Improving customer experience with market-tailored features

The challenge

Business Need

Mobile solutions have become a crucial part of all operations as a response to changing consumer expectations. With that in mind, Knight Frank decided to increase investment in their mobile app as an essential tool for searching properties. They reached out to Objectivity to take over responsibilities for aligning the application to the newly presented iOS version and new iPhones and iPads. Additionally, they were looking to improve and personalise the mobile application experience.

The solution

Project Details

Objectivity had already collaborated with Knight Frank, on a major internal digital transformation project. Knight Frank had already developed a public facing iOS app, featuring all their properties available for both sale or rent. This application was built in-house and supported by a third-party company. As Knight Frank already had a successful partnership with Objectivity, they asked the Objectivity team to take responsibility for further application development.

Objectivity provided a dedicated team comprising of a Project Manager, software developers, testers, and a visual designer to help ensure the best user experience and efficient business goal realisation.
The Objectivity team redeveloped the application using the most recent version of SWIFT, making all the changes necessary to enable a move to a new version of the back-end API. The team developed new features for the application, ensured it was performant and within a few weeks’ time, the application was tested and ready for deployment. One of the app’s newest features is an online booking system which allows Knight Frank’s customers to schedule a viewing of a property without having to call an agent—customers choose the property they are interested in, request a date and a viewing time, and wait for confirmation.

Another of the app’s innovative functionalities enables end users to easily access detailed offers after scanning properties’ QR codes from catalogues, marketing collateral or even at the listed property. Customers can now access additional information about the listings, see more photos, and gain access to other important details with ease.

Additionally, the application has been enhanced with the following functionalities: listings’ search with Siri voice queries, adding notes and pictures to listings, and Apple’s 3D Touch capability support. The latter is a pressure-sensitive feature that lets end users quickly access various application actions from the phone’s home screen, depending on the amount of pressure exerted on the application icon.

During the later stages of the project, the team also implemented a set of calculators accessible from the application. The calculators can help customers estimate: mortgage rates, gross and net income which can be generated from buying and subsequently letting a purchased property, and the amount of property tax they will have to pay with accurate information provided for every country where properties are listed.

The new version of the Knight Frank Property app is available on the App Store and can be used on both the iPhone and iPad.

The results

Business Benefits

The Objectivity team was flexible and able to meet the needs of agile software development, allowing for the most fitting, market-tailored changes to be introduced to the Knight Frank Property app.

Book Viewing

The Book Viewing functionality enables Knight Frank’s clients to book meetings with real estate agents directly in the app, which greatly simplifies the sale/let process. Additionally, in response to market changes resulting from COVID-19, the Objectivity team quickly added a new feature which enables clients to take virtual tours of properties.

QR Codes

The QR code functionality helps to increase Knight Frank’s conversion rate and serves as an additional point of customer engagement. The functionality enables clients to scan QR codes from a wide range of sources such as magazines, marketing collateral, or even on-site at a given property. Scanning a property code provides customers with instant access to additional information about a given listing, helping to accelerate the decision-making process.

Convenient Calculators

The application’s range of calculators serve to enhance user experience, allow clients to make informed decisions with ease, and improve Knight Frank’s conversion. Moreover, these functionalities help customers save time by eliminating the need to consult financial advisors on such matters as the mortgage rate or property tax.

The Latest Technologies

All changes introduced and developed by Objectivity were designed to be aligned with the latest Apple coding language (Swift) and software development tools (Xcode). The application is highly performant and compatible with the newly announced iPhones and iPads, thereby bringing added value to both Knight Frank and their customers.

DISCLAIMER:
This case study has been produced by Objectivity Ltd. Knight Frank LLP is not in partnership with Objectivity Ltd and any third party is responsible for making their own enquiries to ensure the quality and services provided by Objectivity Ltd meet their needs. Knight Frank accepts no liability or indemnity for any services provided by Objectivity Ltd to any third party.