A new Surrey-based estate and lettings agency has chosen Alto as its CRM platform after reviewing a range of systems while preparing to launch as an independent business.
My Estate Agent, founded by Melanie Youles (main picture, inset), officially began trading in January after she decided not to continue using Loop when moving to operate on her own.
As part of the setup process, Youles carried out a full review of the CRM market, focusing on transparency, usability and overall value for money.
She says that while several systems were considered, including Street, some providers operated pricing models where additional features were only available at extra cost depending on usage or configuration.
WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET
And she adds: “With other systems, I kept discovering that features shown in demos weren’t actually included.
“I didn’t want to be constantly checking whether something was part of my package or another monthly charge.
“With Alto, what you see is what you get and that gives me confidence at a really important stage of the business.”
Youles says Alto’s all-in-one structure was a key factor in the decision, particularly as the business will handle both sales and lettings from the outset.
“The dashboard was a big selling point for me. You can log in and immediately see what’s happening – appointments, outstanding tasks, maintenance issues and compliance – without digging through menus. When you’re doing the back office yourself, that visibility is invaluable.”
RELIABLE SYSTEMS
My Estate Agent is positioning itself as a personal, hands-on agency, with Youles saying that having reliable systems in place is essential when running a small independent operation.
“My business is built on being present and responsive. If a CRM can handle admin, tracking and compliance in the background, it frees me up to focus on progressing deals and looking after clients properly, which is exactly why I set up My Estate Agent.”
She also says that the onboarding process and availability of support played an important role in the final decision.
“I don’t need constant hand-holding, but I do need to know support is there if something goes wrong. From sales through to onboarding, Alto has been quick, clear and easy to deal with, and that reassurance matters when downtime can directly impact your reputation.”
CLARITY AND SIMPLICITY
Nick Shaw, Chief Revenue Officer at Alto, said the move reflects a wider trend among independent agents.
“Agents want clarity, simplicity and technology that supports how they actually work, without hidden costs.
“Alto is designed to support agents at every stage, and we’re delighted to be powering My Estate Agent from day one.”
