A new property app has been launched for agents to use on viewings.
It enables feedback to be sent immediately to sellers, from the buyers themselves.
Using the trueview app post-viewings, agents ask buyers to complete a simple questionnaire, rating the property on – for example – location, condition, value and the likelihood of them making an offer. This is then pinged to the seller.
Trueview director Shaun Amner is himself an agent and believes that as vendors receive the feedback directly from buyers, they are more prepared to accept the results of the viewing, and are more likely to understand the realities of the market.
The app also saves vendors having to chase agents for viewing feedback.
Amner, who is a Winkworth franchisee, said: “Over ten years as an estate agent gave me an understanding of the pain points in the sales process and the dynamic of the vendor/agent relationship.
“Trueview eliminates these issues and encourages a calm, trusting and businesslike relationship between the two parties.
“Numerous factors can lead to a vendor needing to reappraise their expectations, so approaching this from a point of objectivity can help both smooth the process and speed up the transaction.”
Amner said he believes that the new app could be an instruction winner, and says that research has already shown that vendor satisfaction with an agent using the app is dramatically improved.
Comments (30)
As a selling tool on listings it’s not a bad idea. Certainly it would be a USP in my town.
However with just a couple of branches there is no way we’d consider it at these prices. Before checking the site i thought I’d maybe see £10 per month. It does seem ridiculously expensive for an app. Sorry, I’m out.
Hi FromTheHip. It’s Shaun here from trueview.
I hear your concerns over price but if you are interested in the product, I’d happily look at tailoring something that would allow you to test trueview as I’m confident it will quickly prove its value. However, with respect, most agents spend more than £10 per month on flowers for the office whilst others, me included, will spend up to £2k per month on professional photography, so in the wider context we don’t feel the pricing is prohibitive.
“…most agents spend more than £10 per month on flowers for the office whilst others, me included, will spend up to £2k per month on professional photography…”
That’s £2k total more than I have ever spent – and £2k more than I ever intend to – until I meet a photographer who can actually capture properties in a way to make them look on screen something vaguely like what the viewer will walk into.
Giving a monkey a Canon 5D with a w i d e-angle does not make them David Bailey. Give the same monkey access to software and you have a recipe for trouble, in my opinion.
Most “professional” photography I see on Agents’ properties is to my eye worse than could be achieved by my Grandson with his £15 Vivitar.
To coin an old buzz-phrase:
The differential between expectation – in this analogy the on-screen imagery – and reality – what they pull up outside of and enter – usually amounts to disappointment.
Sorry – but you’re not winning me over.
“Sorry – but you’re not winning me over”
With respect PeeBee, I don’t see how the fact that I use professional photography should steer your viewpoint as to whether or not trueview is a beneficial product. They’re completely unrelated.
I was simply using it as an example of agents’ costs so as to put the cost of trueview in context, that’s all. As I said previously, if you contact me directly I have a proposition for you, which will allow you to form a genuine opinion on the effectiveness of trueview, rather than an assumed one.
However, whilst on the subject of professional photography, I’m genuinely surprised by your viewpoint. Personally, I think professional photography is hugely important and I would no more ask an estate agent to photograph a property than I would ask a photographer to sell a house.
Good photography can make a huge difference when selling a property, and numerous stats have proven that good quality images will help to maximize interest and response. Then there’s the post production element, where unfortunate shadows are removed, images lightened, blue sky added etc.
I was always taught that in marketing, you’re not selling the sausage, you’re selling the sizzle. Professional photography can play a key role in generating the sizzle.
I also believe that an agent’s role is to sell the viewing, not the house. In other words, you do everything you can to get buyers across the threshold. If, as you say, this results in some disappointment when expectation doesn’t meet reality, so be it. However, how many times have you sold a property to somebody that you’ve really had to “sell the viewing” to. There are many, many buyers happily living in homes they simply wouldn’t have viewed, if left to their own devices.
When buying, you undoubtedly have to kiss a lot of frogs, but I would rather kiss a frog wearing make up!
Then of course there’s the point about good use of resources. Do I really want to spend two hours of my day taking photographs, taking measurements, drawing a floor plan, editing the photographs etc when I can outsource it for £90? Surely those two hours can be spent more effectively on other tasks, least of all generating new business.
Sorry it’s late, Mr Amner – but I confirm that I see no point in responding to this post.
My two hours wasted doing so is, I assure you, being put to far better use.
Hi – it’s Shaun here from http://www.trueview.property
Thanks for all your comments and feedback – much appreciated.
I’d like to respond to some of the comments if I may. Firstly, I would like to address the point relating to price. From the experience we’ve had to date (and yes, we do have paying clients!) it’s clear that trueview helps to win instructions (vendor’s really do love it) as well as aid negotiation and help with, where necessary, price reductions, all of which can lead to more sales. In most cases, the annual subscription is easily covered by one more annual exchange, so we genuinely believe it will pay for itself.
