Founder and CEO of Rentec Direct, property management software for real estate professionals.
ChatGPT and AI solutions are gaining popularity and transforming business operations. According to a survey from ResumeBuilder, approximately half of companies are using ChatGPT. Of the 1,000 US business leaders surveyed, “66% use it for writing code, while 58% use it for copywriting/content creation, 57% for customer support, and 52% for creating summaries of meetings or documents.” And out of those companies, 93% say they plan to expand its use.
As a tech enthusiast and software engineer, I was determined to integrate ChatGPT into my property management software business effectively. Within just two weeks, a team of two in-house engineers and I developed an AI Listing Generator powered by OpenAI that creates rental listings within seconds in my property management technology platform. I found the challenge both enjoyable and achievable. If you are eager to follow suit, here are a few tips.
Familiarize yourself with OpenAI.
Familiarize yourself with OpenAI’s website and explore their documentation, guides and resources related to ChatGPT. OpenAI offers robust community support with forums and blogs, which I found very helpful before starting implementation. They provide an Application Programming Interface (API), which is powered by a variety of models, along with multiple Software Development Kits (SDKs) for seamless tech integration. APIs and SDKs come with pre-built components, libraries and sample code, which can save you valuable time during development.
After evaluating different options, we decided on OpenAI API’s GPT 3.5 model due to its ability to generate the most human-like (versus robotic) responses, which was ideal for writing property descriptions for our clients. This model is also used by the popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT and is familiar to users. Regardless of the AI solution you select, make sure to do thorough research on its capabilities, limitations and pricing.
Define use cases and objectives.
Identify whether ChatGPT technology will save you time and money. My clients, for example, used to spend an average of 10 to 30 minutes writing a rental listing. With our ChatGPT integration, they can now achieve the same task in a matter of seconds. From writing code to drafting tenant newsletters and responding to maintenance requests, ChatGPT enables businesses to streamline various tasks.
However, it is crucial to set clear boundaries when using ChatGPT. While it’s tempting to use it for a variety of work tasks, it should not be used for writing legal or financial documents. Lease agreements, tax forms and other important documents should always be drafted and reviewed by your legal and financial teams.
Determine how ChatGPT technology will be integrated into your tech stack.
You can integrate ChatGPT technology into your tech stack by building or modifying existing applications, websites or chat platforms. Integrating it directly into your software allows for a more seamless user experience for your clients, eliminating the need for them to navigate to the public ChatGPT site and copy and paste information. You also have greater control over the language model’s responses and the ability to fine-tune it to meet your specific needs or scale it to handle an increase in demand.
Keep in mind that while integrating ChatGPT technology, there may be some delay in responses, as it is not instant. The response time may vary depending on the amount of data provided. For example, during the development of our AI Listing Generator, we initially had to wait about 15 seconds for the output. However, we were able to optimize the user experience by displaying the output in real-time text as it arrives versus all at once.
Test and iterate.
It is always important to test any new technology you implement, and that includes ChatGPT too. Testing helps to identify any bugs or disruptions and ensures that the API functions as expected, before launching the feature to users. Testing also gives you the opportunity to understand any pain points before they become a real issue. Consider using a small group of users to gather feedback and make necessary improvements by offering an incentive to employees to demo the product or establish a beta testing period.
However, if you fast-track the process, you may not have time for robust testing. In that case, have at least a few individuals, especially those who aren’t familiar with your software, walk through the interface.
Integrating new technology like ChatGPT may seem daunting, but with a small team of engineers and a test-and-learn mindset, it can be accomplished successfully. Follow these tips, and you’ll be able to incorporate ChatGPT technology into your software in no time.
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