Tech Spending Q-and-A

Q: What percentage of your company's annual expenses this year are devoted specifically to technology? (Including all software and hardware, research and development, website design and development and hosting, servers and server maintenance, tech-related staffing and consulting costs, etc.)
6.7 percent.

Q: How does this compare to last year?
It's up from 4.8 percent in 2010.

Q: What is your tech spending expectation for 2012?
We expect to increase technology expenditures to 8 to 10 percent of overall expenses in 2012.

Q: What are the top four most costly expenditures your company has made or plans to make this year (ranked in order of cost)?
1. Upgrade of in-house printing, graphic design and mail-room technologies.
2. Planned redesign of Website, intranet and other Internet based marketing programs.
3. Replaced and upgraded all computers and hardware at 11 offices.
4. Installed our own email system based on Microsoft Exchange.

Q: What three technology expenditures have generated or do you expect to generate the greatest return on investment, listed in order of greatest ROI?

  1. Upgrade of our in-house printing, graphic design and mail-room technologies. Rodeo Realty is on track to print and send out 2 million pieces of agent and company marketing material this year.
    The new technologies have significantly increased efficiency and production. The in-house print and mail shops also help with recruiting new agents.
  2. Current website, intranet and other Internet-based marketing programs. These act as important lead generators and marketing tools for agents and their properties. Offering these technologies and services is also important for recruitment.
  3. Planned overhaul of website, intranet and other Internet-based marketing programs. These act as important lead generators and marketing tools for agents. Offering these technologies and services is also important for recruitment.

Q: What technology services do you handle in-house at your company, staffed by your own workers?
The corporate website, blog website, all network management, graphic design, print shop and mail room.

Q: How many full-time and part-time employees and contractors work exclusively on technology-related projects at your company?
Three.

Q: What technology services do you contract out for?
Website hosting and email hosting.

TABLE 1:
What technology vendor(s) do you use for the following tech services (or state whether it's handled in-house)?
  Vendor In-house
Website hosting RealtyTech, GoDaddy and 1&1 Internet Inc.  
Website design   In-house
Lead generation   In-house
Electronic signatures, electronic documents, document storage and document sharing Free service offered by the California Association of Realtors.  

Q: What technology services does the area multiple listing service (or MLSs) provide that your company utilizes?
We use a CARETS (California Real Estate Technology Services) feed for our Internet Data Exchange.

Q: What technology services does the local, state and/or national Realtor association or other trade group provide that your company utilizes?
Relay Transaction Management System (National Association of Realtors) and zipForm (California Association of Realtors).

Q: Is your company building (or has it built or does it plan to build) any mobile apps, or is it working with outside developers to build or customize apps for your company? If so, describe the purpose and function of the apps, the intended users, and the cost of creating and customizing the apps.
We plan on bringing in a development staff to redesign our corporate Website, Intranet and other Internet-based marketing programs. This redesign will also encompass a new mobile website that will be accessible to all mobile devices -- not just an app-based system.