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

  • Mall of America Deploys AI-Powered Analytics to Enhance Parking Intelligence

    Mall of America®, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with Axis Communications to deploy cutting-edge car-counting video analytics across more than a dozen locations. With this expansion, Mall of America (MOA) has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security, and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events. Read Now

  • Security Industry Association Launches New “askSIA” AI Tool

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has unveiled a brand-new SIA member benefit – askSIA, a conversational AI agent designed to help users get the most out of their SIA membership, easily access SIA resources and find the latest information on SIA’s training and courses, reports and publications, events, certification offerings and more. SIA members can easily find askSIA by visiting the SIA homepage or looking for the askSIA icon in the top left of webpages. Read Now

    • Industry Events
  • Industry Embraces Mobile Access, Biometrics and AI

    A combination of evolving workplace dynamics, technology innovation and new user expectations is changing how people enter and interact with physical spaces. Access control is at the heart of these changes. Combined with biometrics and AI, mobile access control has become increasingly crucial for deploying entry solutions that are seamless, secure and adaptive to user needs. Read Now

  • Sustainable Video Solution Delivered for Landmark City of London Office Development

    An advanced, end-to-end video solution from IDIS, with a focus on reducing waste and costs, has helped a major office development in the City of London align its security with sustainability objectives. Read Now

  • DHS to End ‘Shoes-Off’ Travel Policy

    Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced a new policy today which will allow passengers traveling through domestic airports to keep their shoes on while passing through security screening at TSA checkpoints. Read Now

New Products

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.