RISMEDIA, October 8, 2010—Always on the lookout to provide its customers—broker, agent or consumer—with the best service and latest information, HSA Home Warranty has teamed with mobile technology innovator Mobile Real Estate ID to provide something never seen before from a home warranty provider: property, photo and home warranty information via mobile phone.
“For us, we’ve quickly seen that this has proven to be a great partnership—especially with the changes to HUD’s regulations,” says Gary Lombardo, senior vice president of marketing for HSA. “We were looking for a good way to bring value-added marketing to our clients and this is it. We will always focus on being a risk management partner, but now we are going to be the broker or agent’s marketing partner as well. We are very excited to bring something as unique and good as this platform to brokers, agents…and consumers.”
Launched in late September, this unique approach offers tremendous benefits to agents, brokers and consumers, according to Lombardo.
Through HSA’s Annual Agent Subscription, powered by Mobile Real Estate ID, agents will have unlimited access to the program for an entire year. Each listing gets its own Mobile ID that buyers can use to text in for property information, such as the price of the home, total square footage, number of bedrooms and baths, and much more, as well as photos of the property and the agent’s contact information. Mobile IDs are reusable so once a property comes off the market that particular ID can be assigned to a new listing.
What’s more, for home buyers who text in to receive property information, they will now also be able to learn about the benefits of purchasing a home with a warranty.
“The nice part of this for agents is that once they enroll in Mobile Real Estate ID platform, it jointly enrolls them in HSA’s network, giving them access to our agent resources, which includes tools for marketing, risk management and regulations,” explains Lombardo. “It’s simple and easy.”
While the program is still new, Lombardo says it’s already receiving rave reviews.
“No one has seen this level of text messaging data or a platform like this,” he says. “It simply blows away anything that’s been available before now. From the photos to the information, they are stunned.
“When we approach them, they say, ‘I already use a texting service.’ But once I show them this, they are speechless,” he adds. “They say they have to have it.”
And it’s not just agents, according to Lombardo. Brokers, too, have been equally interested in the marketing partnership. “Once you show them this, they are kicking themselves about the decisions they’ve made before. … Our partnership with MRE really sets us apart, not just as a risk management partner but a true marketing partner as well.”
What’s more, the service also allows HSA to communicate directly with consumers…something that in the past has been more on the agent’s shoulders.
“Our industry has always struggled with talking to the consumer,” he says. “Now, we can go directly to the consumer; agents can spend less time explaining a home warranty and focus on the client’s transaction needs.”
In fact, when a consumer texts in for information on a property, in addition to seeing numerous photos and detailed information on the home itself, they will also see home warranty information on the property—whether it’s warranted or not.
“It’s such a win for us,” concludes Lombardo. “MRE is doing great things and we are excited to be partnered with them and be able to offer this technology.”
Mobile Real Estate ID is a leading provider in mobile lead generation technology, not just limited to text messaging. The company’s mobile engine converts a single property as well as full website to properly display and function on all cell phones with Internet capability using your existing website domain name.
For more information, please visit www.mobilerealestateid.com/hsa or, from your mobile phone, please visit www.mccid.com/hsa.
