Technology Implementation

Technology Implementation

Century 21 is a very popular real estate corporation with over 8,000 independently owned and operated broker offices located in more than 45 countries (Century 21, 2007). Using the Century 21 website it is easy to view photos and details about property that is for sale. Each property has an assigned realtor who is easily accessible by clicking on a button directly next to the photos that says, "Contact Agent." A property seeker is able to get the agent's office number or can send an e-mail stating the reason why he or she is trying interested in contacting the agent. Century 21's current technologies with the use of Internet advertising and customer support are very helpful for customers and agents. However, because of the necessary communications required between an agent and his or her client, new technology should be implemented in order to better serve clients as well as increase convenience for clients and agents alike. This new technology is offered by helloWorld; a service providing Video Mail, Live Broadcasting and Video Blogging.

helloWorld was created to add a sense of personalization to e-mails and blogs. Most people use text to communicate in e-mail, but helloWorld offers a more personal approach; using video. For RE/MAX realtor Kimberlee Hawk, the new helloWorld technology turned one sale into three sales (Florida Realtor Magazine, 2007). A helloWorld customer can, with the use of a webcam, make a video of him or herself and insert the video into an e-mail to send to others. The video does not have to be downloaded; it is simply a streaming video that opens in a new window. For Century 21, this unique feature would offer agents and customers a new convenience. Agents would, upon being contacted via the website, be able to introduce him or herself to the interested property seeker using the new technology. Allowing a customer to see who he or she is working with on such a large purchase can make a person feel more comfortable from the very beginning. The video e-mail also helps with availability. Many customers cannot find the time to visit house after house to make their decision. With video e-mail, the agent can take along a webcam while touring the houses he or she has listed. The videos can be inserted into an e-mail, and the customer can decide which houses he or she wants to visit. The agent can save this video in order to send it to other clients as well, saving a great deal of time and money on showing houses over and over again to different people.

Live broadcasting is another great feature of the new helloWorld technology. Many open houses for available properties take place on weekend afternoons. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to make it to the location to do the walk-through, and others simply dislike open house presentations. Live broadcasting is streaming video that anyone can access through a computer with an Internet connection. A Century 21 agent can carry along his or her webcam through the house to show the property to anyone interested. There is no limit as to how many people can view the live broadcast, so the agent only has to do the broadcast once. Viewers are enabled, without a membership, to type to the person doing the broadcast. If a client is watching the live broadcast and has a question about the house, all he or she has to do is type in the question and the agent will be able to view it and answer it accordingly. This is a feature that would significantly improve the situation for someone who is moving from out of state and would like a better look at properties before moving. Being able to do a formal walk-through from another state is very convenient and beneficial to both parties.

Video blogging can be used in the same way. A blog can be posted on the agent's personal helloWorld profile showing videos of the houses he or she has for sale. Providing this on the Century 21 website would enable many property seekers to look into the available properties from the convenience of their own home. The blogs can be stored permanently on the agent's helloWorld profile, and is accessible by everyone; even those who are not registered helloWorld members.

Fortunately, helloWorld is not a hard technology for new users to understand. helloWorld is a tool everyone can use and benefit from, therefore the service should be shared between all employees, technical staff and non-technical alike. The responsibility of the manager in the implementation of helloWorld is to "bridge the gap between the designers and the users of the innovation, and make the transition as smooth as possible" (Leonard-Barton and Kraus, 1985). In order to do this, during the implementation of helloWorld into Century 21, project plans should be kept among the technical staff until a concrete plan is set in place and can be introduced to the company. It will take a few days, possibly weeks, to fully understand the products and services available through helloWorld. Technical staff should have first access to the service in order to detect any bugs that would hinder the service's benefits to the company, as well as find the best ways to use the service. Upon completion of identifying problems and determining fixes, the project plans should be introduced to other employees so they can be aware of the new technology being introduced.

When helloWorld is first being implemented into the company, it is important the

managers take the time to tell employees of the new implementation. Employees oftentimes go through something called "technophobia," which is a fear of new or changing technology (Heverly, 1998). In order to address the common feeling, managers must successfully train employees. If administrators believe it is best to force new changes onto employees, they are wrong. In fact, implementing new technology with this approach can create negative implications