Friday, December 19, 2008

Holiday hours

During this holiday season, the business hours for BAS will be:

Wednesday, December 24th - Open until 12PM Central
Thursday, December 25th - Closed
Friday, December 26th - Open as usual (8AM - 5PM Central)

Wednesday, December 31st - Open until 12PM Central
Thursday, January 1st - Closed
Friday, January 2nd - Open as usual (8AM - 5PM Central)

As always, you may contact us anytime at our website for help. Just because we aren't "open" doesn't mean we won't help you if we're available!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Northstar MLS Beta period begins!

Today, Wednesday December 17th, the Northstar MLS beta period for BookAShowing.com begins. You can access BAS through your Matrix Staging account to setup showings and test out all the features. Don't worry about anything setup, it's just our testing/staging environment. We also welcome your feedback during this period.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Holiday Hours - Closed 11/27/08

BAS offices will be closed on Thursday November 27th, 2008 for Thanksgiving. We will be open as usual on Friday so if you have any questions, please contact us.

Monday, November 10, 2008

BAS Welcomes NorthstarMLS!

BookAShowing.com has signed an agreement with the NorthstarMLS (Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota - RMLS) to allow their agents and offices to begin using BAS starting in early 2009. NorthstarMLS neighbors 2 existing BAS customers, the St. Cloud Area Association of REALTORS® (SCAAR) and the REALTORS® Association of Northwestern Wisconsin (RANWW), and this new agreement will allow members of these associations to schedule showing appointments across MLS systems.

We are currently working with a number of Showing Appointment call center vendors to integrate BAS into their systems. If you are using such a system, please stay tuned to this blog for more details. If you are using another application (desktop or web based) to manage showings or feedback, you should know that BAS can be a full replacement system - at no cost to offices! We can also work with vendors to provide showing appointment information to other systems - contact us for more information.

Welcome NorthstarMLS members!

Friday, November 07, 2008

A message from a happy agent

We hear from agents that use BAS from time to time and I just wanted to pass this experience along for those that are considering BookAShowing.com for their Association!



"Our son was playing in a Bloomer Football playoff game on Saturday and we received a call that an agent wanted to setup 2 showings in BookAShowing. Unfortunately, we did not have BAS setup to send a text to the seller's cell phone at that time...if it had been the agent would not have even needed to call!"

"We looked the showings up via the BAS mobile website on the cell phone and they were for the next day. So we then looked up our sellers contact info that is
also on the BAS mobile website (a feature not even available in our MLS mobile site)."

Showing #1
"Sellers also had a son playing in the football game and were there but we were not sure where to find them so we called one of the cell numbers that we had entered in BAS. The sellers knew that we were also at the game and could not believe we were setting this all up right there. They gave the ok and we approved it on the BAS mobile site."

Showing #2
"These sellers were at home so we looked up their info and called them and setup up their showing also. Gave the approval on BAS and went back to watching the game."

"Without BAS mobile it could have easily taken 30 minutes to drive back to the office and get these setup and then drive back to the game. We never missed a bit of the playoff game and our sellers were extremely happy to have plenty of advanced notice. We will let you know if they get an offer!"

"We have another playoff game this Saturday which will be an away game and feel much more at ease knowing that we can set it all up without going back to our office."

"Thank you and keep up the great work!"

Mike and Brenda



If you've got a story to tell, let us know!

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Client text messages

Due to a technical problem, buyers and sellers are unable to receive text messages from BookAShowing.com. We are working to restore the feature and will post an update here as soon as the feature is repaired.

Monday, October 06, 2008

Updated Feedback Email Frequency

We've made a change to the initial feedback reminder email sent out for showing appointments to be sent right after the scheduled appointment time. We used to send the first feedback reminder email on the following day early in the morning. Now you'll see a feedback reminder email right after the scheduled time which should allow for even quicker feedback responses to listing agents and sellers.

We will continue to send reminder emails each day until the feedback form is completed (or for 30 days max). As a listing agent, you can also change how many days a feedback reminder email is sent if 30 days isn't good for you. Check out the Settings page, Feedback Defaults area

Thursday, August 28, 2008

New BAS Updates

We've added a couple new features and fixed a few outstanding issues tonight. As for what's new, we've added a way for office staff to confirm showing agents when selected from the auto-populating search box. Some offices expressed interest in needing to see all contact information for showing agents (pulled from the MLS) when adding an appointment. To use this new feature, look for the "Confirm Showing Agents" option in the Settings page.

Another new option is the ability for agents to set how many days a feedback form is sent for appointments (default is for 30 days). While we've always had a large number, you can set it anywhere from 1 day to 30 days. Look for the new option (agents only) in the Settings area of your account (under feedback defaults section).

