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IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK PAGE 56
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Issue 34 WINTER 2020
eliteagent.com
SAMANTHA MCLEAN Managing Editor samantha@eliteagent.com
MARK EDWARDS Publisher mark@eliteagent.com
KYLIE DULHUNTY Deputy Editor editor@eliteagent.com
RENEE REID Marketing/Executive Assistant renee@eliteagent.com
EDITORIAL TEAM Cassandra Charlesworth Kylie Dulhunty Kylie Stevenson
MARC NORRIS Designer, Art Director
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BUSINESS MAGAZINE COVER OF THE YEAR FINALIST 2018 MAGAZINE LAUNCH ISSUE OF THE YEAR FINALIST 2019
BASS Publications Pty Ltd
(a subsidiary of A Bit of This Publishing Pty Ltd) ACN 169 805 921 Postal Address: Suite 904, 121 Walker Street North Sydney NSW 2060 Telephone +61 2 8854 6123 Registered by Australia Post/Print Post 100020180 EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS The publisher welcomes editorial submissions from individuals and organisations within the real estate profession. The publisher reserves the right to edit, modify, reject or contribute to the content of the material provided. EDITORIAL DISCLAIMER: Some opinions expressed in Elite Agent are not necessarily those of its staff or contributors. Those opinions are reproduced with no guarantee of accuracy although Elite Agent endeavours to ensure those opinions and comments are factual. Our subscriber list may sometimes be made available to relevant brands who might be of interest to our readers and from time to time we may be in touch to inform you of new Elite Agent products and services. Please visit eliteagent.com/privacy for details on how we collect and use your personal information. Please email subscriptions@eliteagent.com if you would rather not receive these communications. © Elite Agent 2020. All rights reserved.
2 ELITE AGENT • WINTER 2020
ON THE COVER 030 CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION Suzannah Toop, Toop&Toop
ELITE AGENT 004 EDITOR’S LETTER Samantha McLean 006 READER PROFILE Joanne O’Reilly 008 EVENT REVIEW Street MBA New Zealand 010 THE WATER COOLER Catch up on what you might have missed
30
080 URBAN OBSESSIONS Isolation must-haves
FIRST PERSON 012 WHO ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS? Mark McLeod 014 SERVICE, PLEASE! Caroline Bolderston
SALES, MARKETING AND BEST PRACTICE
016 THE SILVER LINING Fiona Blayney 018 THE BEST THEY CAN BE Michael Love
046 MAKE A BROKER YOUR BESTIE Kirsty Dunphey
020 FINDING YOURSELF Lisa B
048 NEW BANKS ON THE BLOCK Kylie Dulhunty
022 CREATE A HEALTHY BODY AND MIND Nigel O’Neill
052 WHY WE CAN’T SEE THE BLINDING OBVIOUS Pancho Mehrotra 054 SOCIAL MEDIA AS A SERVICE Iolanthe Gabrie 056 IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK Kylie Dulhunty
REGULARS
058 ASK THE COACH Claudio Encina
024 HANNAH GILL Five ways to boost client experience
COVID-19 SPECIAL 035 A STRONGER INDUSTRY EMBRACING CHANGE Kylie Walsh 036 SETTING UP FOR THE COMEBACK The Eview Group 037 THE VALUE OF UNEXPECTED KINDNESS Jon Snead 038 PICKING UP THE TOOLS TO MAKE THE BEST OF IT Daniel Lee 038 NEVER MORE RELEVANT THAN NOW Gower Buchanan 040 ROLLING UP THEIR SLEEVES Direct Connect on keeping people moving 042 EMPHASIS ON COMMUNICATION What REA Group's CEO is doing differently 043 NINE THINGS I’D DO AS A PROPERTY MANAGER DURING COVID-19 Brock Fisher 044 ROUTINE AND DISCIPLINE WORKS WHEN NOT AT WORK Geoff Lucas
CONTENTS
028 JOHN KNIGHT Staying on track
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT 060 DAILY GRIND OR CREATIVE MIND? Hayley Baxter 062 THREE GROUPS OF PEOPLE TO HELP GROW YOUR RENT ROLL Ellen Bathgate 064 SERVICE WITH A PLAN Tara Bradbury
WINTER 2020
026 EDDIE CETIN Avoiding data disaster
065 TURN TODAY’S PROBLEMS INTO TOMORROW’S ROADMAP Josh Symons 066 TENANTS NEED INSURANCE TOO Sharon Fox-Slater 068 ASK THE COACH Heidi Walkinshaw, Kate Benjamin and Joshua Thomas
LEADERSHIP
070 PAVING HER OWN WAY Leanne Pilkington 072 MANAGEMENT MESS OR LEADERSHIP SUCCESS? Stepfanie Regan 074 UNLOCKING POTENTIAL Shane Kempton 076 BRIDGING THE GAP Jet Xavier 078 THE LEADERSHIP WORKOUT Andrew May
eliteagent.com 3
EDITOR’S LETTER
E
Every editor hates being late. For most of my life, whether I've been in bid management or sales or consulting, I'm proud to say I've never missed a hard deadline. We were a couple of weeks out from hitting the print button on this magazine when the COVID-19 crisis hit. While we were all wondering whether we were going into lockdown, and if everyone else was going into lockdown (including the team at our printer), we made a big decision – like many folks - to pivot. More than anything, we realised that our readers, listeners and sponsors needed our help more than we needed to press print on a magazine. You guys have had life as you know it turned on its head. What we're facing right now is hard to deal with because of how unique it is. Nobody has a playbook on how to manage with this. The enemy we need to defeat has no face or agenda. We're looking for light at the end of the tunnel - that includes some clarity and certainty. Meanwhile, to reassure ourselves, we are starting to
The enemy we need to defeat has no face or agenda. talk about 'new news' and 'new normals'. The situation is changing so quickly that we could go to print and by the time you read this, you could be thinking phew, thank goodness it's not that bad anymore. But, even though the numbers are looking better, the landscape we find ourselves in is going to disrupt our lives for a while yet. How long that while will be, we just don't know.
