Connells Survey and Valuation extends digital footprint through new surveying team

We are pleased to announce that Connells Survey & Valuation Ltd., now has more than 300 surveyors using the Landmark Quest 'Q-Mobile' property data capture solution to generate major efficiencies with valuation service delivery to mortgage lenders.

In July 2014 Connells Survey & Valuation was awarded the exclusive contract to deliver valuation panel management services to Principality Building Society.  Under the contract, Principality Chartered Surveyors also joined Connells Survey & Valuation business.

Q-Mobile, used in conjunction with Panasonic Toughbooks, improves workflow, standardises surveyors’ site notes and allows Connells’ surveyors to access supporting data for each valuation report while they are on site.  

The mobile software provides a seamless process from the receipt of a valuation instruction, scheduling the appointment, undertaking research and the inspection, through to transmission of the valuation report to the client. Connells have been pioneers in developing and using Landmark Quest’s Q-Mobile, which has supported their surveyors being more efficient in responding to increasingly complex service requirements and improving the customer journey.

Matthew Morgan, Area Director, Connells Survey & Valuation (former Chief Surveyor at Principality Surveyors), comments: “At Principality Surveyors we were researching the best mobile technology system on the market.  Connells Survey & Valuation has an unparalleled reputation for quality service delivery and had already made a major investment in its service involving Landmark Q-Mobile and tablet PCs. This was taken into consideration during the tender process.”

Ross Bowen, Managing Director of Connells Survey & Valuation, adds, “Using Q-Mobile has delivered tangible benefits to our clients and superior customer outcomes. We are now even better placed to manage our surveyors’ workloads and work patterns during the course of the day. Within the space of just a few weeks of rolling out Q-Mobile, it has become the established platform underpinning the delivery of our professional valuation services.”

Ross Bowen explains that introducing the new surveying team to Q-Mobile and the latest mobile working methods required three days’ initial training, but has paid dividends in efficient working practices and time saved when responding to queries: “When a query is raised by an underwriter or solicitor, we can push this out to surveyors in the field and they can respond immediately and effectively. Information such as site plans, photos and post valuation queries are all in one place, so it is much easier to access at the surveyor’s fingertips, speeding response times to clients and their time to mortgage offer. Using Q-Mobile in the field has also more than halved the time taken to respond to post valuation queries from two days to under one day.”

Whilst highlighting the benefits, Ross Bowen emphasises that Connells’ investment in Q-Mobile and tablet PCs was part of implementing its next generation service delivery model. “Being able to access data from mobile devices in real time is a major change for our industry and it’s helping to evolve the working patterns of the profession.”

Rachel Brookes, Product Manager at Landmark Quest comments, “We are delighted to be able to support the integration of the former Principality Chartered Surveyors into Connells Survey & Valuation, by using our mobile data capture software to standardise reports and improve validation, efficiency and quality for all surveyors. We will continue to work with Connells to further develop Q-Mobile to incorporate datasets, such as the homebuyer report.”

More details: 

Panasonic Toughbooks 

Connells Survey & Valuation

New 'Flood Risk' mobile app helps the public stay 'flood aware'

Free mobile app launched from Know Your Flood Risk aims to help homeowners, property purchasers and professionals quickly identify potential risk

With the Met Office predicting wetter-than-average conditions for December and January, and many parts of the UK recovering from the arrival of the recent ‘weather bomb’ gales, the team at the Know Your Flood Risk campaign has announced the launch of a free-to-download Flood Risk mobile app to help individuals quickly assess whether they are at potential risk of flooding.

With the government pledging to publish more flood-related information to the wider public to improve the quality of public-focused services, the Flood Risk app, which is available to download from iTunes, provides an accurate view of current flood risk, using a range of data sources.

The app lets you input your postcode, where it will immediately assess the potential risk of flooding within a 25m zone of the given location.   The data is taken from Landmark Information Group’s ‘Know Your Flood Risk®’ report, which uses current data sources from National Flood Risk Assessment (NaFRA), the Environment Agency and surface water flooding data from JBA risk management.

Mary Dhonau, Chief Executive of the Know Your Flood Risk campaign said: “Having been flooded on several occasions, I can personally vouch that being flooded is an absolutely appalling experience! Flood risk is not an issue just for those that live by the sea or near a river, but can affect homes as a result of surface water flooding, which many people don’t expect or plan for.  I therefore urge everyone to take a look at the app so they can instantly see whether they may be considered at risk.  Forewarned is forearmed, therefore if you fully understand your risk, you can plan prepare and take moves to protect against it.”

As well as providing a mapped view of a location’s flood risk, the Flood Risk app also provides access to live UK Flood Warnings from the Environment Agency, in addition to access to a free ‘Homeowner’s Guide to Flood Resilience’. This Guide offers practical advice on how homeowners can prevent and protect their home from flooding. It is also possible for users to purchase a detailed Flood Risk Report via the app, should they require a more detailed analysis of their home’s flood risk.

According to the Environment Agency, approximately 5.2 million properties in England – which equates to on one in every six properties – is at risk of flooding. Of these, 2.4 million properties are at risk of flooding from rivers or the sea, while a further 2.8 million properties are considered vulnerable to surface water flooding.

The Know Your Flood Risk Campaign provides consumers and professionals with a range of resources to help them prepare for, or mitigate the risk of flooding.  For more information, visit www.knowyourfloodrisk.co.uk. 

To download the app, click on: https://itunes.apple.com/app/id941612469

Colleys introduces Landmark Quest’s Q-Mobile II:

Delivering digital valuation reporting efficiencies to its team of surveyors

Landmark Quest, a leading provider of risk management, mobile solutions and bespoke valuation software for lenders and surveyors, has announced that Colleys  who is one of the largest valuation and surveying firms of its kind in the UK, is the first to adopt its brand new Q-Mobile II platform.  The new edition of the valuation application for tablet PCs has been developed ‘by surveyors, for surveyors’, and enables surveyors to digitally capture valuation site notes at each property, providing a number of advantages.

All of Colleys' valuation surveyors have upgraded to Panasonic FZG1 Toughpad rugged devices.  Via the touchscreen tablet PCs, surveyors use Q-Mobile II to capture the complete site notes during a valuation inspection. Built-in intelligent validation checks reduce the possibility of errors or incomplete reports, plus the application helps surveyors make better use of their time on site by providing online access to supporting materials or data, or incorporate photos using the in-built camera.

Peter Stimson, Managing Director – Landmark Quest, Landmark Information Group: “Q-Mobile II is the next-generation tablet PC technology for the mortgage valuation industry. Working with the team at Colleys has enabled us to launch a solution that is 100% focused on what its team of surveyors want from a system. It creates significant efficiencies for them when at each property, and being based on the Windows 8 OS, it is future-proofed so new features – such as the ability to complete Homebuyers reports or other instructions – will also be able to be completed digitally, on the go. Watch this space for updates.”

Q-Mobile II includes a wide range of new features and enhancements, including full compatibility with Windows 8, an improved user interface to improve the speed of site note completion, compatibility with touch-screen or digital pen usage, plus the ability to access integrated camera and calculator functionality.    The site note functionality has also seen a number of improvements, including quicker data inputting features, plus intelligent validation for enhanced risk management.   

http://www.colleys.co.uk/