TOPIC: Upload service

If I recall correctly, the client's house you had to drive to was because he couldn't print the report. Wasn't the problem that he didn't have ink in his printer or something? Your client also couldn't open it when you emailed him the pdf directly. We can't be responsible for people's personal computer problems. A PDF is a PDF. Any computer sold in the last 3-5 years includes Adobe Acrobat and a link to download it if they haven't is on the download page.

The only problems I've seen with the upload service occur when the agents gives the inspector one email address, which he uses to upload the report, and then the agent registers with a completely different email address. Since the system relies on email addresses to connect people together.

From time to time agents don't see the big link at the top left that says Agents Register here. Usually they'll jump on chat and ask, or ask the inspector who will tell them where it is. I don't know what else to do about that except make the font even larger. The email they receive tells them where to click. I guess I could change the link that's emailed to them to take them DIRECTLY to a registration page. After the first inspection I never hear from them again.

The agents that had the problems. Did you walk them through the process or give them a hand?

By and large we have hundreds of guys using the service and thousands of reports uploaded. I hear inspectors tell me often that because of the service agents use them over and over.

You mentioned today that agents say the love the look of the report. Have you used the upload service twice for any of the agents yet? That's when they start to see the benefit.

Dom

The case with the clients was the daughter that I did the report for's computer was older and then she sent to dad who went and bought ink and yadda yadda yadda neither could figure out how to upload or print. So I would blame this one on the clients.

If I gotta walk them thru the upload service then what good is it to me? Should be simple enough so a ape can open(Or an agent) No offense to agents.

No I have not used twice because 75% of the agents I upload to are pissed because they can not figure it out.

It seems straight forward to me. But I am already registered.

I stop using the service after a few weeks because I get tired of the complaints.

I start the service again because I can understand the benefits.

I stopped sending the agents emails of the trial upload service and I am just going to personnaly attach a PDF in a regular email for my newsletter and gift checks.

Make a list of the reports I have uploaded and I bet 50% of the agents have complained.
What about the other 50%. One that I called today stated how difficult it was to register.
Then she asks another agent to help her and she also has issues.

I am getting nothing but negetive feedback.

I want to hear from some inspectors.

It seems straight forward to me. But I am already registered.

If it's straightforward to you, where do you think the problem lies? I'm all for making improvements, just need to hear some suggestions. Obviously some agents are going to have more computer skills than others. I've talked to agents when they've clicked live chat and had an issue (usually the email thing again). A few seconds later they're on their way.

Hi David
I had that problem with an Agent once and Dominic had to explain the login process.

If you do a lot of biz with the agent then it is a great tool after they figure it out.

If it is a one time shot , you only need to upload to client , which is easy for them.

Have them pass the link on to the Agent.

Say you are going to be doing more biz with the Agent in the future , it might be worth it to go over the process in person.
Great excuse for a get together.

I know login for them is more complex but the only way to make it easier would be to have a capability to add more than one client to the send feature.

It would limit the Agent to looking only the one client but may be a good update to request of Dom in the future.

We actually changed what the email said soon after you had that problem Bob, which I think was about 6 months ago. The login for agents is one screen. They enter their name, business name, email address and choose a password. Click on Inspection Reports and there they are! Remember, right now there are thousands of agents (we'll probably hit 10,000 towards the end of the year) who have registered and picked up reports. Here's the current email they get the first time they use the service (each time after the email includes their username as a reminder):

Hello (Agent Name)

(Inspector Name) has finished the inspection on the property below:
(Client Name)
(Property Street Address)
(Property City/State/Zip)

You can log into www.HomeInspectorPro.com to view this and all your reports at any time.

Since this is your first report you will need to register on the site first. Please make sure that you use the this email address when you create the account.

Sincerely,
Home Inspector Pro

So my thought is. Rather than saying they can log into Home Inspector Pro and listing the main page address, give them a link that takes them DIRECTLY to the agent registration page. The original intent was to get them familiar with where to log in for the future, but we could add the to subsequent emails. I could even make the login redirect to the inspection page itself. With these two things changed, I don't see how an agent could go wrong.

Dominic,
I agree if we gave the agent a direct link then that would help. 

All,
I remembered when I first used the upload service for an agent and I got a call from him asking to send the file directly to him.  I asked what happened with logging into the site and he told me it was too complicated.  Since we're both retired military I called him a wussie, sent him the file and then went to the Agent page and set up a login for myself as a realtor.  It was so easy!  It took me about 30 seconds, so if I can do it...
;D

v/r
Greg