4 ELITE AGENT • WINTER 2020
As part of my job, I used to love to predict 'the future of real estate'. But I am just not willing to predict where this is going – other than perhaps lots of people wanting to move at the end of it all. As some of you know, Mark and I had planned to move to the Gold Coast last month that has also been delayed. Even though much of this is out of our control, some of it definitely is within our control. But what do you do? There is a line that's popped into my head a lot lately from the film The Shawshank Redemption. For those of you unfamiliar, it was released in 1994 and tells the story of banker Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), who is
sentenced to life in Shawshank State Penitentiary for the murders of his wife and her lover, despite his claims of innocence. During the film, he befriends a fellow prisoner, Ellis "Red" Redding (Morgan Freeman), a contraband smuggler serving a life sentence. As the movie progresses, a few things are revealed - that Andy is innocent of his alleged crimes - even though nobody would listen to him. There is a scene right before Andy makes his daring escape from the prison he has been wrongly held in for 19 years. He's sitting next to Red explaining his dream to live by the sea. Red discourages Andy from dreaming as it's false hope.
And that's when Andy says: "I guess it comes down to a simple choice really. Get busy living or get busy dying." This has really resonated with me over the past couple of weeks. I'm reading everyone else's emails (they also seem to have tripled right now) and watching other people's content. Some of the philosophies I agree with, some I don't. You see the best and the worst in people. You see the knee-jerks reacting emotionally to every single thing that's reported. And then there are just the jerks. That's the bit of the industry I'm not fond of - the bit that turns every crisis into a selfpromotion opportunity. So now a confession. Over the past month in particular, I've noticed I've been a bit more emotional than normal. Angry even. I haven't been able to put my finger on why I'm angry, I can only imagine I'm going through one of the stages of grief over 'losing normal' I read about in an article from HBR*. Maybe you can relate. The only respite I've found from these feelings has been when I've been working on Transform, Extra, or recording podcasts and webinars that are designed to help everyone as much as we possibly can. In short... The only time I haven't been angry or emotional is when I'm
communicating with others and working on improving the situation that I see all around us. We're not in Kansas anymore. When you're feeling down and out and don't know how to fix it, the easiest place to start is to do something to help someone else. If you can't do that, pay someone a compliment. It is truly amazing how fast you find your way from that posture of helping or taking that focus off yourself and putting it somewhere else. I've found that if I hit pause on trying to help people (you guys in particular), my headspace gets worse. So I've started to accept this: Life as we know it is still going to be off-kilter for a while.
Things are going to get scary at times, and things are going to stuff up too. There will probably be times where we will all get angry at the people around us and the 'unfairness' of what we're experiencing. Right now, I look around and see some of my friends struggling through uncertainty with their jobs, uncertainty with their investments, and uncertainty with their futures. I even feel uncertainty in my future. Still, I'm very aware of the continual choice in front of me. "Get busy living or get busy dying." Here are some thoughts for all of us during this period: • We should not stop working on our businesses - now is
It doesn't matter what obstacle, or virus, life throws at us, I know this industry and everyone in it belongs in the "busy living" category.
the time to innovate. • We should not let go of our dreams - the reason we got here in the first place hasn't changed. • We should not let this or any other setback stop us from moving forward - even if that changes what things used to look like. • We should not lose sight of that spark inside us that got us into real estate - that spark that made us want to help people. • Don't let a good or bad news bulletin dictate your emotions - what will be, will still be. • If you are feeling a bit 'off' because of this, don't let it live inside you for too long. • Keep investing in yourself every day. • Take a break, and catch your breath, and then get back on the 'horse'. It doesn't matter what obstacle, or virus, life throws at us, I know this industry and everyone in it belongs in the "busy living" category. Like Andy, who dug his way out of prison via a tunnel and a sewage pipe, we fight. So - let's keep kicking ass and do our best to help the world, one day at a time. Things will get better.
SAMANTHA MCLEAN MANAGING EDITOR samantha@eliteagent.com
* elite.ag/hbr-article
eliteagent.com 5
reader profile
RISING UP
Joanne O’Reilly first learnt the meaning of true customer service when she was a teenager working at her parents’ hardware store. Now the Warwick Lifestyle Property agent channels that same passion into ensuring everyone she deals with is treated with the utmost care. What was your first job? My parents owned and operated a local hardware store, which was also a Commonwealth Bank and Australia Post agency. I worked for them in customer service and as cleaner after school and on Saturday mornings from the age of 13. What is the best thing about your job? The most satisfying part of real estate is if you work really hard, you are well rewarded. No two days are ever the same. What type of business do you focus on? It sounds cliché, but we are committed to customer service. We want to be known as the agents who provide
The building and pest inspector, plasterer or sign installer are all potential customers, so they are treated the same as a buyer. 6 ELITE AGENT • WINTER 2020
the best service in our region. We ensure we respond to all enquiries in less than 10 minutes. Our phones, emails, messages and calendars are shared, and it does not matter who responds, as long as one of us do. We ensure buyers, vendors and suppliers are updated every step of the way. The building and pest inspector, plasterer or sign installer are all potential customers, so they are treated the same as a buyer. What’s the most important part of your day? Production meetings. My partner and I have structured meetings most days that address every transaction, property, buyer, seller, lead and any business issues. Ideally, we have one of these meetings in the morning, then again about 3pm. They provide structure, motivation and accountability. What key areas you’re focusing on in 2020? Procedures. We are both new to the industry and I think that is our superpower. Real estate can lack structure if you don’t have procedures to keep you focused. Real estate is unique in that you create your day. The majority of my working life
was in construction – it was easy to know what needed to be done each day. We have procedures from listing a property to taking out the rubbish. This keeps our minds clear to ensure we are attentive to customers and productive.
sales and property management operating from the same office makes perfect sense – but they are two very different professions. I can see benefits in treating them separately, particularly in the initial training and licensing process.
