RMLS

Be wary of do-it-yourself projects
Regional Multiple Listing Service (RMLS)

It started out as a simple do-it-yourself project. Before long, it went from simple… to complex… to “Call ACME.” It all began when the Regional Multiple Listing Service (RMLS) for Portland and the surrounding area realized that the way they worked in the past wasn’t scaling well in the present. Changes and process improvements were needed – with no repair manual to refer to.

Several years back, RMLS made a decision to bring development in-house for their RMLSweb.com website. It was a major strategic move, given that their primary service offering is managing online listing information for their REALTOR® members. As business grew, the expanded web functionality and features that RMLS rolled out to members became increasingly difficult to provide. Roles and duties were unclear, and deliverables were not being tracked. It became obvious that an internal business process redesign was needed.

RMLS realized this was no longer a simple do-it-yourself project. Knowing ACME had the expertise and tools to help, they called on us. We were tasked with developing a more efficient Wweb development process that better served the needs of RMLS members and staff. The goals were:

  • Increase efficiency and functionality
  • Improve communication and collaboration
  • Define roles and responsibilities clearly
  • Measure and monitor performance accurately
  • Clear the backlog of tasks

Over a period of several months, ACME collaborated with RMLS to redesign their Wweb development process. Roles, responsibilities and deliverables were defined, which helped build accountability and cohesion and smooth the flow of work through the organization. Several projects were piloted, providing opportunities to measure the impact and fine-tune the new process. We also advised RMLS to hire a permanent project manager, which they did.

What happened? All goals were achieved, and RMLS Wweb development and functionality were greatly enhanced. Productivity improved, as well. During the pilot phase, projects were completed three times faster than before. Completion rates of general tasks, including secondary initiatives and system updates, increased by more than 50%.

Today, RMLS is operating better than ever. Members and staff are pleased with the improvements. The moral of the story? When solving business problems – or searching for a new home – get professional help instead of doing it yourself. It can save you time, money and frustration.

 
ACME HEADLINES