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Blackline Responds to Real Estate Agents, Property Management and Inspection Services Demands for Safety
Calgary, AB – December 21, 2010. Blackline GPS Corp. is pleased to announce that it will be exhibiting Loner Mobile and Loner GPS at the Calgary Real Estate Board ("CREB") trade show. CREB reports that the show is attended by over 2,000 Real Estate Agents along with a number of Property Management Companies, Home Inspection Services and other Real Estate organizations, (Alberta Real Estate Association and Canadian Real Estate Association).
Appraisers, Agents, and Property Managers all commonly work under a category that is referred to under the labor code as Lone Worker. Loner GPS and Loner Mobile, both manufactured by Blackline, addresses this market segment which in part represents over 1.2 million members in North America, according to the National Association of Realtors. "We want to provide our support to the estimated 100,000 realtors in Canada as well as the larger and well organized industry as a whole. In this respect, Loner reflects the best technology available when it comes to safety and mitigating risk", said Blackline President & CEO, Clark Swanson. In a recent press release The National Association of Realtors stated real estate professionals across the country have been assaulted, robbed, and even killed in the course of doing their jobs. Mr. Swanson addressed those concerns saying, "We view this market with these dangers in mind and strive to answer the calls for improved safety practices and legislative compliance within the industry while also providing peace of mind".
Realtors face more on-the-job risks than many other business professionals. Century 21 Realtor Roberta Weiss was recently interviewed by the Winnipeg Free Press in an editorial highlighting the need for Loner in this sizable market. "Female realtors especially have been in situations that were a little scary and unnerving. I think the more we can do to protect ourselves, the easier it is to carry on our business," she said. "You have people coming, but you don't know them. You're opening the doors for them to come through. I think anything is possible at any time," she continued, asserting that she also likes the idea of the Loner GPS particularly when working at open houses.
The article describes Loner as being about the same size as a cell phone, equipped with a global positioning system and a panic button. In case of danger, holding down the panic button for three seconds will send an immediate message to the employer's emergency responder (it's all done on the same cellular network that transmits phone calls and texts), who will notify police or paramedics. (Kirbyson, G. "Lone Worker device latest in electronic protection", Winnipeg Free Press, November 15, 2010). Rogers Communications General Manager for the Midwest Region Laura Kwiatkowski was quoted saying, "It all happens in a matter of seconds. It's a machine-to-machine solution, the sole purpose is to make you safer".
Blackline Contact:
Clark Swanson, President & CEO
403 451-0327