Where would you like to be this time next year? We want our customers and the community to continue to respect and appreciate our agency. We have our eyes on a property we would like to buy and renovate to become our office in 2021. We are building a local online real estate portal that will be available to all local agents. It would be very satisfying if this resource was benefiting local agents and vendors in early 2021.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given? Ruma Mundi told me there is a buyer for every property. This helped me remove any emotion I may have for a property and treat the rundown investment property with the same enthusiasm as the best house in the best estate.
If you could change one thing in the industry, what would it be? A separate license for property management and sales. Having
If you could start in real estate again tomorrow, what would you change? There is nothing I would change. Although we made lots of small mistakes, we have no regrets (yet). We focused on brand, relationships, procedures and hard work. There are no shortcuts. n
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events
SEEN & HEARD
On the sporting field we're fierce rivals, but when it comes to real estate, Aussies and Kiwis are united. Our Street MBA tour visited the land of the long white cloud and discovered our New Zealand counterparts are embracing a collaborative approach to improving industry standards. More online at elite.ag/streetmba-nz.
new zealand
Right now, we've been told to stay at home, but we will be back on the streets as soon as we can. See streetmba.com.au for more information.
8 ELITE AGENT • WINTER 2020
Digital Inspections Take buyers and renters on a digital tour of your listing
In light of new government restrictions on group open for inspections, we have launched a new free Digital Inspections feature, so you can showcase your listings to those who are unable to inspect in person. This helps buyers and renters discover the features of a property they’d normally see when attending an open for inspection, ahead of making a private face-to-face appointment.
find out more at agent.realestate.com.au
THE WATER COOLER
D
Our e-newsletter #THEBRIEF brings the latest real estate news, tech and marketing tips straight to your inbox. Here are some things you should know. Subscribe to #THEBRIEF eliteagent.com/subscribe.
NEW REMOTE PROPERTY INSPECTION APP PROTECTS TENANTS AND PROPERTY MANAGERS
DIGITAL PARTNERSHIP MAKES SALES EASIER THAN YOU THINK Openn Negotiation and Think Conveyancing have joined forces to provide real estate agents and clients with a safe way to transact property online. With social distancing a major concern in today's landscape, the partnership enables agents to keep things moving with technology. Openn Negotiation Chief Executive Officer Peter Gibbons says they wanted
to partner with a digital conveyancer so agents, buyers and sellers could move easily through to settlement. “The partnership is a no-brainer, as we bring together two digital businesses which are trusted by those who use them," he says. "In these current uncertain times, reliability is paramount.” Think Conveyancing’s Head of Corporate Partnerships Paul Findlay says the relationship between the two businesses allows agents to get on with their business of listing and selling from anywhere. “We formed the partnership to give agents an easy and reliable way to sell their properties digitally, during this current climate of social distancing,” he says. Think Conveyancing has a dedicated free app for real estate agents, called Conveyancing.com.au which can be downloaded from the relevant app store.
10 ELITE AGENT • WINTER 2020
Realm Australia is encouraging property managers to use its new Rental Property SelfInspection app to help protect staff and tenants from possible exposure to the COVID-19 virus. The Rental Property SelfInspection app uses innovative AI technology to facilitate tenants performing remote inspections, with a full report automatically delivered to the property manager for further analysis. Realm Australia Chief Executive Officer Patrick Hill says the app minimises on-site interactions during the current COVID-19 crisis. “What we have delivered with the Rental Property Self-Inspection app is a user-friendly tool that eliminates the need for property managers to go on-site, reduces
Major portal launches online auctions to support industry through COVID-19 realestate.com.au has launched Online Auctions to support the property industry in adapting to new operating conditions. The new feature enables real estate agents to promote their vendor’s upcoming online auction on realestate.com.au and seamlessly link through to an online auction technology platform. REA Group General Manager Core Products Tim Bradley says similar to the launch of Digital Inspections, the turnaround time
travel and minimises the need for face-to-face contact during the COVID-19 crisis,” he says. The app follows a three-step process: 1. The property manager enters the tenant’s details and submits the web form. The tenant receives an SMS and email with a dedicated link, asking them to complete the online remote inspection. 2. The tenant completes the required details, attaches photographs where applicable, and submits the web form. 3. The platform collates an Inspection Report with images, and delivers a full report to the property manager who initiated the process. To learn more about the app visit elite.ag/realm-rpsi.
for the Online Auctions feature was pivotal. “We wanted to minimise any disruption and ensure that buyers and sellers could continue to transact virtually given the new government restrictions announced,” he says. “Properties going to auction through AuctionNow can feature links from the realestate.com.au listing to the online auction. "This will help reach multiple online bidders, no matter where they are." Other platforms will be added to the realestate.com.au platform in due course. For more details about other solutions for agents to COVID-19 visit elite.ag/covid19.
Console Cloud launches landlord satisfaction scoring feature A new landlord satisfaction scoring feature is set to enable property managers to find out which clients are disgruntled and who their biggest fans are. This quarter Console Cloud launches its landlord satisfaction scoring tool, and with natural rent roll attrition hovering around 17 per cent per annum, it's a feature many will welcome. The tool will give property managers powerful customer intelligence to make better decisions with less legwork. It could help them save unhappy landlords from leaving and help them generate referrals from those who love their service. It's also the first native feature of its kind in the property management software industry. The tool enables users to instantly create a net promoter score (NPS) survey and send it in bulk to their landlords. The NPS is a standard index used to measure how happy or not a customer is with services, based on how likely they would be to recommend a business on a scale of one to 10.
