Want to be one of the 200 agents who get free access to PropertyBOX, the world's first floor plan and photo enhancing app? Read on...
PropertyBOX has been making waves lately. Not so long ago, it was just a twinkle in our eye. Now, it's being covered in the national newspapers, processing hundreds, even thousands, of improvements a week and helping estate agents across the UK transform their businesses. They grow up so fast...
At the 9-month milestone, we're reflecting on what's happened so far and why we're giving away 200 free spaces on PropertyBOX.
So what is PropertyBOX?
To those who don't know, it's our one-of-a-kind floor plan and photo enhancing app.
In a nutshell: PropertyBOX allows agents to upload their own photos and floor plan sketches, which are then processed into ready-to-use, professionally drawn floor plans and beautifully enhanced photos.
How it all began...
Back in October 2016, we welcomed 100 pioneering users onto PropertyBOX.
In just 4 hours, we had 100 applicants - and you continued to sign up in your hundreds throughout the week. The rocket-fuel coffee was in full flow at FocalAgent HQ all week...
A thousand coffees and a few cases of the jitters later, we've got all the analytics and human feedback to launch PropertyBOX version 2.0: a new look and feel, with a fine-tuned and super-efficient user experience.
Why is PropertyBOX developing in this way?
Heard of The Learn Start Up? It's one of our business bibles at FocalAgent. It gives a scientific approach to creating and managing start ups - whether that's a company, or (like PropertyBOX) a product or new concept within an established company.
One of the principles of its methodology is to always 'build, measure, learn'. Paraphrased, this comes from a way of thinking:
'Build, measure, learn' effectively brings users' input into the product development process.
First, we build a minimum viable product (an MVP, or an initial version of a product with enough features to get pioneering users going; which allows those same pioneering users to provide feedback for future developments in the product). Then we measure the successes and challenges users have with our MVP. With those learnings, we can build it up to the next stage.
That's what's been happening with PropertyBOX.
What have people been saying about PropertyBOX?
Of course, transformative feedback can only come from real life usage of the product. Thornley Groves recently announced that PropertyBOX contributes to the core of its PropTech strategy, and it assist 100% of the properties in all of its nine branches. Since implementing it, their team has seen its Rightmove stats leap by up to 20%.
“You could technically operate a business without email, but why would you?" asks Matt Smith, Residential Sales and Lettings Director at Thornley Groves. "Using PropertyBOX is kind of like that. It’s an obvious choice, really.”
Another pioneering user of PropertyBOX, Fenn Wright, is seeing similar results. James Gunther, Director at the agency with branches across Essex and Suffolk, said, "PropertyBOX has been a big time-saving measure for the whole team. It’s been a really helpful tool for marketing properties to a higher standard."
So what's this free gift?
To celebrate 9 months of feedback from the first 100 users, as well as the new look, we're giving 200 agents priority access to PropertyBOX.
Our very own Product Director Tim said, “Our mission is to give some PropTech magic to every property in the UK. Even if an agent isn’t one of the 200 to get priority access to PropertyBOX, we’re aiming to open the doors to everyone very soon, and those who sign up will be the first to know.”