Having said that, we are able to offer discounts (e.g. multi office subscriptions) so if you are interested, please email me and I’m confident we can tailor something that works – shaun.amner@trueview.property
I would also like to make it clear that trueview isn’t designed to replace traditional feedback, it simply enhances it. By generating data driven feedback against key attributes (not individual comments as NewsBoy has suggested), it provides a dataset that is common amongst all properties, so provides genuine context within the local market. Buyers like that they can essentially review the property they’ve just viewed, and the whole process takes no more than around 20 seconds. The individual ratings are then combined to provide an overall score. This unique score is then compared to those properties that have had a sale agreed, versus those that haven’t. All this is accessible to the vendor via their own webpage.
We’ve found that this approach results in a far more professional dialogue between agent and client, and is able to highlight any potential issues objectively, avoiding the classic “shoot the messenger” confrontations.
I know many will see this as yet “another app and cost” but there is no doubt that it helps to generate more instructions, sales and exchanges whilst simultaneously providing a much better experience for vendors. This latter point can be seen in the vendor research we carried out and is available on our website – http://www.trueview.property
“… but there is no doubt that it helps to generate more instructions, sales and exchanges…”
Oh, I’m proper sorry to break this shocking news – but there is one mahoosive pile of sloppy doubt in the room that this new widget will generate ANY of the above.
We can see the pudding – where’s your proof?
Hi PeeBee. I’m glad you’ve responded – I always look forward to your posts. We’ve been live testing the app for over a year and it’s already up and running in a number offices, including two of my own. Vendors love it and we’ve won numerous instructions as a result. It’s very easy to demo during an MA and vendors really like the transparency it offers.
If there is some debate over which price to market at (because they’ve had an over zealous valuation from the town’s usual suspect) this allows them to test at the higher price and instantly analyse what the market thinks rather than having to just rely on what the agent is saying. This is one of many benefits – take a look at the website and you will see from our research the dramatic effect it’s with vendors.
If you would like to discuss this in more detail, please drop me an email and I will happily call you and answer any questions you may have. Alternatively, I’ll happily come along and present the concept to you in the flesh.
“I’m glad you’ve responded – I always look forward to your posts.”
Not something you perhaps should admit to – but there are treatments available under the counter at your local drugstore, I believe…
I applaud your confidence in your product. Unfortunately, Bernard Matthews is yet to convince a single turkey that what they are about to receive will make them truly thankful, amen. THAT is the hill you are going to have to climb, mon ami – and there are hundreds of equally challenging hills waiting for you… including some that will make my scepticism look like a saunter in the park.
I will look deeper into what you are doing.
As far as a flesh to flesh meeting goes – you saucy bu99er, you!
Like the style, though…
Okay, fair point. I will definitely dress in advance of any meeting…
I’m more than happy to face criticism and scepticism, after all, I’m an estate agent! However, our experience to date from those agents we’ve met and presented to has been wholly positive and our conversion rate has been excellent, so although not for all, there’s definitely a market for us.
Assuming you’re still actively involved in agency, can I ask that you contact me as I have a proposition for you. I can assure you, it has nothing to do with fleshy bits…
shaun.amner@trueview.property
Mr Amner – you state
“…our experience to date from those agents we’ve met and presented to has been wholly positive and our conversion rate has been excellent…”
Yet not one of your clients/customers/’partners’/insert-appropriate-buzzword-as-required that you have ‘converted’ and are so wholly positive about your offering has come galloping up on their trusty steed to defend/fluff you up.
Now – and here’s the curveball – in some respects that’s not a bad thing. If all of a sudden ‘Tony’ or ‘JohnSmith69’ appeared out of nowhere shouting your praises from the rooftops then 96.84% of us (aren’t statistics a wonderful tool of billshuttery?) would scream “FIX”…”PLANT”… or whatever.
Show me Eric Walker, Chris Wood, smile please, woodentop, wardy (wherever the bu99er is these days…) – or anyone who frequents this site regularly who have any one of the multitudinous degrees of credibility that is afforded them by the cynics like me – and you have my undivided attention.
Over to you…
We already give our vendors instant feedback. We ask the viewer for feedback as the viewing ends, email that directly to the office so everyone there is aware of the feedback and can log it on the system, then it is emailed from the office directly to the vendor. The vendor will always have the feedback within 15-20 minutes of the viewing ending. Not really sure why we would need an app to effectively do the same thing but give us less control over what is actually happening with the property/feedback!
I think it’s better to ask for the feedback via email and ask for complete honesty. It would be hard for a lot of people to be so truthful face to face.
I disagree. We have no issues at all in getting honest feedback from someone immediately after the viewing. What better time than while it’s fresh in their mind? Your way means that you simply fire an email off to them and hope that they reply, meanwhile your vendor is getting frustrated because they aren’t getting feedback after their viewings. Next time you’re on a valuation, ask the vendor what their biggest frustrations have been when it comes to selling their home (assuming that they are at least a second time seller of course) and I’m pretty sure that “not getting feedback for days or weeks after a viewing, if at all” will come pretty high on the list. Think we’ll stick to our proven way of doing it as vendors love the fact that they could have a viewing on a Saturday afternoon at 4pm for example and have the feedback from that viewing before dinner time, as opposed to the ‘traditional’ way of doing it which means that if they are lucky they may get it on Monday at some point, assuming that the viewer actually bothers to return the agents call.