MARK MCGILL JOINS EVIEW EXPANSION INTO QUEENSLAND After a decade of service to the real estate industry, awardwinning agent Mark McGill has started his own brand on the Sunshine Coast. The McGill Group has partnered with Eview Group to inject innovation and confidence into the local market, using architecturally stunning brand elements. A key point of difference is Mark's hand-picked team of consultants who are the experts across multiple disciplines, enabling his clients to be serviced by “specialists, not generalists”. Not satisfied with the offerings of many brands, Mark considered going independent and opening his own office. Having established a long friendship and travelling the world for training events with Eview co-founders Manos and Maria Findikakis, Mark reached out for their
advice on stepping out. “I have always known Manos to have an excellent appreciation for the true numbers in real estate, not the overinflated advertised numbers most agents spout,” he says. The unveiling of Eview Group’s two latest agencies, Nick Mousellis Real Estate in Darwin and the McGill Group in Queensland comes as the network continues their growth across Australia, forecasting further expansion within the coming months.
VIRTUAL TOURS KEEP INDUSTRY MOVING FORWARD Virtual tours have taken off since the arrival of COVID-19, with agents and property managers keen to help buyers and tenants cast their eyes over properties from a distance. Tom Dorawa, the founder of VirtualToursCreator.com.au, has seen demand for his platform skyrocket as the industry has rapidly changed its approach to viewing property. “Things have gone through the roof," he says. "That was unexpected. We are now trying to help as many businesses as possible." Virtual Tours Creator is an end-to-end service that helps agents and property managers create virtual tours to showcase properties to buyers, renters, and even landlords. They also offer extensive training and support so that agents can create virtual tours in a matter of minutes.
Active Agents Principal Tara Bradbury uses Virtual Tours Creator to help attract new tenants during this tricky time. “I’m finding it extremely beneficial, particularly for the tenant inspection side of the business,” Tara says.
“For those who can’t physically be there, they can still put an application in and I can continue that side of the conversation afterwards.” Fore more details visit VirtualToursCreator.com.au.
eliteagent.com 11
FIRST PERSON
Mark McLeod
Who are your customers? If you listen to podcasts, TED talks or even speakers at conferences, you’ll hear the phrase “you must get closer to your customers”. The future will belong to businesses that do just this according to Mark McLeod.
•
At what point does someone become our customer? While there is not too much travel going on right now, let’s say you go online and book a flight with Qantas, you proceed to check-in and head to the lounge before boarding the plane. When do you think Qantas believes you become their customer? If the experience at the online booking stage is terrible, do you think it would affect Qantas’s business? If the check-in was gruelling and the customer saw alternative airlines flowing freely, do you think it would affect Qantas’s business? I think you would all agree, a poor experience at each of these customer interaction points could have a detrimental effect. If I was to ask the majority of agents who their customers are, many say “my vendor”. If you use the airline analogy, then the vendor is getting on the flight, completely ignoring all of the customer touchpoints that preceded it.
12 ELITE AGENT • WINTER 2020
Our industry's lack of understanding of these early touchpoints, and inability to understand that all members of their community are their customers, will ultimately have a detrimental effect on a business. There are many stages that a property owner goes through to list their home. I don’t subscribe to the belief that on a Saturday morning a typical couple (in normal circumstances) wake up and suddenly decide to list their house. They will go through a process, which may take a couple of weeks or even months. However, most sellers are not in real estate mode.
Mark McLeod is the Ray White Group’s Chief Executive of Growth. He works alongside agents and businesses across Australia, helping them reach their ultimate potential to achieve success.
These early stages are relatively uncrowded and often the greatest opportunity for agents to create long-term success. In the decision phase vendors are considering which agent
The reason a lot of commissions are being lowered and lead generators emerging is because many agents believe the vendor is only a customer once they get to the decision phase. They are just living their best life. They are all part of our community, they are our customers, and we need to connect to them through community involvement, and enhanced content that provides value long before they move into real estate mode. They may move out of real estate mode to fact-finding or pre-decisional stage, looking for information about their next move, whether it is upsizing, downsizing, refinancing, building, renovating or even apartment living. All of these moments create opportunities for us to support and further deepen our relationships with our customers.
they will use, what method of sale, and how much it starts to get crowded. The reason a lot of commissions are being lowered and lead generators emerging is because many agents believe the vendor is only a customer once they get to the decision phase. You know the drill from here. List it, sell it and then, for many agents, never communicate with either party again as they are no longer who they consider to be their customer. This is the simplest industry in the world. It’s the only industry in the world where we know where our customers live. You just need to think about it. n
FIRST PERSON
Caroline Bolderston
Service, please!
The answers should determine how you serve them.
To be in the real estate industry is to be in the service Industry. No matter which way you look at it – whether you are in property management, sales or administration – your role is to deliver value to your client. But how do you find out what the client values? Caroline Bolderston explains.
