RISMEDIA, February 23, 2009-Ann Walker is always on the go. Like most agents, she spends her days with clients and relies heavily on communication to streamline her business-and family life. Her secret to doing so successfully? The BlackBerry Curve. Whether it’s managing her calendar and contacts, taking photos or sending e-mails, Walker is always able to connect using her BlackBerry smartphone.
“You can always get in contact with your clients no matter where you are,” she says. “I’ve used it so much; I’m starting to lose some of the numbers and letters on the keypad.”
Receiving the BlackBerry Curve as a Christmas present just over a year ago, Walker knew it was the right phone for her after speaking with other Realtors. With its easy-to-use keyboard, Walker says she can’t imagine going back to her old phone.
“I wanted to get something I could use for my business since I’m out of the office most of the time. I can access our MLS, be reached by my clients and have contact with my office when out on the road,” she says. “There are some features I don’t even know how to use, and yet I always have so many links to my clients through this; it’s just awesome.”
A buyer’s agent with Realty Executives, serving the Lake of the Ozarks area, Walker takes advantage of the technology her phone offers in her unique Missouri market. Known for its scenic and tree-lined shoreline, Walker says she uses the phone to snap photos of properties on behalf of her clients from her boat or from the dock.
“While we do have professional photos also taken, I can take my photos back and use them in a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) for the client,” she says. “It’s been very handy.”
Another feature Walker has come to rely on is the Tethered Modem as a source of Internet connection. By simply attaching her BlackBerry to her computer, Walker can use the connection when she travels or if she needs a large screen with the Internet.
“I’d say the number one thing I use my BlackBerry Curve for is my e-mail,” she says. “I check it constantly and it keeps me in touch with my clients. I have my e-mail at hand all the time-I can text, get calls back, and it’s an instantaneous way to keep in contact. I won’t work without it.”
And even in the most extenuating of circumstances, she always seems to find a way to manage her business on her smartphone.
“At the Realtor Conference this year, I used to connect both for the telephone and to hook into the Internet. I was using it so much that the battery died-it was horrible,” she says. “Thankfully, the fellow at the convention was our lifesaver and gave us a battery from a demo unit and it’s been working ever since. They have one happy Realtor.”
For more information, please visit www.blackberry.com.
