A long-established West Sussex estate agency has ended a 21-year relationship with its CRM provider as part of plans to modernise its technology and support future growth.
GL & Co (main picture), which operates across the South Downs National Park and surrounding villages, has selected Alto as its new estate agency and lettings platform after more than two decades using MRI Solutions.
Founded in 1992, the agency handles premium residential sales and manages around 160 rental properties.
Founder Neil Moore says the decision followed a lengthy review process and reflected the changing needs of the business rather than any single issue.
BETTER ALIGNMENT
He adds: “We’d been with MRI for 21 years. I’m incredibly loyal in business, so changing something that central to how you operate is not a decision you take lightly. But over time the relationship changed and the platform stopped working for us in the way it once had.”
Moore described the move as the result of gradual frustrations that had built over a number of years.
“It was more a case of death by a thousand cuts,” he explains. “Systems evolve, businesses evolve, and eventually you reach the point where you need something that aligns better with where the company is going next.”
The agency began reviewing CRM options towards the end of last year, with maintaining strong lettings and accounts functionality identified as a key requirement.
AI CAPABILITIES
He says: “One of the most important things for us was ensuring the lettings and accounts side of the business remained robust. That’s the more complicated part of estate agency operations, and Alto demonstrated that it could handle that without compromise.”
He adds that Alto’s AI capabilities and prospecting tools were also attractive as the business looks to grow market share.
“Over 50% of our instructions come from repeat business, which is fantastic, but it also means there’s an opportunity to grow market share by being more proactive,” he said.
The move reflects a wider trend across the agency sector, with firms increasingly reviewing legacy technology platforms as AI, automation and prospecting tools become more important to winning instructions and improving operational efficiency.
Nick Shaw, Chief Revenue Officer at Alto, says: “After more than two decades with their previous CRM, switching platforms is a significant decision.
“It reflects a clear focus on future growth and modernisation, and we’re delighted to welcome Neil and the team to Alto.”