STEP 2. GET SPECIFIC REGARDING THE OUTCOME
•
Every client wants excellent service but no two are the same. In order to deliver excellent service, you need to know what your client values and the outcomes they desire. You see, when you know what a client values and what they expect to happen, that’s when you have the potential to truly serve and deliver an exceptional experience. You can do this in three simple steps:
STEP 1. MORE THAN JUST SALE PRICE
If you have been in the industry for longer than six months, you will have developed a clear set of beliefs around what is important to your clients. As an example, in sales, most agents I speak to believe that service is primarily about achieving the best price. Why is it then, that a campaign can go incredibly well in terms of the sale price, yet the client feels it was less than an exceptional experience? Most clients place value on other elements of the process that contribute to their perception of excellent service. For some it is timely feedback, for others it’s having the signboard installed on time, and some believe that having
14 ELITE AGENT • WINTER 2020
While this may seem obvious, it’s worth checking how well you are doing with it. Once you have asked a few powerful opening questions, it’s time to get specific about what it means. A response you might hear from some clients is: "I’d like to know how the inspections go as soon as possible." Be sure to understand their definition of "as soon as possible". Do they mean the minute the inspection is finished? By the end of the day? Get specific. It’s so much easier to deliver the desired outcome when it is black and white.
STEP 3. DELIVER ON EXPECTATIONS
The next step to exceptional service is to follow through on expectations. Many factors can derail a plan or process, therefore many agents avoid being specific on what or when something will take place. Avoidance is not the answer.
an agent who will be making proactive recommendations is the most important thing. To truly understand what your client values, you must dedicate more time to digging deep at the beginning to uncover what they want to see, feel and hear. A great opening question is "what does exceptional service look like to you?" or "how can I ensure I deliver you the service you need?".
If you are to deliver excellent service, you need to know what your client values and the outcomes they desire.
Caroline Bolderston heads up Being Bold, a real estate coaching, training and speaking business supporting sales agents and principals to grow and succeed. For more information visit beingbold.com.au.
To protect yourself from failing your client's expectations, always include extra time allowances when you will be relying on a third party to complete a task. Don’t over-promise or set yourself up for pressure and stress. The other thing to be careful of is not falling victim to the belief that ‘no news is good news’. If you haven’t heard back from an offer party by the time stipulated time, or the 'just listed' cards have not arrived on time for delivery, tell your client as soon as you can. Always be on the front foot if you can see an outcome is in jeopardy. In most cases, being pro-active, updating your client and providing a new plan before the expected timeframe, means your client will understand. As in most things in life, the unknown is where concern, frustration, disappointment and dissatisfaction grow. Take the time to know what your client wants, how they would like to see things done and to update their expectations in real-time along the way. These three simple steps will have an enormous impact on your clients and solidify your reputation. n
FIRST PERSON
Fiona Blayney
Fiona Blayney is the founder and director of Real+ online. For more information visit realplus.com.au.
The silver lining We all want to feel safe and secure in all facets of life and to avoid uncertainty. Yet as Fiona Blayney explains, often our greatest periods of growth can come from our most difficult times.
•
When I travelled the world in my backpacking days, one of my favourite pastimes was to sit and people-watch. I remember a girlfriend and I sipping afternoon beverages as we played various assumptive human observation games including 'how long have they been dating?' We'd observe body language and gauge intimacy to decide on the status of unknowing participants as they strolled past. My love of people-watching, and curiosity in observing society as a group and considering why we do what we do, has only continued to grow. I often find myself deep in thought about the human world around me, and I’ve found myself there a little more than usual lately as I watch the frenzy that has ensued with 'toiletpapergate 2020'. What I’ve come to know about people after 18 years of coaching, is that most of what we do comes from the innate drivers of safety and security. Whether we like to admit it or not, we are primal, and each day our primary focus is to live another day. When something poses a risk to that, we take actions to provide us with a sense of control. In today's society, we seek that same sense of control over every element of our lives and in doing so actively avoid feeling vulnerable on any level, perhaps to our detriment. The swarm of humans attacking supermarket shelves like toilet paper locusts is not as simple as the need for toilet paper. In reality, with the current threat of coronavirus, Aussies nationwide narrowed in on toilet paper as a symbol of control. As humans, we hate feeling vulnerable and at times will do almost anything to rid
The swarm of humans attacking supermarket shelves like toilet paper locusts is not as simple as the need for toilet paper.
16 ELITE AGENT • WINTER 2020
ourselves of this perceived affliction. What would happen if we embraced vulnerability? In my experience, it is from your greatest moments of vulnerability that some of your most significant learnings can be realised. Think about it, what hygiene habits have you changed in recent weeks? Have you washed your hands a more thoroughly? Have you learnt the correct coughing and sneezing technique into your elbow? Perhaps you have stepped up cleaning at home? My kids now wash their hands for as long as it takes to sing two renditions of Happy Birthday. I’m not enticing rhetoric about the pros and cons of germs, I'm merely pointing out that from vulnerability comes awareness and change. Imagine what great would come if you could identify the areas of your life in which you felt most vulnerable and take practical action to replace it with a sense of safety and security that drove you to
achieve your goals? You can. It’s at this impasse, when we let down our guard, in a safe environment, with support and calculated choices, that we make the greatest progress in the coaching room. Growing up, I was taught to trust nothing of what you hear and only half of what you see, and this flows through to the coaching table. I hear tales of success and achievement, and I hear a need for praise and confirmation. What I look for is vulnerability. I seek out the truth and the things I am not being told. When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, we allow others to see our reality. As Brene Brown says, "Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy and creativity." When we identify our weaknesses, which even superheroes have, we can create a plan to work our way through things and achieve the results we have always sought. n
You can’t fix what you can’t measure. Put your data to work with Property Tree Business Insights. With customisable dashboards, easily identify areas of the business doing well and those requiring attention across your agency and team. Unlock the potential of your data to predict future trends and bring business insights into every conversation.
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AUS 1300 657 700 NZ 09 909 7093 sales@rockend.com
FIRST PERSON
Michael Love
The best that they can be Leaders have a great responsibility to their teams to create an environment where employees feel safe, valued and perform at their optimum level. And to do this, says Michael Love, you need to bring balance to the workplace.
