A high street agent has complained about the high profile being given to online agents on allAgents – even when they have no homes for sale in the areas where they are listed among the top operators.
Rob Allen, of Allen Heritage Estate and Letting Agents in Kent, told Eye: “What a slap in the face for all of us agents that actually believed allAgents was a way of showing local people how good our service is.
“We have been usurped by online agents that don’t have stock in our area.”
Allen has raised his concerns with allAgents, accusing the site of giving preferential treatment to online agents “at the expense of hard-working independents”.
He said that in Beckenham, Kent, allAgents had been showing his own firm as the fourth agent in the town – “the other three all being online agents, none of them with anything on the market anywhere near Beckenham!”
When Eye checked, we found that Allen Heritage was listed at the top of the directory for agents in Beckenham, along with House Tree, Wesold and eMoov.
House Tree and Wesold are a national online firm, headquartered, apparently coincidentally, in Beckenham where they have the same office, staff and search engine. Wesold appears to have taken over House Tree, which was based in Lytham St Anne’s.
Allen said he had never heard of either Wesold or House Tree, despite having worked in the area for 30 years.
He also told allAgents: “Emoov seem to have been added to every single area. How ridiculous is that!”
Eye tested out this claim by looking at allAgents’ directories for our own local towns – Reading, Basingstoke and Fleet. In each case, eMoov is listed at the top of the directories, and in Basingstoke is the only featured agent.
We also found that when consumers click on to allAgents to search for an agent, the default agent is eMoov.
Martin McKenzie, of allAgents, told Eye: “We have introduced a new advertising option that allows agents to list themselves in other areas and postcodes out-with their postal branch location.
“This feature particularly appeals to online agents as they cover areas up to the whole of the UK.
“Russell [Quirk] at eMoov picked up on this opportunity and recognised the value this could bring his business and has jumped on it.
“We appreciate that online agents are not every one’s flavour of the moment but we are totally independent and anyone can approach us to advertise in their selected areas.”
I really hate to point this out but of course the high street is going to become irritated by the online agents. Online agents have the benefit of this kind of knowledge; how to get noticed on the web. Simply using the marketing tools available to draw as much attention to your company as possible is nothing to be demonised, if anything, the response smacks of irritation that they're not able to compete on this level.
Everyone has their target market but an agents annoyance at someone else's higher listing is really nothing new and online agents do have a lot to offer those vendors/landlords who prefer that level of service. It's unfortunate that there seems to be a noticeable shift from high street to online but maybe this is just a sign of the times?
Laura
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How easy is it to manipulate allagents?!
I'm still amazed when I see agents with the Allagents logo splashed all other their website.
And why local agents would want to compete with online agents on reviews is beyond me – they are an online "buy it now" company that heavily rely on allagents and other review sites – so to think that they do not employ people for this purpose is naive at best.
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Allagents are about money, money, money. I doubt morality and ethics will come into the equation.
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Its another example of goal posts moving as they did and continue to do with RM and Zoopla. All agents is not a charity, its a business but by acting in this way and as agents feelings gain momentum, it will end up shooting itself in the foot. My advice would be to steer clear of such sites . Anything you cant control is open to abuse, as we are continuing to see now. Agents mutual may well give us the opportunity we need to take some of that control back but, in the interim, I'd just be careful where I allow my brand to be displayed and with whom, as well as considering the implications of publicising other companies or websites within my own organisation. Your brand is a very precious commodity.
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Very, very well said, TPS. I have had personal experience of these sharks and their goal post moving. And once again, like with RM and Z, it is agents that are giving them free publicity/advertising. Allagents say agents can (must!) have a free presence on their site, however they do their very best to distract the public from those "free" reviews and "free" presence. Ask them for a solution to this and the answer comes back: PAY US MONEY. And: PLACE LINKS TO US ON EVERY PAGE OF YOUR WEBSITE. (And much more besides.)
As with RM and Z, the concept is very good (RM & Z even have decent websites). But, in all three cases, Mr Greed is at the helm. And in all three cases, agents – no one else – put them where they are now.
But there is hope for the future of decent agents throughout the country: We have Agents' Mutual; we have Eye; next we need an ethical review site (hint hint 🙂 )
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Many thanks.
I know Rob Allen and he's got a great 3 branch network but he is swimming in a pond with some really big players. This is the last thing a hard working independent business should need to deal with as you should expect transparency from those you do business with as apposed to having to look over your shoulder.
