Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Two Steps To Simplification

A couple of Web-based solutions have come along to simplify your working life. Both were developed for general users, but certainly could appeal to real estate professionals.

If you’re a frequent traveler, or tired of handling all the junk mail arriving each day, Earth Class Mail may be the answer. With this Web-based service you can manage, sort, retrieve all your postal mail online without ever reaching for a letter opener.

Here’s how it works. You create an account and have all your mail forwarded to an Earth Class Mail address.(Some prestigious sounding addresses in a few major markets are available as an option). The service scans the front and back of your mail then posts those images to a secure site for you to view at your convenience.
When you view those scans, you can select to have the mail shredded and recycled; forwarded to you by regular mail; or opened, the contents scanned and posted for remote viewing. Earth Class Mail pricing starts at $9.95 a month and a 30-day free trial is offered.

The other solution targets call management

Phonesheet.com combines the basic functionality of a Web-based phone pad with very basic contact management. If you, or your assistant have trouble keeping track of all the incoming and outgoing calls each day, and the calls you need to make, it might be worth exploring.
The Web-based system is basically a combination phone log and memo pad. Call status is color coded for an overview at a quick glance so you know who you’ve called, who’s called you. all calls remain in the active menu until you strike them from the list and they become part of call history for that contact

Call logging is is also a feature built into more robust contact management systems, but if you want something simpler and entirely web-based the cost is $160 a year or $15 a month. There’s a 30-day free trial.