•
TOO OFTEN AS PRINCIPALS, we become fixated on how people fit in with our agenda as business owners. We become less concerned with carefully listening and observing the needs of our colleagues and clients and can become focused on our own requirements. Here’s where the French concept of noblesse oblige comes in. Noblesse oblige implies that power, wealth and prestige brings with it responsibilities to our fellow man. Leadership at its best is an act of service, whether working with colleagues or clients. I consider my position of leadership as an act of service. Coming to management from this vantage point means sharing responsibility with your team for outcomes. Many of us have worked in businesses where principals focus on what their team is doing wrong, diminishing joy, putting a stop
to curiosity and dumping responsibilities for culture and efficiency squarely on their shoulders. Power is exercised without equity or care. One-on-one sessions can become dreaded torture hours for employees when they should be opportunities for sharing and support. Such repressive cultures pay with high staff turnover, which impacts client satisfaction. I suggest that our industry adopts a new paradigm; one of the helper leader. How would this change the dynamic in your agency?
18 ELITE AGENT • WINTER 2020
How would this positively improve your client’s experience, and how would this then improve the regard of our industry overall? Two core beliefs inform my day-to-day as a principal and partner.
THE BEST THEY CAN
I choose to believe everyone is doing the best job they can. This worldview allows me to think differently about my team and their capacity. I become less obsessed about process, and more focused on outcomes. I think about my colleagues
holistically and human first. What could help them go to the next level? What might be holding them back? Their time at work, at home, their health, their emotional wellness, and how I can, as a leader-helper, support them to bring balance? In a healthy workplace, people can be themselves, can be challenged, and can grow with a sense of safety. My time as a real estate leader managing performance has proven that people are doing the best they can. It’s our job to help our people take it to the next level.
Many of us have worked in businesses where principals focus on what their team is doing wrong, diminishing joy, putting a stop to curiosity and dumping responsibilities for culture and efficiency squarely on their shoulders.
Michael Love is the third generation of his family to serve the real estate needs of Melbourne’s inner-north via Love&Co network. A natural leader with a commitment to supporting and extending his colleagues, Michael continues the 70-plus years of Love&Co legacy with energy and care.
CLARITY ON OUTCOMES
So much stress and heartache in the agency environment can be avoided by having clear expectations around outcomes. This is why a thorough onboarding process (which could involve shadowing or appointing a job buddy) remains such a critical element of successful recruitment. People don’t like to feel clueless at work, whether it comes to their role or cultural expectations. Having clarity on expected outcomes makes your colleagues’ workdays easier, and it makes management and coaching simpler. When any aspect of optimal performance is in question, I often find there is a piece missing in the time management department. That’s something that can be fixed. It’s harder to transform performance issues once patterns have become embedded, so think clarity first. Adopting an attitude of service as a leader in our agency means we can more easily enter into conversations with any member of our team. From this point of trust, we can have constructive discussions as a helpful coach, rather than as a dreaded boss. Who would you rather work with? n
MARKETS PAGE 16
PAGE 36
PREMIERE ISSUE
SMSF INVESTORS PAGE 42
TRUTH PAGE 26
A DOT COM? PAGE 24
PLAN PAGE 18
KEYBOARD WARRIOR
THE WAY OF THE FUTURE?
BUSINESS ON TRACK
READER SURVEY:
FIND OUT MORE ON PAGE 31
LEARN FROM THE BEST #01 JUL/AUG 2015 AU$9.95 + POSTAGE
LEARN FROM THE BEST #06 JUL/AUG 2015 AU$9.95 + POSTAGE
#10 APR/MAY 2016 AU$13.50
4 RULES FOR BUILDING A WORLD CLASS REFERRAL NETWORK
THE GIFT OF LISTENING and the power of presence
PREPARING FOR SPRING SELLING SEASON
IT TAKES TWO
Michael Clarke & Cherie Humel
with Stuart Benson
INSTAGRAM Every picture tells a story
TACTICAL LISTING WITH JOSH PHEGAN PAGE 26
FIVE TACTICS TO ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN ZERO ARREARS
LEARN FROM THE BEST
ANTICIPATE IS THE NEW EXCEED PAGE 28
5 TRENDS THAT MAY INFLUENCE PROPERTY IN AUSTRALIA COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
5 ways to build your profile
IS YOUR DATABASE FIT OR FAT? THE AWESOME HUMAN MANIFESTO
THE TRUSTED ADVISOR
Stefanie Dobro
BEYOND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
THRIVING IN A TOUGH LEASING MARKET
HANNAH GILL
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH RENT.COM.AU CEO MARK WOSCHNAK
A GUIDE TO THE ULTIMATE BRAINSTORM
How to get what you’re worth
THE GREAT INSPECTION ROUNDUP PAGE 62
#03 JAN/FEB 2015 AU$9.95 + POSTAGE
2015 ARE YOU
LEARN FROM THE BEST #02 OCT/NOV 2015 AU$9.95 + POSTAGE
READY?
The resolutions you need to make this year
VICTORIA’S TOP GUN
Mark Di Giulio
HOW TO STAND OUT ON THE GLOBAL STAGE PAGE 20
THREE QUESTIONS TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE
How to get more productive… Fast!
