Inbound SMS Workflow in the Real Estate Sector

12 Jan Inbound SMS Workflows – Real Estate Sector Case Study

Posted at 15:29h in Business SMS by

Optimising Client Engagement and Property Management through Edgility’s Inbound SMS Automation

In real estate, the speed and consistency of communication are crucial for maintaining strong client relationships and driving conversions. A large Australian real estate group faced growing inefficiencies as property managers, agents, and support staff struggled to manage high volumes of enquiries, inspection bookings, and maintenance requests through fragmented systems.

 

By implementing Edgility’s inbound SMS workflows, the agency was able to centralise communications, automate routine interactions, and give both staff and clients real-time visibility into property updates. The result was a 60% reduction in manual admin tasks, faster response times, and improved engagement from buyers, tenants, and landlords alike.

 

Business Background

The agency managed a mixed portfolio of 1,200 residential and commercial properties across multiple suburbs. It employed 25 property managers, 10 sales agents, and 15 support staff.

Previously, the team handled incoming communications through a combination of email, phone calls, and ad hoc mobile messaging. As a result:

  • Tenant repair requests were often delayed or missed.
  • Sales enquiries from online listings went unanswered for hours.
  • Agents struggled to coordinate open-home feedback and follow-ups.
  • Managers had little visibility over staff workloads or client satisfaction trends.


With enquiry volumes rising, especially from mobile-first buyers and renters, the agency sought a way to unify inbound messages, automate basic workflows, and reduce manual coordination across departments.

 

The Challenge

The agency identified several key issues affecting performance and customer experience:

Unstructured Enquiries

Property-related messages came from multiple sources—website forms, social media, emails, and phone calls—making it difficult to respond promptly or route to the correct person.

Response Delays

Agents and property managers were often out in the field. Without a centralised system, client messages went unanswered for extended periods, hurting lead conversion.

Manual Maintenance Coordination

Tenants had to call or email to report maintenance issues, requiring staff to manually contact contractors and update landlords.

Missed Follow-Ups

After open homes or inspections, agents relied on handwritten notes and spreadsheets to follow up with prospective buyers or tenants. Many leads fell through the cracks.

The company needed a system that could automatically capture, categorise, and route inbound communications while maintaining a personal, professional touch.

 

The Inbound SMS Workflow in Action

After mapping its communication processes, the agency launched a suite of inbound SMS workflows to cover its core operational needs.

1. Property Enquiry Management

When a potential buyer or renter submitted a website form, an SMS was automatically sent to them:

“Thanks for your interest in 45 Park Street. Reply YES to book an inspection or INFO for more details.”

  • If the client replied YES, Edgility booked the inspection in the CRM and sent a calendar link.
  • If they replied INFO, it automatically returned property details and floorplans.

Inbound replies were tracked, and Edgility routed leads to the assigned sales agent instantly.

This simple automation reduced the average enquiry response time from 45 minutes to under 5 minutes, helping agents capture more potential buyers.

2. Open Home Feedback and Follow-Ups

After each inspection, attendees received an SMS prompt:

“Thank you for visiting today. Reply FEEDBACK to share your thoughts or OFFER to speak with the agent.”

  • FEEDBACK responses were automatically compiled into the property record.
  • OFFER replies triggered an alert for the sales agent to call the client immediately.

This workflow increased post-inspection engagement rates by over 40% and helped identify serious buyers faster.

3. Maintenance and Repairs

Tenants could text keywords such as “repair,” “plumbing,” “electrical”, or “urgent”  to a specific Virtual Number. Keywords routed the message automatically:

  • Urgent issues were detected using AI. This triggered a prompt to the property manager and tagged it as a priority.
  • Repairs or maintenance requests created a maintenance task (via webhook) within the PMS, which subsequently notified the landlord for approval.

This eliminated the need for tenants to chase updates or call repeatedly, improving satisfaction and transparency.

4. Lease Renewals and Rent Reminders

Automated SMS reminders sent 30 days before lease expiry:

“Your lease is due for renewal soon. Reply YES to renew, NO to vacate, or HELP for assistance.”

  • YES responses created a renewal task for the property manager.
  • NO triggered a move-out workflow, triggering inspection scheduling.
  • HELP routed to the leasing admin team.

Similarly, rent reminders allowed tenants to acknowledge payments quickly, reducing arrears-related follow-ups.

5. Internal Coordination

When an inbound message couldn’t be categorised automatically (e.g., “I left my keys at the property”), Inbound SMS workflows assigned a task to the office’s general queue.

Supervisors could reassign or comment within the message thread. Each exchange was timestamped and visible across the team, ensuring accountability and preventing duplication.

 

Impact on Efficiency and Engagement

Faster Client Response Times

With automated routing and keyword detection, the average response time for new enquiries dropped to under 5 minutes, boosting client conversion rates.

Improved Staff Productivity

Agents and managers spent significantly less time chasing messages or updating spreadsheets. Each message was automatically logged, ensuring no leads or maintenance requests were missed.

Enhanced Customer Experience

Buyers, tenants, and landlords all received quicker, more consistent updates. The ease of SMS communication increased satisfaction scores across all client groups.

Improved Transparency and Reporting

Managers could view dashboards showing inbound message volumes, staff workloads, and SLA performance, allowing data-driven resourcing decisions.

 

Measurable Outcomes

Metric

Before Workflows

After Workflows

Result
Average enquiry response time 45 mins 4.5 mins ↓ 90%
Missed maintenance requests 18% 3% ↓ 83%
Manual task allocation time 3.2 hours/day 0.8 hours/day ↓ 75%
Client satisfaction (communication) 76% 94% ↑ 24%
Average follow-up completion rate 58% 89%

↑ 31%

These metrics reflected not just operational efficiency but a cultural shift within the agency—staff became more proactive, and clients more confident in the agency’s professionalism and reliability.

 

Key Takeaways

Real estate is a communication-heavy industry. Inbound SMS workflows directly address its biggest pain points: delays, missed messages, and fragmented task management.

Automation = consistency – Every client receives timely, professional responses without additional headcount.

High adoption potential – Agents and property managers are already SMS-heavy users; Edgility simply structures what they’re already doing.

Integration-ready – Can easily connect to popular CRM or PMS platforms.

Demonstrable ROI – Reduces admin time, improves lead conversion, and increases customer satisfaction.