ADVANCED ACCESS July 2004 Newsletter

July 2004 Newsletter

”It’s hard to take yourself too seriously when you look at the world
from outer space.” - Thomas K. Mattingly II, Apollo 16 Astronaut

AA Upgrades Our Network to Serve YOU Better

Part of our philosophy here at ADVANCED ACCESS is to ensure our websites are stored on the most state-of-the-art equipment available on the market today. As we have grown through the years from just a few clients to the 22,000 clients we serve today, so has our server room. When ADVANCED ACCESS first started hosting websites in 1998 out of our home office, we ordered the first T-1 line in the neighborhood. In order to bring the high speed network line to the home office, the telephone company had to dig trenches several miles up the hill. (Fortunately the neighbors were understanding folks!) That was just the beginning of the ADVANCED ACCESS server network.

Today at ADVANCED ACCESS we have hundreds of servers in racks in a special room. Our server room is kept at a constant 67 degrees Fahrenheit (on its own separate air conditioning system,) and is designed with dual security entrances and firewalls. Access is controlled by a biometric thumbprint ID system. ADVANCED ACCESS personnel are "on call" 24 hours per day, 7 days per week on a paging system in case of any system interruption, and we have offsite backup facilities.

Scott Johnson and David Eagle

In order to provide the most efficient service to our customers, ADVANCED ACCESS is executing a complete change of the architecture of our server room. We doubled the square footage of the room and have purchased a new (and massive!) Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) to ensure there is no break in power during the hot summer months ahead. Our fully redundant UPS system has a planned Standby Emergency Backup Generator.

With over 15 million emails delivered a day through our server network, our goal is to keep our usage down to 35-40% of capacity on a day-to-day basis. Even at peak usage, our system was designed to be utilized at a maximum of only 60% of total capacity.

Currently we have over 115 servers on-line in our Internet Data Center – more than double the number of servers we reported last year. These servers perform many vital functions including hosting of the Classic 3.0 websites as well as many that perform back end processes, store customer data, and handle our internal accounting and customer service departments.

At ADVANCED ACCESS, our commitment is to provide the highest quality equipment and service to ensure your website is always online and available to your clients and prospects

Why is this important to you? Reliability and performance are essential to you in order to maintain your website on today's Internet. We believe we offer the best services available for the money you spend.

Whenever possible, we complete our upgrades in the early hours of the morning in order to minimize your inconvenience.

Scott Johnson is in charge of the team that is renovating the server room. Scott has been working with ADVANCED ACCESS since the very beginning – in fact, he was a consultant on the installation of our first T1 line in 1998. Since that time Scott has managed the growth of our server network and provided technical advice and leadership. Scott and his team help ADVANCED ACCESS improve the effectiveness and efficiency of our network and participate in future systems planning by making hardware and/or software recommendations.

None of this phenomenal growth would have been possible without the support of YOU, our valued clients, and we would like to thank you sincerely for your business. For complete information about our Internet Data center, click here.

ADVANCED ACCESS At Real Estate Connect 2004

Representatives from ADVANCED ACCESS will be attending Inman News’ Real Estate Connect 2004 in San Francisco, California from July 28th-30. Jane Ellsworth, Senior Vice President of Sales for ADVANCED ACCESS will be participating in a discussion forum on Wednesday, July 28th from 11:30 am. until 12:30 pm. The discussion forum topic - Innovations in Web Site Development, will include a panel of representatives from various real estate related technology firms.

If you’re going to be in San Francisco at the Inman Conference, why not stop by and "Learn what's hot in agent, brokerage and association Web sites, and how to get the most value for your money from those who have invested in new Web site innovations."

Larry Lokker, National Speaker for ADVANCED ACCESS, will be appearing in Booth 504 in the Exhibit Hall located in the Innovator Marketplace in the Ralston Room of the Palace Hotel. We invite you to come over and meet Larry. If you bring a friend or colleague who purchases any of our web products or services, we would be happy to add a FREE MONTH of hosting to your contract.

Celebrating our 200th Marketing Tip

Our ongoing commitment here at Advanced Access is to provide you with the tools you need to make the most of your Internet presence. To ensure you are informed of the latest trends in Internet marketing for the real estate industry, we send you a valuable marketing tip EVERY WEEK. Our goal is to give you innovative new ideas to maximize your Internet presence, and to guarantee the highest exposure possible on your website.

