Welcome to another edition of “Ask the MLS.” Here, we talk to people running innovative MLSs around the country and ask them questions about their markets, their members and what keeps them up at night.
Today’s post features Jeff Follis, CEO of Colorado Real Estate Network (CREN). CREN serves 1,200 REALTOR members in 17+ counties and six REALTOR Board Associations. CREN is also a member of the Broker Public Portal. Here’s what Jeff had to say:
1.What makes CREN unique among MLSs?
CREN has a very forward-thinking Board of Directors that drive an agenda to provide state-of-the-art tools and support for its members and subscribers.
2. CREN is a smaller MLS with larger MLS neighbors in Colorado. How do you stay independent and provide value to your members?
We provide value to our members by listening to their needs through communication channels and conducting satisfaction surveys.
We keep pretty laser-focused on our North Star and try not to get distracted by the newest shiny object or tool that other MLSs might be rolling out.
3. What’s the most effective way for you to communicate with your members?
We have adapted to several communication platforms including newsletters, Facebook, Twitter, MLS homepage and messaging, and others.
Our agents and brokers get their information from different sources so we try to capture as many communication sources as possible, and make the information available to all channels in the most efficient manner possible.
4. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing agents today?
To continue to deliver value to their clients. There is so much real estate information out there that consumers continue to demand someone to help them process all that information.
Agents often forget that we are still a people business and technology can’t replace a well-educated agent who will negotiate/research on their behalf.
5. What is your favorite part of your job?
Rolling out new products and refining current systems to make the best efficiency for our brokers, agents and subscribers.
Many times we put something in place and then walk away from that process for 3-5 years. I like to re-evaluate inefficiencies within current process and systems continually.