PenPal is a unique new piece of technology. There is nothing like it on the market now. As such we know that you will have a great many questions regarding the benefits it will confer on to your business. We’ve tried to deal with some of the common queries, questions, misunderstandings and objections we received. If you have an enquiry that is not answered here then please call or email us now.

Q: I can see that PenPal can help me make savings in time and efficiency but will it help me win instructions?

Yes. You’ll be able to present new clients with their draft property details while you’re still at the property on your first visit. You’ll also be able to tell new clients that their property can be marketed within minutes.

Q: If this is a new and unique service for estate agents isn’t it just too risky too use it now?

No. While the technology is new and unique, the actual process is thousands of years old – writing with a pen on a piece of paper. The technology has allowed us to turn that process into a revolutionary new system that will immediately improve your business.

The inherent digital pen an paper technology has been used for a number of years and is currently being used by such corporations as Sainbury’s Bank, Leeds City Council, Nutalls - even Dorset Police are trialling it.  The part that is new and unique is the specific service for estate agents provided by Sonoma.

Early adopters will have a significant competitive advantage – after all the revolution has to start somewhere.

Q: I don’t use computers, I’m worried PenPal is going to slow me down.  Is it complicated?

You don’t need a computer. You don’t need a PDA or a digital tablet. The digital pen and paper technology looks and feels just like pen and paper and works in conjunction with any Symbian 60 Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone – chances are you’ve got one of those already.

Q: As a firm we need to keep our individuality - that’s what sets us apart from the competition – can we keep our current notation and descriptions?

Yes. The PenPal system is fully customisable – that means you can keep your current style and retain your individuality absolutely. Yes – there is some set up and training required but in the vast majority of cases we are able to provide you with a fully functional system within 48 hours – and that includes you learning how to use it.

Sonoma will tailor all aspects of the output with you – that includes developing a property details template/layout in Microsoft Word to your design, implementing multiple location details based on postcodes, agreeing the order and quantity of bullet points, implementing a bespoke sentence structure for tick boxes, adapting the system to recognise the existing abbreviations used by your agency and showing tick box responses in the order you require.

In short, Sonoma will take care of everything you need to ensure that property details are tailored exactly to your requirements.

Q: Does the service only produce property details?

The PenPal system can produce property details, window cards, vendor’s cards and JPEGS of the actual form.

You can use PenPal to automate various administrative actions such as filling in valuation letters, terms and conditions, notifying board companies of the address and position of board, registering vendor as an applicant etc leaving you free to take yet more new instructions or get on with the business of selling properties.

Q: Can I send photographs with the property details?

Yes, if you have a mobile phone with a camera function you can take a photo using the phone; PenPal will give you the option of adding a photo to the property details before it transmits the details.

 Q: I have always used abbreviations - will I have to learn a new way of writing?

PenPal is equipped with state-of-the-art handwriting recognition software, which means you don’t have to change your style of writing and it can be customised to recognise any existing abbreviations you use.

Q: Will PenPal be able to recognise my handwriting?

Yes – PenPal will recognise most handwriting styles. Normal handwriting recognition works through a 130,000-word dictionary. Sonoma have developed the estate agency dictionary consisting of only 5500 words – this mathematically improves the handwriting recognition.

Q: Some of my listers and valuers are not brilliant at spelling or grammar. Will this service help?

Yes. Because the system is set up to your requirements you can ensure that the property details are free of spelling and grammar mistakes.

The added benefit of Sonoma’s PenPal system is that you can standardise your property details so that all your agents will be consistent with your house style, regardless of their own particular handwriting or abbreviations.

 Q: It’s got to fit in with the way we work, we use back office software. Isn’t it just duplicating the software?

No, your back office software provides functionality to match applicants and vendors, a diary and several other functions. It provides a place for you to type your property details, but you have to construct them in the first instance.

Our service enables you to take the viewing notes at the property and for those notes to be fully constructed into completed property details including all the sentence construction. The viewing notes are simultaneously sent directly into your database and you then can then use the software to print the details in your template/style/brand. In addition, we can design the template, so that you may send the property details, fully formed, directly to the vendor.

Q: Will it send the property details into my back office proprietary software?

Q: Do I need to have back office software?

Q: Will this system integrate with my existing software?

You don’t need to have any back office software - not only can we produce the bespoke property details template in Microsoft Word, but we can also produce the window cards, a vendor folder record, and provide you with a Excel or Word document containing all the “database” type information you’ll need for you records. In addition, if you can define the document type you want from the data collected we will endeavour to provide it to you electronically by email.

We’ve worked with some of the key software suppliers to the property industry to ensure that PenPal fully integrates with back office software. PenPal cuts out the need to enter property details manually allowing you to enter details straight into your database while you’re still at the property – no more typing and editing needed (unless you want to of course!)

We have integrated with a number of proprietary software providers, a list that is growing daily. Call us today to see if it is the one you use.

Q: How do I update the details if the vendor needs a few changes?

Q: What happens if I make a mistake when I am writing?

The form can be used multiple times, therefore a room can be updated by rewriting the details of that room only and retransmitting the data. Alternatively the changes can be made in the editable word document that will have been transmitted to the vendor, or the changes can be made directly in the back office software.

Q: What happens if the vendor details are already entered onto the back office system?

Most software providers will match the record created within the software with the property details being populated from the Sonoma service, all that the agent would need to do would be to write a property reference from the software record onto the Sonoma digital form prior to commencing the valuation

 
Q: How long is the battery life of the pen? How long does the pen last? Can I write with it all the time?

The pens are robust - civil engineering companies, water companies and drains companies are using them.  The rechargeable battery has a long life and must be treated in the same way as any other type of rechargeable battery.  It must be allowed to run down completely periodically otherwise the battery memory will get shorter.

Yes it will write on ordinary paper, the pen has a “normal” biro pen for all writing. The battery life is approximately 100 hours with the cap on, 10 hours with the cap off or 3 hours of continuous writing (and that’s a lot of writing!)  Our directors use the pens all the time and charge the phones only once or twice a week.

Q: How many forms and pens will we get?

To asses how many pens you will need we will establish with you how many valuations you perform on average per month and how many valuers/listers you will have out at any one time. We will then agree a contract on this basis.  We will normally deliver three months of forms in one drop so the highs and lows of each month should get even out your use of the forms.

Q: What happens if we need more forms than we expected

If you need a few more forms that you contracted for you can buy additional forms in batches of ten.  If your business is growing significantly however, we can reset your contracted number of forms.

Q: What happens if I lose the mobile or I am not in an area of good mobile coverage?

The pen itself can store a large amount of information. If you are in area with poor mobile coverage area, the phone will store the information and send automatically when it reaches a good coverage area.

Even if all else fails – an extremely rare occurrence - you have a paper hard copy record of what you have written, so you can always get if typed up.

Q: What sort of mobile do I need?

A mobile phone is essential to use this service; it needs to be a Symbian 60 Bluetooth enabled phone. Some of the new pocket PC type phones are also compatible with the service and we are always testing new phones to ensure their compatibility –

To see if your phone is compatible or for a list of phones that are compatible please call us today.

Q: Can I get the mobile from you?

We can provide a mobile phone contract with a compatible phone free for £15 per month with a two-year contract.

Q: Does it work on all the networks?

Yes.  However we most frequently use the T-Mobile network, who have excellent mobile phone and data transmission coverage.

Q: What happens if we lose the pen?

We’ve worked hard to keep costs low so there is no contingency for loss or breakage in our pricing. If a pen is lost or broken, you have to buy another one. This is usually no more than the cost of a cheap mobile phone.

To discuss your requirements or for a free demonstration call us now