I’m so frustrated! While I realize that software that allows me to control showings of their listings should be beneficial, I have such a hard time with ShowingTime! It seems like it should be such a time saver, but I get confused as to how to set it up. It seems like you should be able to either turn it off for all listings or select specific listings to turn it off for.
I’ve also heard that there might be another tool coming online at some point down the road for showing control – is that true and what can you tell me about it?
-Challenged in Camas
Hi CC,
I hear you! You CAN control the use of ShowingTime for your listings, either individually or collectively (meaning all of them). This question is common at the Help Desk so please don’t feel like you’re alone in your challenges. We have a great guide (document #1783) available on RMLSweb that covers how to turn off ShowingTime in either scenario mentioned above.
If you find you still have questions after reviewing the doc, give our Help Desk a call at 503.872.8002 or toll free at 877.256.2169.
As far as future plans for showing software, you may have read this announcement a few months back:
MLS Aligned, a partnership of five forward-thinking Multiple Listing Services that includes RMLS, has announced the acquisition of Agent Inbox technology and intellectual property. MLS Aligned will build upon Agent Inbox in order to offer an integrated tool for messaging and scheduling showings to agents and brokers.
MLS Aligned believes that the Agent Inbox system “will bring tremendous benefits to consumers due to the platform’s speed and enhanced showing system capabilities.” MLS Aligned plans to integrate Agent Inbox capabilities into their respective MLS systems, including RMLSweb, to “provide for seamless agent-to-agent and agent-to-client communications.”
Kurt von Wasmuth, President and CEO of RMLS, said, “With Agent Inbox’s ability to seamlessly integrate into our existing MLS, the communication and showing features will provide an enticing enhancement to our current list of features.”
In closing I’d like to point out the very tangible benefits of belonging to RMLS that is in this group of five MLSs. The opportunity to share concepts, programming costs, and other economies of scale is a huge benefit, and one that RMLS is proud to participant with.
Thanks for writing in CC, hope this info is helpful!
In this crazy market we are experiencing I’ve had opportunity to use the Coming Soon-No Showing (CSN) concept in Listing Load. While I understand the concept, and agree it has value in the right circumstance, I found the workflow to be tough to understand when adding the listing.
In fact, I made a mistake the first time I tried to use CSN and the listing went Active right away! It took a bit of work and conversation with RMLS support staff to clean up the mess I made and get the listing re-added correctly.
Are there any support materials I should have referenced before attempting to add a CSN that might have prevented my mistake? The Help Desk person I spoke with said it happens quite frequently. Curious in Cottage Grove
Hi CC,
I hear you regarding adding a CSN listing. The mistake some subscribers make is not realizing the “Date Marketing to Begin” should be the date you want the listing to flip from CSN to Active, NOT the date you are publishing the CSN listing.
In light of the ongoing (though diminishing) challenges with getting the Date Marketing to Begin correct when adding a CSN listing, we created a brand new, short video that covers how to add a CSN listing and get the DMB value correct.
I sure hope this helps, CC. Going forward you can always call the Help Desk at 877.256.2169 or use the Chat feature in RMLSweb to discuss the process with RMLS staff while you’re adding the CSN listing.
Ask Technical Terry is a series RMLS™ aims to offer once a month. RMLS™ subscribers will drive the content—submit any question about RMLS™ to Technical Terry in the comments or by emailing communications@rmls.com. Don’t be shy—we won’t identify you by name.
Technical Terry:
I’m sure you’ve heard the stories about RMLS™ subscribers having to resort to using products from other brokerages to deliver new listings or changed listings to their clients in a timelier fashion. This seems contrary to the mission of RMLS™, is it not? Why do we not have tools available either within RMLSweb or within one of your approved third-party vendor integrations?
Frustrated in Fairview
Dear FF:
I understand your frustration and concern. I do have some good news for you in this area. Remine recently added some new functionality to an already great product that should solve the issue you mention above regarding delivery of new / changed listings to your customers in a timelier way. Here are some details on that new set of functionalities:
Saved Search
Stay up to date on property updates through the Saved Search
feature! When you save a search, you’ll receive email notifications when new
properties meet your search criteria, or when property characteristics change,
like MLS status or listing price. You can also automatically update your client
on the newest properties that meet your Save Search criteria.
The product feature formerly known as Track is now
called “Carts.”
Carts enable agents to share specific properties or
groups of properties with their clients and receive quick and easy feedback.
Previously, RMLS™ subscribers could maintain up to
100 properties with the Track feature, that number increases to 500 properties
in Carts.
Consumer Portal Improvement
As
a RMLS™ subscriber, you can create your own public-facing portal as a free lead
capture system. To participate, you simply need to activate your Remine account
and invite your contacts. The more invitations you send, the more visible you
are to future clients.
You
can invite unlimited contacts to your portal, to keep them tied to your
business and the MLS.
Additional Enhancements from the recent Remine update:
New User Interface: A
cleaner, more modern and intuitive user interface is now available, on both the
desktop and mobile applications.
CMA 360: An improved CMA experience.
Remine offers the only CMA in the industry that searches MLS and off-market
comps.
Property Details Page:
Format and layout have been improved
Ask Technical Terry is a series RMLS™ aims to offer once a month. RMLS™ subscribers will drive the content—submit any question about RMLS™ to Technical Terry in the comments or by emailing communications@rmls.com. Don’t be shy—we won’t identify you by name.