As I said in another post, we are all going to have to box clever and whilst many things are cyclical, the internet is here to stay but so are good independent estate agents. Remember the early 90's when we all convince that independents were dead and that the UK would have 3 large EA chains, Halifax, Woolwich and the Pru…that didn't work too well because they underestimated the market, the business and the clientele. Its the same now…independents will need to fight, innovate and certainly look at ways of reducing how much they feed out without control if they want to remain a part of the landscape over the next 10 years.
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To follow up on MF's posts, AllAgents are very much focused on short term financial gains (no doubt with a view to trying to sell the site on at some stage in the near future). In the meantime this means that they deliver a shocking customer service, and hide behind their website unless of course you choose to call the only phone number they have on their site… however this line is only for agents looking to advertise on the site (suprise suprise!). Their defense is that agents benefit from the "free" advertising, however they forget that without agents engaging with their site, it is pretty much worthless.
With Agents Mutual entering the portal market, perhaps a review section within the portal could be a huge traffic driver, plus giving agents a further incentive to sign up. It could be properly moderated, well designed and easier to navigate than AllAgents, and without the need to sell its sole to the devil, it would see the instant demise of AllAgents, in favour of a review site that allows actual agents (as opposed to the new breed of websites masquerading to be estate agents) to promote feedback and transparency, without being held to randsom.
I'd estimate that most of the AllAgent reviews are as a result of estate agents directing their clients to the site, Agents Mutual could instantly benefit from all of these referrals.
Anyone at AM have any thoughts on this?
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If you take the example of Trip Adviser there have been comments on there that have been the "make or break" of many businesses. It only takes a well planned offensive by some rival to post a couple of bad reviews to put alot of people off using that particular company.
I like the idea of the public being able to review an agent's performance, but this has to be impartial, independent and very well policed.
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johnb – "I like the idea of the public being able to review an agent's performance, but this has to be impartial, independent and very well policed."
By virtue of what it is – a personal opinion of an experience, then it CANNOT be impartial or independent.
As to being "very well policed" – well… THAT is a completely different kettle of worms!
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"As to being "very well policed" – well… THAT is a completely different kettle of worms!"
Nail on head there Peebee. Everyone should be able to review an agent but it has to be fair, Allagents is clearly open to abuse.
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When All Agents first started e-mailing round stating they were the real consumer based review site for agents and that every agent could miss out by not being on there, it was obvious they were just another marketing tool to sell advertising/property leads or anything else they could flog. I should think the actual review section is absolutely meaningless and of no use to agents in any way ,shape, or form. All there is other than the "you have to be seen on it" or miss out psychology, is an avenue to waste even more of your annual advertising budget. A total waste of time and energy…vote with your feet people.. They will obviously promote the on-line agent first as they have minimal overheads and a big fat budget to spend….
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Estateagent.me seem to be pretty good compared to aa, great customer service and they only accept 5 star reviews to save all of these junk reviews, you can also approve and respond, can do loads more as well, i spoke to Trevor last week who runs the site and he mentioned that they have a new site coming in July that will blow aa of the planet. Will be interesting to see.
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I remember may years ago, when RM/Zoopla were in their infancy that a friend of mine could not understand why we would drive traffic to other sites and not our own…even advertising the fact. Whilst hindsight is a wonderful thing, the web makes our business a global market so portals will remain an intrinsic part of the business now for ever more. This said, having control of the content, regulations and policies of how such sites operate, for US ,the customer, MUST be the way forward. A M could potentially be that route and I for one hope that the realisation of their actions really starts to hit the big two as momentum gains over the year. I can imagine a good many agents relishing the opportunity to turn the tables on their portal BDM's towards the year end buy saying "right, one of you two is being let go…what's the best deal YOU are going to do for ME?"
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ONLINE helping ONLINE
I am sure we will see allagents play an ever increasing role in the future of agency and public choice of agency.
I was at a charity event and spoke to an analyst who told me that ZOOPLA already had a business plan in place to have the option to press on with "private listings" via field agents at a fixed fee in the future. I can see them using the likes of allagents to gain instant recommendations accross the country in all areas just like e moov. If traditional agents are railroaded off allagents, or don't pay allagents then it will be another nail for the professional high street agents……Trust a trader site is 89% foreign build teams (mainly Eatern European) and they have rowed out many a local builder on price and recommendations through the site.