Friday, August 22, 2008

Automatic Listing Update Email Alerts

We've added a feature to BAS that will automatically notify showing agents of listing status changes or listing price changes. If your listing status or price changes and an agent has an upcoming appointment scheduled, BAS will automatically send them a listing update alert email. As a listing agent, you can turn this feature off in your Settings area if you wish.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Custom Smart-Frame IDX Search

Is your Association looking for a custom IDX search to offer your brokers/agents? If so, we've developed a custom IDX search for the Northwestern Wisconsin Multiple Listing Service (NWWMLS). To take a look at an example site, check out our demo site. Contact us if you are looking for a similar solution!

Summer 2008 Newsletter Available!

Our summer 2008 edition of the BAS newsletter is now available.

Friday, August 01, 2008

New BAS Lite for Individual Offices/Agents

We've released a new version of our popular BAS Lite system for offices or agents who are not part of an Association/MLS participating with BAS. Take a tour of the new system and sign-up for a free 30 day trial period!

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

New! Custom Feedback Form Options


I know some of you have been waiting for this feature and it's finally ready! We've updated BAS to include custom feedback questions and options. As an agent, you can now customize the standard feedback form that BAS generates to remove any of the standard questions, hide or require the comments box and add up to 5 additional questions. For each new question, you can choose what type of answer you would like to recieve (1-5 Rating, Yes/No or a Text field) and the additional questions will be required when an agent fills out the form.

You can customize the feedback questions for all your listings from the Settings page. Just click the "Customize Default Feedback Settings" and you can create a new feedback form that will be used for all your listings.

You can also customize the feedback form for just a particular listing (or override your default custom questions) from the Edit Listing page (clicking the Check Mark icon). Click the "Customize Default Feedback Settings" and you can create a custom feedback form for that particular listing. It will override any custom feedback form you set from your "Settings" page of your account.

We hope you enjoy this new feature and that you capture even more great feedback! Speaking of feedback, if you have any for us let us know!

Monday, May 12, 2008

RANWW - Cellular One customers

If you're a Cellular One (now AT&T) customer wishing to use the text message feature of BAS, be sure to leave the text message carrier setting on "Cellular One". While AT&T recently purchased Cellular One and it would seem logical that you could use the "AT&T" carrier setting, that won't work and you won't receive text messages from BAS.

We have no explanation why this is the case and it may change in the future. If we hear of any changes to this, we'll let you know on the blog.

Friday, May 09, 2008

MLXchange Client import from BAS

We've added the ability to export clients in BAS to a format that can be used to import clients in MLXchange. Here are the necessary instructions.

1. Login to BAS
2. Hover over the clients menu option and choose "Export All"
3. Save the file somewhere (Desktop works well)
4. In MLXchange, hover over clients and choose "Client Manager"
5. In the lower left corner, change the drop down menu to "Import" and click the green arrow
6. In the data format options, select "Import Top Producer 7i Contacts"
7. Choose the appropriate option for overwriting/adding new clients (usually Add a new)
8. Click Next and Next again (as we've already got the file to import)
9. Browse for the file saved in step #3 and click the "Import" button
10. Click OK and all the clients from BAS should now be imported into MLXchange.

If you have other programs that can import clients in Top Producer 7i format, this export file should work for you as well. It's really just a simple Comma Seperated Values (CSV) file that can be used to import into many programs.

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

RANWW listings update frequency

With the new MLS system for RANWW, we're able to pull new listings every hour instead of every 6 hours with the previous system. Let us know if you find something that isn't working right!

Monday, May 05, 2008

RANWW - New MLS update

As all the agents of RANWW know by now, the new MLS system becomes permanent May 6th. With this change, BAS will begin to pull data via RETS from MLXchange starting tonight, May 5th. We'll be working hard to maintain data integrity so no appointment history is lost as we pull agents, offices and listings from the new MLS system. Please let us know if you find anything unusual after the switch.

Monday, April 07, 2008

Spring 2008 Newsletter available

Our sring 2008 edition of the BAS newsletter is now available.

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Contact form broken

If you've tried to get in touch with us via our online contact form, it hasn't been working the last few days. While it's all fixed now, we may have missed your message and we want to be sure and answer any questions you may have. Please try again or call us at 1-800-826-7155 so we can help you out. Thanks!

Monday, March 31, 2008

Recent enhancements for Agents

As promised, here is a partial list of some new or updated features we added to BAS for Real Estate Agent members last week.

