How much are lost leads and unused tech costing your agency?

A new benchmarking service has launched to help property agencies identify inefficient processes, underused technology and lost leads. It also aims to calculate the financial cost of these issues.

Property consultancy Olliverr. and marketing agency House of Marque jointly developed the Property Agency Benchmark.

The service examines agencies across five areas. These include operational processes, technology, marketing and lead handling. It then estimates the financial impact of any inefficiencies it finds.

The service also targets agencies considering new CRM systems or other technology. It aims to establish whether they use their existing systems effectively and whether further investment could deliver a return.

Agencies start by completing a questionnaire of around 20 questions. They use information that they should already hold within the business.

Olliverr. founder Sam Olliver then examines the agency’s operations. He looks at workflows, potential delays and how the business uses its existing technology.

House of Marque’s Adam Graver and Lucy Collinge review the agency’s marketing. They examine how customers find the business, its messaging and how staff handle enquiries.

The two businesses provide participating agencies with a combined report within 10 working days. It identifies three priority actions and estimates their potential financial impact. The report also projects the effect of any changes over the following 90 days.

A 45-minute call with representatives from both businesses concludes the process.

The Property Agency Benchmark will cost £1,000 for the first seven agencies. The price will then rise to £1,250.

Agencies can offset the fee against further work they commission from Olliverr. or House of Marque.

“Every agency we’ve ever looked at is paying for at least one thing that isn’t earning its place, a tool, a subscription, a process nobody questions anymore,” said Adam Graver, co-founder of House of Marque. “The Benchmark doesn’t guess which ones need to go. It shows you, in writing; our average audit at House of Marque saves agencies £8,000 straight away as well as helping make decisions on what to do with the elements that stay a part of the mix.”

Sam Olliver, founder of Olliverr, commented: “A growing agency is a double-edged sword. More instructions, more revenue, a business worth more than it was last year. The catch is that the way of working that got it here is rarely the one that carries it through the next stage. What was manageable when the business was smaller becomes a strain as the workload grows, unless processes, systems and automation are working together underneath it, so the team aren’t overwhelmed and clients get the same service as you grow.”

He added: “The capacity is often already in the business, sitting in half-used tools and manual steps that should be automated. The Benchmark shows you where that opportunity is and puts a figure on it, in cost saved and revenue added, so you can grow with the team you have and keep the clients you’ve worked hard to win.”