SERVING A NICHE MARKET PAGE 50
#05 MAY/JUN 2015 AU$9.95 + POSTAGE
INDUSTRY REPORT PERCEPTIONS OF REAL ESTATE
LEARN FROM THE BEST
INSIDE: INDUSTRY LEADERS
What your customers really think
TAKE YOUR EMAIL OPEN RATE THROUGH THE ROOF MAKE EACH DAY COUNT
Measuring property manager performance
31 May – 1 June, 2015 Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre
Charles Tarbey Antony Catalano John McGrath Maria and Manos Findikakis
BEST NEW TALENT
Roxanne Paterson
#05 APR/MAY 2016 AU$13.50
3 TECH TRENDS THAT WILL IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS
ACCOUNTING FOR SUCCESS
CAMERON GARRY
BEST OF BOTH WORLDS An exclusive outsourcing case study with Miles Real Estate
7 FUNDAMENTAL REALITIES OF CUSTOMER SERVICE THE ART OF PERSONAL COMMUNICATION
MAKING INSPECTIONS EASY
SAFETY TIPS FOR PMs
5 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR CONVERSION RATE PAGE 20
LEARN FROM THE BEST
INSID THE TOP COACHE
#04 MAR/APR 2015 AU$9.95 + POSTAGE
PASSION FOR PEOPLE
Emmy Thies
John McGrath • Josh Pheg Michael Sheargold • Tom Pan Caroline Bolderst
PL An exclusive w Glenn McGr
CLOSE COLLABORATION Successfully linking PM and Sales
SKIMMERS, SCEPTICS AND SOAKERS Are you covering them all?
31 May – 1 June, 2015 Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre
AREC15
THE ART OF STORYTELLING PAGE 54
A DAY IN THE OF A PROPE MANAG WITH HAY MITCH
MARKETING SPECIAL
WHAT REALLY WORKS FOR SUCCESSFUL PM MARKETERS
LEARN FROM THE BEST #07 OCT/NOV 2015 AU$9.95 + POSTAGE
#03 DEC/JAN 2016 AU$13.50
Red Bull racing champ Matt Hall talks mindset
NO SALES AWARDS
GET READY FOR
2020
The agency that puts client satisfaction first
STRONGER THAN STEEL
CONNECTING EMPLOYEES IN THE CLOUD
Clinton Knop
Virtual reality agents
LEARN FROM THE BEST
SLIDIN DOOR
#08 DEC/JAN 2016 AU$13.50
2016: READY, SET, GOAL!
LEARN FROM THE BEST
AUSTRALIA’S TOP GUN
EQUITY: TO SHARE OR NOT TO SHARE
AREC15
IMPLEMENTING NEW TECHNOLOGY AS A TEAM
WHO’S BEHIND THAT DOOR? HITTING A HOMERUN PAGE 16
FEATURE INTERVIEW NAOMI SIMSON SPEAKS ON PRODUCTIVITY AND LEADERSHIP LEARN FROM THE BEST
LAURA LEVISOHN
5 STEPS TO DESIGNING THE IDEAL WEEK
Get noticed for the right reasons
SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT CARD PAGE 14
FRONT DESK TO BUSINESS OWNER
LESSONS LEARNT IN REALLY BIG BUSINESS
THE SCIENCE BEHIND FIRST IMPRESSIONS
FEE NEGOTIATION
THE MATHEMATICS OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT WITH BOB WALTERS
LEARN FROM THE BEST
THE EXTRA 1%
THE FOUR PILLARS OF PERSONAL BRANDING
ANTHONY CARDINALE
EXTREME PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
HOW THE APRA CHANGES MAY BE AFFECTING YOUR LANDLORDS
OVERCOMING OWNER OBJECTIONS
READER SURVEY:
Find out more on page 47
SALES STAFF PAY PACKETS
WHY 3D REAL ESTATE LISTINGS WILL BE THE NEW NORM
What’s working?
BARRY PLANT
From Bell Ringer to Master Auctioneer
30 BUSINESS BOOSTING IDEAS FOR
2016 12 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR MARKETING
HAVE YOUR SAY IN OUR
DO YOU HAVE EXIT STRATEG
LEARN FROM THE BEST #04 FEB/MAR 2016 AU$13.50
MAK YOUR SM BUSIN APPE LARG
HOW TO PULL OFF THE PERFECT LISTING PRESENTATION
MAKING THE MOVE
PAYIN REVENUE SP – THE PR AND CO
SUZIE Kate HAMILTONFLANAGAN PLAYING T0 WIN
Strickland
TO CONTINUE READING THIS PUBLICATION AND OTHER BACK ISSUES VISIT ELITEAGENT.COM EXPANDING TO NEW MARKETS PAGE 16
A GAME OF DRONES PAGE 36
SELLING PROPERTY TO SMSF INVESTORS PAGE 42
PREMIERE ISSUE
• HOW ARE THE TRANSFORM SUPER SIX GOING? FOR UPDATES AND COACHING TIPS SEE PAGE 16
MOMENTS OF TRUTH PAGE 26
WHEN SHOULD YOU BECOME A DOT COM? PAGE 24
MARKETING BATTLE PLAN PAGE 18
WHY NO ONE LIKES A KEYBOARD WARRIOR
ARE DIGITAL PRE-LISTING KITS THE WAY OF THE FUTURE?
