Morse Watchmans Key Control Systems Open Doors for Centre Realty Group Agents to Close Sales

Morse Watchmans Key Control Systems Open Doors for Centre Realty Group Agents to Close SalesFounded in the early 1990s with a focus on residential sales and rentals, Centre Realty Group (CRG) has grown into a full-service real estate brokerage firm specializing in residential and commercial sales and leasing in the Boston/Metro West area of Massachusetts. With its extensive rental database, the firm provides services to more than 500 landlords and property management groups.

In real estate, potential renters or buyers never make an offer or sign a lease on a property based solely on its exterior. To close a sale, the agent must be able to open the door, so the livelihood of both agents and agencies is highly dependent on the ability to access properties. And, for an agency with more than 100 agents working out of offices in four towns, controlling access to and tracking the whereabouts of those keys can be challenging.

“With more than 100 agents, keys can very easily be lost,” said Jack Foster, CRG’s owner. “When they were taken from the office in the past, it was difficult to determine who had them and track that person down.”

Recognizing these challenges, CRG evaluated a number of key control and management systems before implementing a Morse Watchmans KeyWatcher Touch system in the summer of 2013. CRG selected KeyWatcher Touch for myriad reasons, with the system’s ease of use and robust tracking capability at the top of the list.

“With the KeyWatcher Touch system, we no longer run into the problems we encountered before,” said Foster. “Each agent has their own ID and password to access the system, so it’s very easy to track who has a key and when it was taken. We evaluated two or three similar systems but each was missing components we needed to ensure the level of reliability and efficiency to provide our clients with the high-quality service they deserve.”

If a key is overdue for return, KeyWatcher Touch allows CRG management to quickly and easily notify a user via email. KeyWatcher Touch also offers the convenience of scheduled reports to be automatically emailed as PDFs to authorized recipients on a customizable schedule and frequency. They can also be accessed using the Morse Watchmans Mobile App, which can enable the user to not only view live information but also to interact with the KeyWatcher Touch system remotely.

Based on the performance and functionality of that first KeyWatcher Touch system, CRG installed two additional systems in its offices in early 2014. CRG has networked these systems and integrated them with Windows Server 2012, allowing the firm to take advantage of the system’s KeyAnywhere feature, which allows users to return a key to any of its three KeyWatcher systems. If a key is not in a particular office, a broker can quickly determine its location and retrieve it quickly without having to make phone calls or request a key from someone in a particular office.

“Having direct access to a specific key makes an agent’s job much easier when showing houses and rental units,” Foster said. “Arriving late for an appointment because a key couldn’t be located is not only unacceptable but can also be a deal-breaker. KeyWatcher Touch has drastically streamlined the key management process, eliminating that factor from the process.”

CRG is also pleased with the sleek, modular design of the KeyWatcher Touch system, which Foster said is a major upgrade from CRG’s previous key management system.

“KeyWatcher Touch is much more professional looking than having keys hung on a pegboard, and it eliminates much time wasted searching for a specific key,” Foster said.

(Image of Sales and Leasing Agent, Lauren Baldner, accessing the KeyWatcher Touch)

Featured

  • Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Top Five Action Items to Elevate Your Data Security Posture Management and Secure Your Data

    October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and every year most tips for security hygiene and staying safe have not changed. We’ve seen them all – use strong passwords, deploy multi-factor authentication (MFA), be vigilant to spot phishing attacks, regularly update software and patch your systems. These are great recommended ongoing tips and are as relevant today as they’ve ever been. But times have changed and these best practices can no longer be the bare minimum. Read Now

  • Boosting Safety and Efficiency

    Boosting Safety and Efficiency

    In alignment with the state of Mississippi’s mission of “Empowering Mississippi citizens to stay connected and engaged with their government,” Salient's CompleteView VMS is being installed throughout more than 150 state boards, commissions and agencies in order to ensure safety for thousands of constituents who access state services daily. Read Now

  • Live From GSX: Post-Show Review

    Live From GSX: Post-Show Review

    This year’s Live From GSX program was a rousing success! Again, we’d like to thank our partners, and IPVideo, for working with us and letting us broadcast their solutions to the industry. You can follow our Live From GSX 2023 page to keep up with post-show developments and announcements. And if you’re interested in working with us in 2024, please don’t hesitate to ask about our Live From programs for ISC West in March or next year’s GSX. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • GSX
  • People Say the Funniest Things

    People Say the Funniest Things

    By all accounts, GSX version 2023 was completely successful. Apparently, there were plenty of mix-ups with the airlines and getting aircraft from the East Coast into Big D. I am all ears when I am in a gathering of people. You never know when a nugget of information might flip out. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • GSX

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation. 3

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols. 3

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation. 3