1. New calendar and time selectors. We've made choosing the date and time of appointments just a little bit easier.

2. New "trends" report dashboard. You can now graph appointment activity for you, your office or the board anytime you want. Look for the "trends" report in the Reports menu option.

3. Desktop calendar sync. Synchronize all of your BAS appointments with your desktop calendar that supports remote web calendars (Outlook 2007, Mozilla Sunbird, Apple iCal, Google Calendar, etc). It's very easy to setup - just go to the Settings page and grab the calendar link. Look for detailed instructions (on the blog) for setting this up soon.

4. New NON-MLS account types when setting up appointments. Now when you setup appointments for people outside the MLS, you will create a special type of account that allows them to get email notifications and respond to showing feedback forms. Once added, these new accounts are visible to everyone in your board.

5. Improved the appointment detail view when looking at the details of an appointment.

6. New Blue check mark icon indicating a listing with showing instructions but no seller. We used to have 3 options but now we've added a 4th (blue) option indicating whether a listing has showing instructions or other information added but has no seller yet.

7. Auto approve and Allow showings not have an expiration date. A very popular option in BAS (auto approve) now has an expiration date along with the allow showings setting. If you need to turn these features on or off at a specific date, now you can!

8. A new client filter on the listings page.

9. Make changes to listings. You can now make small changes to MLS listings if need be right from the edit listings page.

Recent enhancements for Office Staff

As promised, here is a partial list of some new or updated features we added to BAS for Office Staff members last week.

1. Adding caravan appointments. This option allows you to quickly added "caravan" (aka hometours) appointments for multiple listings and multiple agents at the same time. Look for the "Add Caravan" link by the navigation menu (upper right corner).

2. New NON-MLS account types when setting up appointments. Now when you setup appointments for people outside the MLS, you will create a special type of account that allows them to get email notifications and respond to showing feedback forms. Once added, these new accounts are visible to everyone in your board.

3. Improved the appointment detail view when looking at the details of an appointment.

4. New Blue check mark icon indicating a listing with showing instructions but no seller. We used to have 3 options but now we've added a 4th (blue) option indicating whether a listing has showing instructions or other information added but has no seller yet.

5. Auto approve and Allow showings not have an expiration date. A very popular option in BAS (auto approve) now has an expiration date along with the allow showings setting. If you need to turn these features on or off at a specific date, now you can!

6. A new client filter on the listings page.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

BAS updated!

Last night we rolled out our extensive updates for agents, office staff and for buyers and sellers. Stay tuned for a complete write-up of all the new changes!

Monday, March 24, 2008

Beta testing

We've enabled agents to switch to the new updated BAS site to check out the updated version before its released to the masses. Look for the red bar at the top and click the "switch" link. If you have any feedback, we'd like to hear it!

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Member safety advisory

The WRA just released a notice that an agent was found dead in vacant listing and the police are investigating. While this person wasn't a member of BAS, we felt it was important to pass this safety message on to all of our members as a precaution. For more information on safety precautions, the WRA site has some information (WRA members only) as well as the NAR site.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

BAS Welcomes the LUTAR Association!


BookAShowing.com has signed an agreement with the Lapeer and Upper Thumb Association of REALTORS® to allow their agents and offices to begin using BAS starting April 1st 2008. More information and training sign-up is available on our website. The LUTAR association neighbors an existing customer, the Flint Area Association of REALTORS®, and this new agreement will allow members of both associations to schedule showing appointments in either MLS. Welcome LUTAR members!

Friday, March 14, 2008

Duplicate account? Round 2

It appears we may have missed something with the IDX and RETS updates to cause more duplicate accounts. We have corrected this (for sure this time!) so it won't happen again. Again, we are sorry for any confusion this may have caused.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Duplicate account?

Due to an error processing some IDX and RETS feeds in the last few days, our system may have created a duplicate account for you and sent you (via email) the new account information. You can safely ignore this new account information and everything has been corrected to prevent this in the future.

Also, one of our network providers experienced a major outage today which may have made BAS unavailable to you for a short time. This has also been taken care of and there should not be any further issues.

We apologize for any inconvenience or confusion this may have caused.

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

New MLS for RANWW - BAS Update

For our members in the REALTORS® Association of Northwest Wisconsin (RANWW) who will soon be getting a new MLS system - please know that we are working with the new MLS vendor to incorporate BookAShowing.com just like you're used to. It should function exactly the same and you'll be able to access your BAS account directly or schedule up to 10 showings from your MLS search results.

We heard from one of our members the other day that they told their Association board that whatever they do, not to change BookAShowing.com! We love to hear that stuff and if you've got something to tell us, we'd like to hear from you.