Technology as a tool

Use technology and informationto your advantage, but don’t forget the important things.

by Mary Frances Burleson   Have you checked your e-mail today? Does the battery in your cell phone still have some life? How about the batteries in your PDA? (Don’t forget to synchronize it with your desktop computer first.)

Have you checked the Web sites that are most important to your business? Do you have the latest versions of the contracts and forms? Have you checked your voice mail?

If your days are like mine, you’re very familiar with information overload. My guilt trip grows larger day by day! There are e-mails to read and answer. There are phone calls to return. The stack of letters to answer grows ever higher as does my list of personal notes I must write ... to pat others on the back ... to say thank-you.

I need to rethink and regroup!

Thankfully, there are some resources that can help us organize and make the best use of technology.

To find a guide to palmtops, check the January 2002 issue of NAR’s REALTOR® magazine. And look in the Technology section of Texas REALTOR® each month for PDA tips.

Do you need to rethink your business? Check Michael Russer’s column about virtual assistants in the February 2002 REALTOR® magazine. Also in February, how to equip your home office ... there is a list of equipment in varying price ranges.

To get the latest TAR news and find out about forms changes, sign up for the weekly Inside Track e-mail newsletter and check the TAR Web site, TexasRealtors.com. To learn the latest about NAR issues affecting our profession, visit Realtor.org.

But remember ... all the above are tools. Just tools!

The heart and soul of our business will always be:

So let’s use the tools and keep our priorities in place. Real estate is the very best profession! Happy Day!

Photo by Jim Reisch.

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