Tumbleweed in your office?
So Christmas has been and gone, and no doubt thousands of people will be clutching new smartphones or tablets.
Receiving an iPad or Samsung Galaxy might have made for a very, merry Christmas in 2012, but is this wave of technology going to be killing your branch in 2013?
Research continues to show that an ever-decreasing number of house hunters now look for their new home on the high street, while most head straight for the internet.
Like the ‘For Sale’ board, there’s been a lot of speculation about the future of actual estate agency branches and the word ‘death’ is being bandied about.
But before we write off your little spot on the high street, it’s worth actually thinking about why agents even have a physical presence.
Internet-only estate agents have failed to take off. Why? We believe it’s a trust issue. Having something and someone tangible to consult with, in person in your local area, is still important to the public.
There’s also the brand factor – being a visible presence that shouts ‘we’re very much in business’.
A good agency office can turn a ‘sitting on the fence’ seller into a concrete vendor, plant the moving seed in even the most settled resident and bring to light the perfect home to the frustrated buyer. Appealing window displays, plus comfortable, well-lit offices and eye-catching signage is like having your team outside your office 24 hours a day shouting “Look at us – we can sell your home”.
We hear that face-to-face selling is still the best method of converting business. Is that true? Could you operate solely on business that comes via the internet? Can everything be done remotely or offsite?
And how do you encourage people to step foot into your office? Estate agency trainer Richard Rawlings speaks about ‘legs duty’. Simply, if you see a pair of legs at your branch window for longer than a few seconds, do you just watch from your desk or actually go out and start a conversation with them. Have estate agents lost the art of face-to-face selling touch? Are they lazily relying on Rightmove to deliver the leads?
If you want to tear people away from their shiny new Kindle Fires and, dare we say it, step back a little from their Rightmove alerts, take a long, hard look at how you operate and engage with the public.
It might seem like cold-calling, but is it time to emerge from behind your desk and actually meet Mr and Mrs Smith walking past your office?
Do you need to convert your branch from a sterile office into a lounge-like space where people actually want to sit and chat? Even offer them a sofa to sit on and a cup of tea?
Harry Simons is a partner at MPL Interiors – an office refurbishment company specialising in estate agency and commercial premises
.png)
Comments
I agree with everything that has been said here. We are not an agency but are an online and free property advertising portal.
Our aim is to expose the portfolios of agencies on an international scale to as many potential customers as possible.
But in the end buyers do tend to search in specific areas and I believe still (although this could change) use the online portals to view properties and then contact the local agent.
I feel that the present generation who posses the greatest buying power are still a bit wary of dealing completely online and use the Internet to ultimately lead to a face to face meeting
However today's 12 - 18 year olds who are the buyers of the future and who have grown up so far in a computerized world of tech won't be so cautious.
An insightful piece, but looking at the other side of the coin, as a new video production specialising in property we base ourselves online but I feel this can work as a compliment to the advertising material, helping the high street agent and eliminates the 'timewaster'.
The high quality informative video is becoming the 'natural filter' that values the time and energy of the agent. Myself and my business partner combine video production with property knowledge so we encourage users to see a property before setting up the all important face-to-face interaction with agents.
Sorry, but although some internet agents do little, some do have excellent businesses.
The best online agencies are often the more web savvy agents as they have to be.
On the flip side, traditional office agents have a central 24-7 flag flying being their name board. Its a constant reminder that XYZ Estates are there as and when needed.
The trouble is that people often don't move for years, thus online agents don't have the ''in your face'' 24-7 presence that traditionalist agents have.
But every x years when people d look to buy and sell, they web browse. When wanting local business its then that best web presence gets local agents seen in virtual web world.
The science is a combination of optimized office location in a prominent community along with well structured online space is the best places agents can be. NOT one or the other or unbalanced.
Excellent piece....As a internet based company we have found that the "trust" issue of a high street branch is still a huge pull for potential house sellers