More than 70% of today's purchasers do their property searches online these days, and 85 percent of real estate brokers communicate with their clients by text message. It's no longer necessary to dig for information on schools, demographics, and crime statistics; instead, websites and applications make this information easily accessible, making it easier than ever to make more informed judgments.
So how do you effortlessly go from paper to online forms? Sure, the mechanics of its mind sound pretty complicated in our head, but the good news is that it’s actually pretty simple. You don't really have to be a programmer to design your own form. It's been simplified for you with our step-by-step guide to getting you up and running. So, keep reading!
Your initial aim should be to go through all of your paper forms and identify any issues you have with them, such as lost or missing forms, forms that are not filled out correctly, or forms that are time-consuming to complete. Once you've identified the issues, it'll be much easier to decide how you'll resolve them by using the online version of the forms.
It follows logically that the following stage in this process will be to determine which data is the most critical for your company to have. What information do the forms need to collect, and who will be able to see the results? What is the purpose of each of the forms? In order to be data-driven, consider how you want to study and interact with the data, as well as how the data will look on the backend of a system, for instance, when developing questionnaires or other forms of survey.
After you've gone through all of your paper forms, recognized the key issues, and determined what you want your data to do, the next step is to combine all of your old forms. Collect samples of all the forms that your business uses on a daily basis and decide if you want to use them, i.e., are you doubling up where you don't need to? What is the significance of the data you're gathering? Consider the process of completing the form from the perspective of the person who will be filling it out.
Going through the consolidation process will provide you with a new perspective on the type of data your forms are collecting, allowing you to improve. As a result, the quality will improve. The benefit of using online forms is that the information they collect is far safer than regular paper. The data may be secured in a variety of ways, but with paper, the only choice is to physically lock it. So online forms not only collect better data but are also easier and more secure than paper forms.
The initial series testing should preferably be carried out with a small group of internal users. If you've hired a professional to assist you with the transition from paper to online, they'll work with you to determine who the ideal individuals are to test the electronic web forms. Include a sample of your most key stakeholders, i.e., those who will not only use the forms frequently but also look at and analyze the data the forms offer.
When internal testing is complete, it is time to push it out to other users, such as real estate agents. Working with both beginner and expert mobile form users is a smart idea; each will provide you with unique yet relevant input that you can use to customize your forms. When you've finished testing, compile all of the feedback and go through it. You'll assess what adjustments need to be made at this stage.
After the initial stages have been accomplished, it is time to roll it out to the rest of the team. After that, it is a good idea to hold a series of internal seminars to bring everyone up to speed on the new system. In particular, if you've customized them to include drop-down lists, checkboxes, computations, and multiple-choice choices, you should demonstrate how they operate.
There must be a clearly defined timeframe for the change to take place. Rogue paper procedures or papers that have been sitting around for months or years should be eliminated. Make it perfectly clear what is expected and when it is expected. You will need to offer customers plenty of time to adjust to the changes, and those adjustments should be introduced in waves rather than all at once.
Follow these five stages when your company transitions from paper to online forms for data gathering to guarantee a logical, thorough, and seamless transition. Web forms and the data they gather provide several advantages to businesses and organizations that go beyond what the paper data collection process can offer. Online forms remove time-consuming and often costly paperwork while also enhancing data quality and increasing business competitiveness.
Don't be put off by imagined technological obstacles. Not only is the transition from paper to web forms is easier, but with the appropriate tools, you can even design your own forms and customize them for your business without requiring programming experience. Question Scout will meet your data gathering demands whether you're a realtor with a huge crew or a business with practical operations. Keep an eye out for ways to enhance your forms as they are used and listen to input from people who use them.