A personal touch Make your thank-you notes look handwritten without developing writer’s cramp. The patented Cursive Contex technology translates a handwriting sample into your very own computerized font. The font is used to address envelopes and to write notecards to your customers and colleagues. One-time charge of $325 to create a font, plus $1.10 or more per card; first-class postage included. Thanx Media, Chicago; 312/238-9868;www.thanxmedia.com.
Protect your privacy Don’t divulge your personal phone numbers to customers you hardly know. Instead, give out an anonymous toll-free number that forwards to any phone number—home, office, or mobile—you choose. Voicemail service is included. Manage your account and settings online. 15 cents per minute for incoming calls within the continental United States; 10 cents per minute to check voicemail. Free trial available. PrivateTel Inc., Dallas; 800/880-5910;www.myprivateline.com.
Manage your busy schedule A Web-based system makes it easy to keep track of appointments. The ShowingDesk Web Edition system sends reminders to all relevant parties in a transaction along with notes about the property (for example, “big dog in yard”). In addition, the software automatically sends feedback requests to practitioners after a showing and generates listing activity reports. Pricing starts at $12 per practitioner per month, with discounts as the number of practitioners increases. ShowingTime, Chicago; 800/746-9464;www.showingtime.com.
— Kelly Quigley
REALTOR Benefits(SM) partners offer special pricing to NAR members. Find out more atREALTOR.org/realtorbenefits.Prices are the vendors’ suggested retail prices and are subject to change. NAR doesn’t evaluate or endorse these products and isn’t responsible for changes in company information.
Make your thank-you notes look handwritten without developing writer’s cramp. The patented Cursive Contex technology translates a handwriting sample into your very own computerized font. The font is used to address envelopes and to write notecards to your customers and colleagues. One-time charge of $325 to create a font, plus $1.10 or more per card; first-class postage included. Thanx Media, Chicago; 312/238-9868;
Don’t divulge your personal phone numbers to customers you hardly know. Instead, give out an anonymous toll-free number that forwards to any phone number—home, office, or mobile—you choose. Voicemail service is included. Manage your account and settings online. 15 cents per minute for incoming calls within the continental United States; 10 cents per minute to check voicemail. Free trial available. PrivateTel Inc., Dallas; 800/880-5910;
A Web-based system makes it easy to keep track of appointments. The ShowingDesk Web Edition system sends reminders to all relevant parties in a transaction along with notes about the property (for example, “big dog in yard”). In addition, the software automatically sends feedback requests to practitioners after a showing and generates listing activity reports. Pricing starts at $12 per practitioner per month, with discounts as the number of practitioners increases. ShowingTime, Chicago; 800/746-9464;