We're pleased to announce that recently we sent out our 200th Marketing Tip. It has been our pleasure to serve you for the past four years, and we hope you find our Marketing Tips helpful in your business. We recognize that our clients who read and apply these tips to their Internet Marketing program have the highest rate of success on the Internet.

Over the years, much has changed in the Internet world, and we've tried to report the trends along the way to keep you informed. In our 200^th Edition, we included a review of the “tried and true marketing tips” – those that are classic messages and stand the test of time. Click here to read a review of the HIGHLIGHTS of the past 200 Marketing Tips!

Looking For YOUR Customer Support Feedback

Our primary goal at Advanced Access is to build long-term relationships where we serve your Internet needs with skill and efficiency. We TRULY CARE about your satisfaction and success with our products and service. Knowing that you have many choices for your web design and hosting, we're happy you've chosen us.

So, what do we do to ensure we continue to provide the service you expect and deserve?

Recently we introduced a NEW online Customer Support Survey so we can get your feedback about your experience with our support staff. The survey is related to a previous interaction with our Customer Support Staff and asks that you let us know who you were in contact with. We understand your time is valuable, so the survey only includes a few questions – just a quick “Scale of 1 to 5” rating of your experience. A comments field is also provided for additional explanation. Your responses are important to us, and we read EVERY survey that has been submitted. We use your ideas to improve our overall web products and services; in fact, many of our best program and policy upgrades and improvements have been a result of YOUR suggestions.

We invite you to take a few moments to fill out the survey if you have recently called or emailed one of our Customer Support Representatives. Your response will help us serve you more efficiently.

Here is a survey from one of our clients, Lelia St. Pierre, after her recent email correspondence with our representative, Scott Jarvis:

Reason You Contacted Us: Domain Name(s)
Response Time, Speed, Efficiency: 5 - Excellent
Understanding, Comprehension, Knowledgeable: 5 - Excellent
Thoroughness, Follow-Through: 5 - Excellent
Friendliness, Attitude, Demeanor, Presence: 5 - Excellent
Overall, how would you rate your experience?: 5 - Excellent
Comments: Actually, I am very pleased with the service at ADVANCED ACCESS and I always receive quick responses to my emails. I have had nothing but courteous and friendly representatives on the phone when I call the Support Line. Your products and services are outstanding and I recommend them to anyone wanting to get a website. AWESOME!!!! Thanks for a great product and great people who run it for you!!

When you fill out the survey you have an opportunity to earn a FREE month of website hosting by welcoming a professional ADVANCED ACCESS representative in your office for a 30 minute technology seminar. The Internet has changed the dynamics of Real Estate. Let us help the agents in your office assimilate and maintain their leadership in the industry.

Next time you call ADVANCED ACCESS for Customer Support, don’t be surprised if your representative mentions the Customer Support Survey! This month we’re sponsoring a contest for our employees with a cash prize for the highest number of surveys received for service by any individual customer service representative. In addition, various incentive programs will be offered to our employees based on the feedback received on their forms.

We are confident that your feedback on Our NEW Customer Support Survey will help ADVANCED ACCESS serve you better. Thank you for your continued business and support.

ADVANCED ACCESS Summer Splash Appreciation Update

As we reported last month, ADVANCED ACCESS is taking the opportunity to offer a special summer promotion for members of Associations in Florida, North Carolina, Illinois and Kansas, for both NEW and CURRENT clients who are members of the ADVANCED ACCESS family. If you purchase a new Website and you are an active member of these Associations, you will receive a FREE specially-designed mouse pad to display at your work station.

To all of our valued current clients, our Summertime Splash Appreciation Special gives you a FREE MONTH OF WEBSITE HOSTING with our referral program. You may already have referred us, so why not start earning credit for it today! Call TOLL FREE 1-800-335-1563 or send an email to info@advancedaccess.com for additional details about our referral program.

As part of our Affinity Partners Program, ADVANCED ACCESS has forged meaningful relationships with State and Local Associations, vendors, and various Real Estate-related companies that provide products, programs and services that complement your ADVANCED ACCESS Website. As a seasoned provider of Real Estate Websites and Internet marketing solutions, we offer a full staff of “live” customer service representatives ready to help you with your questions about your Website and Intellicards program. Simply call us TOLL FREE at 1-866-518-1571 or send us an email to support@advancedaccess.com. We’re here to help!