Technical Terry:
Aaaaargh!!!! Does every subscriber have the same issues I do when uploading or reordering photos in the Listing Load Photo Manager? I’ll reorder photos, save my work, then discover that not only was my new order not saved but sometimes the photos disappear! Am I the only one having this issue? What can I do?
POed in Portland
POP:
Not all RMLS™ subscribers are having the issue but you’re not the only one who is. And I’m glad to tell you, today is a new day! Our development team has created a tool you can use if you’re having that issue again.
Behold—the new Refresh button on the RMLSweb Photo Loader!
Here’s how it works: if you’re using the Photo Manager and believe your listing photos have disappeared, reordering hasn’t happened, or are experiencing some other issue, click the Refresh button above the image preview (see above). This will refresh the work done inside the Photo Manager (like refreshing a web browser) and the issue should be resolved.
If you find that this new tool is not resolving the issue, there could be something else at play. One behavior the RMLS™ Help Desk has noticed while working with subscribers is that if someone is uploading a batch of photos and closes the Photo Manager window before processing is 100% complete, using the new Refresh button is not going to magically restore the whole batch.
The majority of Photo Manager issues have been fixed by using the Refresh button though, and that should have a profound impact on you and other subscribers who have been experiencing this issue. If you use it and the issue persists though, contact the RMLS™ Help Desk and they’ll do their best to assist!
Technical Terry
Dear ATT:
I remember hearing a while back that the RMLS™ office in Portland is going to move. When is that move happening? Where will you be?
Roman Realtor
Dear RR:
What a timely question! The Portland office will be moving in just a couple of weeks, but other parts of RMLS™ will see some impacts as well.
First things first: as we reported back in August, the new office location will be in Southwest Portland at 16101 SW 72nd Avenue. The office in Northeast Portland will close its doors at 12:00 PM (noon) on Friday, November 1st. On Monday, November 4th, the office will remain closed, but we plan to be open and available for RMLS™ subscribers on Tuesday, November 5th! We also plan to invite subscribers in for an open house a few weeks after we’ve settled in.
While the office in Portland is in transition, the RMLS™ Help Desk and Front Desk will still be available for questions by phone and via email, as we utilize staff across the region to assist subscribers through those methods.
Once the Portland office has moved, the RMLS™ office in Clark County will close at 12:00 PM (noon) on Friday, November 8th in order to do some office maintenance involving furniture. We’ll still have staff on email and phones ready to assist, and otherwise Clark County REALTORS® are advised to plan to do any office business that morning.
We’ll have up-to-date information posted on the RMLSweb desktop as needed, so don’t forget to check there for the latest!
Ask Technical Terry is a series RMLS™ aims to offer once a month. RMLS™ subscribers will drive the content—submit any question about RMLS™ to Technical Terry in the comments or by emailing communications@rmls.com. Don’t be shy—we won’t identify you by name.
Dear TT:
I am so frustrated! Ever since Listing Load got updated, whenever I start a new listing and save it as in progress I’ll come back later to finish it, and it’s GONE! Sometimes this happens several times per listing! I’ll then call the RMLS™ Help Desk and they help me see all the in-progress listings I’ve started. What the heck is going on?
Tired in Tigard
Dear TT:
How frustrating! As you’ve experienced when contacting the RMLS™ Help Desk, your listings are still there but the new “filter” option is set with criteria that keeps the listings from appearing on your screen. Let me show you how to access the filter and change the settings.
The filter button is located here on Listing Load.
Notice there are three unique tabs available in Listing Load: Listings, In-Progress, and My Inventory. The filter button gives you unique options for each tab as shown here.
LISTINGS FILTER:
Notice the variety of filtering options you have available! Also note the ability to clear all filter values, and apply the filter values you’ve chosen. Don’t forget “Save Criteria” if you want the filter to retain your choices for that particular tab!
IN-PROGRESS FILTER:
Once again, so many options! Again you’ve got the ability to clear all filter values, apply the filter values you’ve chosen, and and save the criteria to retain your choices for that particular tab.
MY INVENTORY FILTER:
Again you’ve got a cornucopia of options, the ability to clear all filter values, apply the filter values you’ve chosen, and save the criteria for that particular tab.
Since we’re on the topic, I’ve also heard that the RMLS™ Help Desk staff has gotten plenty of calls from subscribers wondering why they can’t edit their listing in the My Inventory tab. The My Inventory tab is simply that: it shows your inventory based on the filter settings you’ve applied. All editing capabilities are performed under either of the other two tabs.
I hope this helps, TT. Just remember, if you’ve saved a listing in progress and it seems to have disappeared when you come back to RMLSweb, check the filter! I’d bet you’ll find a filter option has been chosen that keeps the listing from appearing.
Technical Terry
Dear Technical Terry:
Why do you sign some of your responses “Ask Technical Terry?” Typically, one signs a letter or email using his or her name.
Ward Smith
Dear Ward Smith:
Great question! Indeed—sometimes I use my full name, which includes my first name Ask (from Norse mythology), sometimes I use initials, and in one of the blog posts I reviewed I forgot to sign off at all! I’m so embarrassed. Be assured that these oversights were made in the pursuit of quality content for RMLS™ subscribers.