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Does not surprise me. Our business is evolving and I can see more and more changes and innovations coming but the FSBO approach will, in my view always be a relatively small part of the market place. We have taken many things from the USA and Australia with open days and open houses a regular part of the weekend strategy at most agents but it remains under the control of the agent. In the states, Realtors work along similar lines to field agents but still have to advertise their services, be accredited and work ***** hard (Just as Phil from Modern Family!). The portals are looking a t ways of protecting their business, which is their right to do, but they, currently only exist because of us. I have my own views and plans on where I think my business is going, and agency as a whole, but a service led proposition will always be at its heart.
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Any business where an outstanding service-led proposition at its heart will always do well.
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Phil from Modern family (and those following a fiels agency model) still have to work hard?
I am a high st agent that believes in service…..but it used to take me all afternoon to do a reasonable phone out on a house…..and 2 staff all friday to do the weekly group send out………takes me approx 5-10 seconds to do that job now via text/mail merge etc….
Fact is it is an easier job now and therefore with the best service ethic in the world we cant keep selling fees at 80's % and expect the new generation of home sellers to think that is value for money.
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Well, if estate agents drop RM and Z then they will be screwed, it will just be a private sales site, AM will succeed. RM and Z will have NO income from us.
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Paull
It would be interesting to know when figures are released just how many agents have not renewed their contracts with either RM or Z with the AM propostion now cracking on afoot.
JM
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Come on Rob this isn’t Sesame Street it’s business and nobody owes you a living, its a world of free enterprise.
allAgents are here to make money my friend and sure we may not like their machiavellian tendencies but it’s well documented so suck it up. We’re all agents [see what I did there] practising the same religion but the whole ethos of the online model is that its everywhere, you know – the whole www thing…
Go big or go home dude, acclimate your head to a new style of thinking and lose the sense of entitlement. An agent review is about the agent – not stock, it’s how the world turns and allows even the smallest niche agent to exist. Jeez, google a plumber and see how many cover your area but aren’t actually based there.
I’m guessing your thirty years have built a reputation to be envied, a laudable and aspirational achievement so trade on that, stop ******* and start crowing. Look, online agents are here, right now and they're growing yet all we do is complain about ‘goal posts’ being moved and then demand the very same in retaliation.
Have we just become an endangered species that needs protecting?
I’m like @laurakhan but with extra mean sauce because that’s the only way to wake you up brother. Maybe a little shock & awe gets you thinking outside of ‘local’. Christ why would you limit your prospect in the face of increasing competition that isn’t afraid of being out there? So what if Russell’s whoring his business, don’t blame him for taking advantage or the advertisers for allowing him to do so, that just smacks of self-pity and a lack of appreciation for the new pace of agency acumen.
I live in Beckenham, a high street subjugated by over 15 agents not including the new arrival of Foxtons but I don’t believe the battle’s going to be won on the ground anymore. I don’t need to see the matrix to know It’s not about renting premises, its about renting head space and all this lack of countenance does is prove that Russell and the like are living rent free in ours. I don’t know about you Rob but my fight back is a little more resilient than sticks and stones…
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Wow…what insight…what knowledge…must be written by the most successful EA or businessman in Beckenham if not the whole South East. Must live in the biggest house in Beckenham.
It's like reading a script from 2012 or WC1.
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Just what we need, another agent with hurt feelings. Listen buddy my 15 mins was about your BFF and the rest of us being realistic in what we can expect in today's agency. You want to put me on a pedastal then giddy up but maybe the next time you feel the need to bare your teeth, check they're not smudged in lipstick first.
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"Hurt feelings"…"buddy"…As your clearly from the Bronx or perhaps too bigger fan of all things American, lets be clear. Rob's not my BFF, but someone I've come across in the business over the years (actually sold my first house for me I think). Your posts spew lots of words but with little meaning or advice. If you have something to say, constructive or otherwise, this is the forum, no doubt about that, but pouring out phrases from the latest self help sales book are really of little use to anyone without meat on the bones. By this I'm not referring to "blue skiing" ideas or "putting a fence round it" I'm actually talking about the business of Estate Agency. As I said originally, by your comments you not I seem to elevate yourself above the rest which would naturally lead all to assume that you must be incredibly successful at what you do. Which firm do you operate or work for as I'd love to visit the website to see what tips I can pick up.
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Come on missy your first reply was hardly awash with ‘meaning’ or ‘advice’ let alone ‘constructive’ so you might want to check that compact mirror for a little introspect. Whatever emotional debt you owe Rob its best repaid elsewhere, let the guy speak for himself.