No thanks. Another expenditure we don’t need. Surely the estate agency role is talking to viewers to gain their feedback fully and overcome objection they may have, obvious example, price. Reporting feedback correctly and in depth to the client is possibly the most important part of the customer service role.
Good idea, however, people still like people and at these costs? Cant see it taking off, far to expensive to get truly into market.
Agree above, nice idea. Not essential but be nice to have.
However crazy price. Can’t see any agent paying this.
Yet another “App” to take the work way from agents. No thank you. Apart from anything else it is always vital to get the “right” feedback which will be helpful to marketing decisions. There is absolutely no point in having comments go directly to the seller. What a very silly idea.
You make valid points NewsBoy.
And i agree, i do not like giving away control of my business and as i have stated on many an occasion i do not like the third party parasites.
But, not knowing your background NewsBoy, how involved are you with feedback? – We have found over the last few years chasing the purchaser next day for meaningful feedback has become a nightmare. Many viewers do not answer the phone or return messages.
We of course get feedback there and then but the sellers like a follow up call to confirm.
I think today’s generation of buyers would be more inclined to fill in a quick report sent to them on their smart phone by sms or email.
Its certainly not paramount and for me the price is way to prohibitive (I can employ a part time member of staff for that!)
But if it was £50 per month for all my properties (why would you only choose 2?) i would subscribe.
*Oh just a quick rant, as a business owner anyone else fed up of being given a price and then they add the VAT? – We have to do an all in one encompassing fee so should others. Nothing worse than agreeing a price on a product or service and then finding the price goes up by 20%!
Hi Smile – it’s Shaun here from trueview
I’ve put a few links in my other comments on here (I won’t paste here as it results in the comment being quarantined until moderated) so please check them out and hopefully they will give a little more clarity.
As I’ve said in one of my other comments, we are able to offer discounts so if you are genuinely interested, please drop me an email and we will hopefully be able to tailor something that works for you – shaun.amner@trueview.property
As it’s a B2B product, we don’t include VAT in the pricing as clients will claim it back, so it’s not a true cost in that respect.
Shaun
Thanks for the reply Shaun.
Brave man 😉
The VAT comment was not aimed at you guys personally its the whole business to business market. VAT is still a cost and some smaller agents may not be VAT registered.
I also take a little um-bridge to the comment “One sale pays for a years subscription” – I must have this line thrown at me 10 times a day with sales calls. You would think i would be swimming in instructions!
Will think it over, is there a firm offer of £50 (plus VAT!) For readers of Eye today?
I think from the comments on here you must see you have over shot the mark on pricing by some distance?
Hi Smile. As I said, if you drop me an email we will certainly try and tailor something to your specific needs. I look forward to hearing from you!
It’s not chasing the agent for feedback that is often the issue…it’s us agents chasing the viewer…. if we’re not too careful we’re be “Apped” out of the industry soon… if we just stick to basic standards and embrace technology that assists us to carry out a good service then we need not line these pointless middle-men’s pockets!
Great idea! Far too expensive. I mean far far too expensive. You need to reconsider your pricing structure it’s ridiculous. It really is a great idea though.
My thoughts exactly, can’t see anyone who is going to pay the currently quoted prices. I would have been interested if it had been more like the fixflo pricing, which is sensible and has gained massive market share because of it.
I disagree that it’s a good idea. I think they’ve engineered a (incredibly expensive!) solution to a problem that doesn’t exist, and all this will ultimately do is take control away from the agent – it’s effectively what the online agents are doing already isn’t it, getting the viewer to contact the vendor directly? So why use a High Street agent that is doing the same but for a higher fee?
Hi – it’s Shaun here from http://www.trueview.property
Thanks for your comment but I think you may have misunderstood. There is no direct contact between the buyer and the vendor. The video below should help to explain things a little better…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOKujRnqzcA
Not sure how it’s a good idea. Not for agents on the receiving end anyway.
They’ve set up a – not that clever – way of collecting buyer emails through an app. They could ask/make all buyers opt in to receive mortgage leads, surveyor leads and even estate agent leads for when they sell their own house. Even if they don’t opt in the app will display ads to the same effect.
Plus you’re paying them for it 😉
It’s not hard to email a potential buyer (whose email you already have) and ask them for detailed feedback. You could even have a dedicated detailed form for them to fill in. Now imagine what they will think? ‘Wow, they look after the potential buyerand ask for lots of feedback. Let’s use this agent, they have lots of attention to the little details’.
It’s not that hard to send an email….it could even be automated.
If you don’t agree with me, send me those emails and I’ll help you out with the feedback 😉
…free of charge!
Hi – it’s Shaun here from http://www.trueview.property
Thanks for your comment but I think you’ve misunderstood. This isn’t about asking buyer for feedback and emailing it directly to the vendor. In fact, there is absolutely no direct contact between the buyer and the vendor. The video below should help to explain things a little better…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOKujRnqzcA