At the outset, Metroplots looks like any other property-search website. One has to enter the city they’re from, what kind of home they’re looking to buy and which area they prefer. It lists a whole range of homes to pick from. But with its new interface, the website not just promises a great experience but also one that ensures privacy and makes things easier for the builder and property seeker.
Started in 2008 by Biju Ashokan, Metroplots consciously stayed away from what Biju calls the ‘classifieds model’, concentrating instead on transaction-based business. “We asked the builders what more they wanted and they said they wanted sales. So we began managing sales for some of the reputed builders in the city. By doing this, we began to understand the problems that property seekers were facing,” he says.
Incessant calls, fake data, inadequate legal support, the search for home loans – there is many a stumbling block before landing on the perfect home. Metroplots hopes to be a one-stop solution to all these issues. “A seeker can search specifically for a builder’s property, post an enquiry, after which they’ll get potential leads. Until they’re sure they want to carry forward the transaction and post an enquiry on the builder’s page, the builder will only be able to contact them through the site,” he explains, “This process eliminates spamming.”
There is a builder’s page where registered builders can log in the details of their projects and keep track of potential customers. Metroplots now works with 120 builders in Chennai and Bangalore with over 250 projects active on its site. It has 20,000 registered users in Chennai and 8,000 in Bangalore (Metroplots is a year old in Bangalore). “With property websites, builders usually pay an amount and buy a database of users. Which is why the users get bogged by a lot of calls. We have no sponsored leads; we only allow a builder to contact someone when the requirements match.” With their new CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool, Biju hopes that it will be a good recommendation tool and will enhance experience. “We offer other services as well like legal help, group deals and home loan assessment.”
The website also gives a market overview of the cities and has blogs that will talk about property trends, architecture, interiors and other topics. “We want to a lot more users to benefit from our services and want to expand the website to all cities in India and outside as well. So far, our users have complimented us on our website design and services. As for the builders, we help grow their business, reduce cost and improve conversation rates.”
Visit Metroplots at >www.metroplots.com .