Assumptions, assumptions, assumptions jeez quit braying and stop deflecting because the truth is you just don’t like my vernacular. See like you said, I’m actually talking about the business of agency but I’m just not about to slow walk you through it. I’m not trying to be a good host either and given the current industry climate neither should you. If you want salvation it aint here, no quick fix answers so find your own light to run to. Does the expression tough love really need explaining…
Syntax aside, that vapidity you can smell is yours so count your own money and not mine. I’m an agent but my success isn’t defined by your imagination, similarly my words don’t transcend my status above those of my colleagues, that’s just asinine.
Deference is a b*tch but you need to get a grip of that inner Magoo and wake up to the realization of trading in todays agency. We’ve all got to figure out our relevance and then re-assess it and quit expecting everyone to wait whilst we do. Business isn’t personal so we need to stop with the incredulity every time another online guy rocks up on Rightmove. It’s industry tectonics so steady your feet and just get on with it, or maybe we should just wait out that epiphany whilst we visit TPS website to see what she’s doing?
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Its Mr TPS to you
"I’m an agent but my success isn’t defined by your imagination, similarly my words don’t transcend my status above those of my colleagues, that’s just asinine" I'm not sure I even understand that so perhaps your right, perhaps I will "reassess my relevance" however writing advice and even giving it is very different from actually achieving anything meaningful in the field within which you claim to have such insight.
Lets agree to disagree on this one Tuf Luv and I'm sure our pens will cross at some point in the future.
Magoo
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The greatest football manager we've ever had won s*d all as a player, funny that. Wouldn't dream of comparing myself so my point is just read it as good old common sense.
I don't claim 'insight' you just think I do and that's on you but this'll give you a buzz Mr TPS, if a lifer who's never achieved anything said don't break the law – I'd listen up…
If I'm sh*te then learn from my mistakes and if I'm sage then follow my yellow brick road but either way you can't qualify good old common sense.
I don't know about you but if the online's do win then I'm going down swinging!
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Didn't think it would happen but I actually agree with you. "Sitting at the back of the bus" or "going down without a fight" will be the epitaph of many Mr or Mrs Tuf Luv…but not you or I by the sounds of it. In regards to the on lines winning, well, I think they will take a share, its inevitable, and it may be that we agents have a difficult time ahead but evolution is the way of things. We all know, for a fact, that many will do nothing…change nothing and, when it comes to EA, eventually have nothing and those that survive will succeed as a result. No one owes us a living so any that do succeed will only do so as a result of ensuring their proposition fits the demands of the market place, be that on line or office based. Interesting times ahead I think…
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Hmmm… is 'Tuf Luv'-speak the future of our industry? Personally I don't like the style (but then Tuf Luv highly probably doesn't like mine…) but essentially he/she is batting straight and true when you take out the Ali G vs Eminem.
There's definitely method in the madness there – if you can be bothered to pick it out of the narrative, that is… ;o)
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I can dress it up with a smiley winkey face but would you really take me seriously, oh wait…
Quit sitting at the back of the bus and tell the truth you rascal I had you reading right to the end didn't I? Ali G vs Eminem – sounds like just the right amount of fear and self loathing.
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It appears that as part of this deal, Emoov have a directory listing under every single town/location in the UK. Furthermore, because they’re aggregating all of their reviews under their “head office” entry, they will have far more collective reviews than each of the individual localised agency branches (who only show reviews for that specific office).
I think this both unfair and misleading. If somebody is searching for agents using a location specific directory, surely they expect to see agents that operate from that specific location. If this isn’t going to be the case, theoretically there’s nothing to stop traditional agents listing in the same way e.g. aggregating all of their reviews together (rather than localising them) in order to show an impressive number, whilst also listing in every location on the basis that they too can also list properties anywhere in the UK provided the vendors are happy to do their own viewings etc, a la Emoov’s model.
Even if traditional agents didn’t take this step, what’s stopping the entire collection of online estate agents also asking for a listing under every geographical location?
The other major point is that All Agents are heavily reliant on local agents promoting their site to prospective vendors. Why on earth would they continue to do this if it’s basically directing those same prospective vendors to a page that heavily promotes a low cost alternative to their own business? It’s like turkeys voting for Christmas!
I think All Agents have been very short sighted in selling their soul this way. They’re completely alienating the very market they’re trying to appeal to!
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