," said Kathi Mathis, director of training, ERA Real Estate. "Our goal is to deliver enhanced training to affiliates to help them better serve their clients."
About ERA Franchise Systems LLC
ERA Franchise Systems LLC is a global leader in the residential real
estate industry with 30 years experience in developing consumer-oriented
products and services. It is a subsidiary of Cendant Corporation (NYSE: CD)
and part of its Real Estate Franchise Group. The ERA real estate
network includes more than 28,000 brokers and sales associates throughout
the United States and 29 other countries and territories. Each ERA
office is independently owned and operated except offices owned and operated
by NRT Incorporated. ERA information is available to consumers on the
Internet at ERA.com. ERA properties can also be viewed at
www.REALTOR.com®.
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