ADVANCED ACCESS Employee Enjoys Memorable Summer

The summer months have always been a unique time of the year for a variety of reasons – travel, family holidays, vacation, relaxing with your family -- but for ADVANCED ACCESS Inside Sales Manager, Mike Weeks, this summer will be one of the most memorable that he will ever experience in his young life!

Mike is holding his head a bit higher these days – due to the fact that his older brother (one of five brothers total) Spc. Mark, 26, is a member of the U.S. Olympic Team that will be participating in this year’s Summer Olympic Games to be held in Athens, Greece. Mark, a shooter instructor with Fort Benning’s U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, recently successfully participated in the World Cup Championships that were held in Brazil, as part of the U.S. Shooting Team’s schedule this past May.

Mark was also recently singled out as a “hero,” while preparing to depart for the World Cup Championships at Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. The former firefighter was suddenly pressed into action when a traveler in a line at the airport behind him collapsed to the ground, with the apparent symptoms of a heart attack.

A firefighter for two years before he joined the Army, Mark is EMT-qualified and quickly realized that more than CPR was going to be needed. He kept his cool, and amidst some panic and confusion quickly located a defibrillator (AED) that are now commonly located at major airports throughout the country. Because of the size of Dulles International Airport, and the proximity of where the man collapsed, Spc. Weeks had to sprint almost 16 gates to the closet AED, and then make the return trip to the stricken man, to administer first aid.

The stricken man survived, with the help of Spc. Weeks, a nursing student and another female traveler who continued to apply CPR until Weeks returned, and were pleased to learn that he had survived, and was being transported to a nearby hospital as they all boarded their planes. And the icing on the cake – Spc. Weeks and his U.S. teammates went on to capture the Team Silver Medal in Brazil.

Little brother Mike has also been recently recognized for his efforts in one of the newest and fastest growing Sales Divisions within ADVANCED ACCESS. His staff, under his guidance, has recently set some new sales marks, and has also been recognized for a job “well-done.”

Finally, as if all this was not enough, Mike and his “high-school sweetheart,” Angie Cummings, are set to be married in front of friends and family at the end of this month on Saturday, July 31^st, in Michigan.

They have been together over 7-years, and on the day he proposed, Mike took Angie to a beautiful beach in Laguna, California - one of Angie's favorite places.

All of the family here at ADVANCED ACCESS wish Mike, Angie and his older brother Spc. Mark Weeks congratulations and best wishes over the next few weeks!

ADVANCED ACCESS Annual Employees Summer Picnic

The Annual ADVANCED ACCESS Employee’s Summer Picnic was held on Saturday, July 17^th, at nearby Sycamore Park, only a few blocks from the ADVANCED ACCESS headquarters. The event was well attended by employees and their families, and took advantage of “unseasonable high temperatures” in the mid-90’s, under clear, sunny skies for much of the entire day.

The event included a picnic and BBQ lunch at the City of Anaheim Park, and is annually held as an informal get-together to welcome the summer season, socialize with family and friends from the office, and also to celebrate the end of our latest fiscal year – which was recorded as the BEST in the history of ADVANCED ACCESS.

The event was catered by local catering company Country Garden Caterers of Santa Ana, and included a bevy of the usual summer picnic cuisine including BBQ burgers, hot dogs, chicken, and salads. The staff also played games such as basketball and softball, won prizes, and engaged in the annual traditional "friendly" water balloon fight with colleagues, families and friends. Weapons of choice for the annual battle included balloons, squirt-guns and buckets of water taken from nearby coolers that were used to keep the soft drinks cold.

Children who attended the event were treated to a large “jungle-gym” set-up that was located at the park, and also the special appearance of “Looie” the clown, who provided free “face-painting” and balloon animals for the youngsters. Some of the families and attendees also brought their pets to the event, which added to the family-type atmosphere.

It was great to see our hard working staff, along with their families and friends, spend some time together away from the office, enjoying the opportunity to meet and relate to each other in a relaxed atmosphere. Throughout the year, the employees of ADVANCED ACCESS work hard to provide the very best in products, programs and services, and often put in long hours in order to properly service our growing list of customers and clients around the country. Our commitment and goal is to provide the BEST in the real estate industry, and our energetic and passionate staff deserves a day away from the office to enjoy those working relationships that they depend on to achieve these goals and objectives.

It seems just yesterday we had only a few employees and customers. But from that humble beginning, we have grown to a family of 140 employees servicing over 24,000 customers nationwide. All of us at ADVANCED ACCESS would like to “thank-you” sincerely for your loyalty, business, and trust over the years. We will continue to strive to be worthy of your trust, and continue to provide you service as our motto states…”The KEY To Your Success, Is Our SERVICE!”

During the picnic, President Justin Davis also handed out some awards that were voted on by all colleagues of ADVANCED ACCESS. Congratulations to all the winners for a job well-done:

Best Overall Employee

Lisa King, Office Coordinator & Front Desk Receptionist

Best Administration / Accounting Representative

Aaron Greeno

Best Software Engineering / Design Representative

Tyler Nguyen

Best Inside / Outside Sales Representative

Sara Hernandez

Best Direct Sales Representative

Michelle Ramirez

Best Customer Support Representative

Andrea Nagey

Most Entertaining Employee

Gary R. Brackle, VP Affinity Marketing & Communications

Featured AA Employee of the Month – Larry Lokker

Larry Lokker is currently the Western Regional Sales Manager for ADVANCED ACCESS, but as anyone in the Real Estate industry can tell you, his reputation and expertise spreads across the country in almost every region where REALTORS^® or brokers are located.

Lokker has been a marketing consultant to the real estate industry for over 20-years, and also provides California Department of Real Estate (DRE)-approved seminars on Internet Marketing that he can tailor for presentations to other agents anywhere in the country today.

Larry got his start in the Real Estate industry in the mid-80’s, as a real estate agent with Century 21 in Anaheim, California. He worked in that capacity from 1984 to 1988; until he began the actual instructional phase of his career helping agents understand Assessor’s Records and Plot Maps on then converted microfiche, which he had actually been involved with since 1980. In 1987, Larry was instrumental in converting the process from microfiche to CD Rom and On-line services.

In 1990, Larry joined John and Jerra Morris in the J. Williams, Inc. Company, helping to develop the then successful real estate software programs Sellmore, Easyflyer and Showpro.

In 1996, Larry saw the tremendous impact the Internet was going to make on real estate and joined HomeSeekers.com and was a National Speaker, teaching and instructing agents the importance and value of having a personal Website.

In November of 2001, knowing the quality and professionalism that ADVANCED ACCESS was beginning to provide to each and every site, Larry again “teamed-up” John and Jerra as a member of the ADVANCED ACCESS family. Providing the best products, programs and services for his clients has always been important to Lokker, and so rejoining ADVANCED ACCESS was vital to his overall presentation and national exposure.

Larry is now a nationally noted speaker, who is always in demand for one of his 20-30 minute office meetings that explain to agents what it takes to have a successful Website and how to have a unique and successful Internet Marketing Plan designed for easy use by the consumer.

Larry was born in Baldwin, Wisconsin, and at the age of 18-years-old joined the Marine Corp and was subsequently stationed at the El Toro Marine Base here in California for four years. Upon the completion of his military career, Larry enrolled in Bible College for a year, and soon afterwards answered a 2-line ad to become a sales representative for RE Microfiche. He also worked for the California Real Estate Register, TRW and Dataquick, as an Account Executive for assessor’s data on microfiche, CD’s and on-line access.

Larry has lived in Orange County since 1976 and is married to his lovely wife, Guylaine, of 21-years. They have 4 children, ages 19, 17, 16 and 13-years of age, which they have home-schooled for the last 8-years. Larry’s family is his prime motivating factor, and recent trips have included a mission trip to Costa Rica and a family vacation to Hawaii. An active member of Bethel Baptist Church, Larry also teaches Junior Church for the youth grades 3-6. His hobbies include fishing and mostly all water sports.

Lokker, who is nationally-recognized for his informative and well-organized presentations, states that “…I consider it a privilege to be able to represent ADVANCED ACCESS, the finest Websites for real estate agents and offices anywhere in the entire world.”

June 2004 | Back to Main Page | August 2004