An interview with Brian Farrell, Co-founder of Metropix

Brian co-founded Metropix in 2004 and is primarily responsible for the creation and development of the company’s customer relationships. Prior to Metropix his career included some six years working within estate agency, holding senior/ Director positions in both independent and corporate estate agency firms.

Tell us a bit more about Metropix – what do you do?

In short, we provide a floor plan service that enables estate agents to produce high quality plans quickly and cost effectively. These plans range from the DIY option to the interactive or 3D plans. Put simply, we have a floor plan to meet every requirement, whether that’s driven by cost or by innovation and perception.

How many agents currently use your floor plans?

At present we have some 2,500 active customers ranging from the smallest independents to some of the biggest names in the industry. Between them, they’re producing around 1,500 floor plans every day. This high volume of agents is really driven by landlords and vendors who expect to have a floor plan advertised with their property.

Have the challenging conditions impacted on the number of agents who use floor plans?

They have, but not in the way you might imagine. With agents vying for every single instruction, it’s more important than ever to present the highest level of service possible to potential vendors. As a result, many agents who were not previously making use of floor plans as an instruction winner have now introduced them into their marketing portfolio. And the knock-on effect is that agents who were already using floor plans are now turning to more innovative options such as interactive floor plans or 3D.

Why should agents use them?

Well, that question was answered in part by your own research earlier in the year. Consumers are pushing for floor plans; in fact they now consider them to be more important to a property overview than detailed room descriptions. This puts plans second only to internal and external photographs in consumer marketing preferences. So they’re a pretty key part of the enquiry generation process.

“The power of floor plans goes beyond giving vendors and buyers what they want … properties marketed with a floor plan receive 30% more interest than those without one.”

How much do the floor plans cost?

Our monthly subscription is the most popular amongst our clients – it costs just £34.95 and is used by most of our clients to deliver a “we put a floor plan on every property” message within their market. It’s another way to differentiate your agency from one that doesn’t use floor plans.

Where volumes are lower, some take advantage of the occasional user option at just £7.50 for 48 hours use.

I should mention that there is no contractual tie in. The service is delivered on a pay-as-you-go basis which, of course, intensifies our resolve to ‘keep the customer satisfied’.

Finally, and unique to The Digital Property Group’s customers, is an extended 21 day free trial to fully test Metropix in your business. There are absolutely no obligations – click here to register for the trial.

And how do you ‘keep the customer satisfied’?

All of our development is customer driven but our real ‘secret weapon’ is our first-class Customer Support Team. Unlimited and ongoing support is another unique part of the Metropix service and I firmly believe that our customers’ assurance that there’s a helpful, friendly voice a phone call away has played a major role in our success.

Lastly, how do you get started?

That’s an easy one! And it’s risk-free. Every agent is entitled to a 21-day free trial with absolutely no obligation. This allows potential customers to experience the full service on a ‘try before you buy’ basis. For more information, see our brochure here
or to register for the no-obligation 21 day free trial, click here.