5 KPIS TO KEEP YOUR BUSINESS ON TRACK
READER SURVEY:
FIND OUT MORE ON PAGE 31
LEARN FROM THE BEST #01 JUL/AUG 2015 AU$9.95 + POSTAGE
LEARN FROM THE BEST
#10 APR/MAY 2016 AU$13.50
4 RULES FOR BUILDING A WORLD CLASS REFERRAL NETWORK
THE GIFT OF LISTENING and the power of presence
PREPARING FOR SPRING SELLING SEASON
IT TAKES TWO
Michael Clarke & Cherie Humel
with Stuart Benson
INSTAGRAM Every picture tells a story
TACTICAL LISTING WITH JOSH PHEGAN PAGE 26
FIVE TACTICS TO ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN ZERO ARREARS
LEARN FROM THE BEST
#06 JUL/AUG 2015 AU$9.95 + POSTAGE
ANTICIPATE IS THE NEW EXCEED PAGE 28
5 TRENDS THAT MAY INFLUENCE PROPERTY IN AUSTRALIA COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
5 ways to build your profile
IS YOUR DATABASE FIT OR FAT? THE AWESOME HUMAN MANIFESTO
THE TRUSTED ADVISOR
Stefanie Dobro
THRIVING IN A TOUGH LEASING MARKET
BEYOND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
HANNAH GILL
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH RENT.COM.AU CEO MARK WOSCHNAK
A GUIDE TO THE ULTIMATE BRAINSTORM
How to get what you’re worth
THE GREAT INSPECTION ROUNDUP PAGE 62
#03 JAN/FEB 2015 AU$9.95 + POSTAGE
2015 ARE YOU
HOW TO STAND OUT ON THE GLOBAL STAGE PAGE 20
Mark Di Giulio
LEARN FROM THE BEST #05 MAY/JUN 2015 AU$9.95 + POSTAGE
What your customers really think
TAKE YOUR EMAIL OPEN RATE THROUGH THE ROOF MAKE EACH DAY COUNT
Measuring property manager performance
31 May – 1 June, 2015 Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre
LEARN FROM THE BEST
INSIDE: INDUSTRY LEADERS
Charles Tarbey Antony Catalano John McGrath Maria and Manos Findikakis
BEST NEW TALENT
Roxanne Paterson
#05 APR/MAY 2016 AU$13.50
3 TECH TRENDS THAT WILL IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS
ACCOUNTING FOR SUCCESS
CAMERON GARRY
BEST OF BOTH WORLDS An exclusive outsourcing case study with Miles Real Estate
7 FUNDAMENTAL REALITIES OF CUSTOMER SERVICE THE ART OF PERSONAL COMMUNICATION
FRONT DESK TO BUSINESS OWNER
LESSONS LEARNT IN REALLY BIG BUSINESS
VICTORIA’S TOP GUN
LAURA LEVISOHN
5 STEPS TO DESIGNING THE IDEAL WEEK THREE QUESTIONS TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE
How to get more productive… Fast!
SERVING A NICHE MARKET PAGE 50
IMPLEMENTING NEW TECHNOLOGY AS A TEAM
WHO’S BEHIND THAT DOOR?
MAKING INSPECTIONS EASY
SAFETY TIPS FOR PMs
HITTING A HOMERUN PAGE 16
FEATURE INTERVIEW NAOMI SIMSON SPEAKS ON PRODUCTIVITY AND LEADERSHIP
INDUSTRY REPORT PERCEPTIONS OF REAL ESTATE
#02 OCT/NOV 2015 AU$9.95 + POSTAGE
The resolutions you need to make this year
Get noticed for the right reasons
SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT CARD PAGE 14
LEARN FROM THE BEST
READY?
THE SCIENCE BEHIND FIRST IMPRESSIONS
FEE NEGOTIATION
THE MATHEMATICS OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT WITH BOB WALTERS
LEARN FROM THE BEST
5 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR CONVERSION RATE PAGE 20
THE ART OF STORYTELLING PAGE 54
LEARN FROM THE BEST #04 MAR/APR 2015 AU$9.95 + POSTAGE
PASSION FOR PEOPLE
Emmy Thies
INSID THE TOP COACHE
John McGrath • Josh Pheg Michael Sheargold • Tom Pan Caroline Bolderst
PL An exclusive w Glenn McGr
CLOSE COLLABORATION Successfully linking PM and Sales
SKIMMERS, SCEPTICS AND SOAKERS Are you covering them all?
31 May – 1 June, 2015 Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre
AREC15
• WIN ONE OF SIX PLATINUM AREC16 TICKETS SEE PAGE 2 FOR DETAIL
MARKETING SPECIAL
WHAT REALLY WORKS FOR SUCCESSFUL PM MARKETERS
LEARN FROM THE BEST #07 OCT/NOV 2015 AU$9.95 + POSTAGE
LEARN FROM THE BEST
AUSTRALIA’S TOP GUN
#03 DEC/JAN 2016 AU$13.50
Red Bull racing champ Matt Hall talks mindset
GET READY FOR
2020 CONNECTING EMPLOYEES IN THE CLOUD Virtual reality agents
EQUITY: TO SHARE OR NOT TO SHARE
NO SALES AWARDS
The agency that puts client satisfaction first
STRONGER THAN STEEL
Clinton Knop
HAVE YOUR SAY IN OUR
READER SURVEY:
THE FOUR PILLARS OF PERSONAL BRANDING EXTREME PROPERTY MANAGEMENT OVERCOMING OWNER OBJECTIONS
LEARN FROM THE BEST
THE EXTRA 1%
ANTHONY CARDINALE
HOW THE APRA CHANGES MAY BE AFFECTING YOUR LANDLORDS
LEARN FROM THE BEST
#08 DEC/JAN 2016 AU$13.50
2016: READY, SET, GOAL! WHY 3D REAL ESTATE LISTINGS WILL BE THE NEW NORM 30 BUSINESS BOOSTING IDEAS FOR
2016 12 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR MARKETING
#09 FEB/MAR 2016 AU$13.50
SALES STAFF PAY PACKETS
EFFECTIVE SALES MANAGEMENT How to get the most from your team
What’s working?
BARRY PLANT
From Bell Ringer to Master Auctioneer
PLAYING T0 WIN
Kate Strickland
THE TOP 10 MISTAKES OF NEW PRINCIPALS 8 STEPS TO OWNING YOUR MARKET IN 2016 BATTLE OF THE SEXES
Who’s better at selling real estate –
THE REFERRA SYSTEM THA REALL WORK
YOU SA
Our 20 Sentim Surv
LEADIN THE CHARG
Glenn Curran
STARTIN OU RIGH
The ro