Rightmove has sent round a survey to its member agents specifically asking them if they will be advertising on Agents’ Mutual.
While it looks as though it could be first real indication the portal giant has so far given of showing concern, a spokesperson said this was not the case.
He said: “It gets sent out as part of our regular customer feedback programme. It’s not new – we’ve been running it for a while now.”
The “three minute” survey asks about agents’ advertising, including whether they use Rightmove, Zoopla, PrimeLocation, their own websites, newspapers, radios, leaflet drops, Google paid-for advertising, and signage – as well as whether they will be using Agents’ Mutual when it launches.
The survey also asks how likely agents would be to recommend each of their advertising media to other, non-competing, agents, with scores on a scale of 1-10, ranging from “not at all likely” to “definitely”.
It goes on to probe agents further about the reasons for their scorings of Rightmove, Primelocation and Zoopla.
The survey, which closes on June 10, is incentivised with a draw with a top prize of £250 and ten others of £25 Amazon vouchers.
* Rightmove shares fell sharply yesterday after publicity about chairman Scott Forbes’s sale of around half his holding to raise £7m. The shares were the second biggest faller on the FTSE 250 as they dropped 78p (3.33%) to £22.64.
Comments (18)
Valid points above, but given that Z is going public next month it is highly unlikely that both AM AND Z would fail – thus leaving us at the mercy of RM. We have decided to join up as Gold Members of AM (putting money where mouth is) and will wait till the very last minute to decide which of the duopoly to ditch.
I have signed as a Silver member on AM, I will be ditching Rightmove a bold move I know but if agents do not make a stand against RM they will simply increase their prices year on year. If agents sign up to AM and ditch RM and not Zoopla for me I think this is a must must, my thoughts behind this is as follows: If agents decide to ditch Zoopla and AM does not take off and folds we will be at the mercy of RM as their nearest competitor Zoopla as well as AM will no longer be around leaving us agents yes you guessed it at the mercy of RM with no genuine competitor what happens then RM put up their prices.
Very interesting point John and, I confess, I hadn't thought of things in that way. My decision was pretty much made to ditch Z in favour of RM but your comments will certainly make me look at the implications of that decision with fresh eyes.
Rightmove have been treating their customers very poorly in recent years.
They have attempted to improve the situation recently but their staff lack even the minimum knowledge of customer care which is rotton from the top down.
I know that Miles Shipside reads this publication and would invite him to back up the claims that this survey is "customer feedback related" and not a blatant attempt to find out what the competition will be doing (treating his customers like idiots?) ….Believe me the silence from him will be deafening.
These so called surveys are not designed to get feedback with a view to "improving service". They are a self-serving and disgraceful way to decide how much agents can be screwed over for at the next price review, and of course to try to ascertain how much of a threat Agents' Mutual might really be.
It's almost as cheeky as using customers to advertise your brand for free across the whole country, and then screw those customers over when all that free advertising and support pays off.
Rightmove have got too big for their boots, and they know it. The sheer arrogance shown by any of their staff when speaking with them shows their complete contempt for their paying customers.
The main problem for me, however, is how they have allowed themselves to dictate to the industry and allow almost anyone to advertise on their portal.
Interestingly their running costs have stayed relatively the same (£31.9m 2012, £35.9m 2013). That amount spread across, let's say 10,000 traditional high street full service agents would equate to roughly £300 per month. There are not 10,000 agents on Rightmove and they mostly all pay more than £300 per month.
Completely agree. The sheer arrogance of the staff I have been dealing with has made me chuckle. Several of our properties didn't go out on one of the 24hr alerts. These were completely new to the market properties. After 2 weeks of emails back and forth and phone calls to find out why I received an email saying that the reason for the properties not appearing was we "had marketed the properties before and they were unimpressed with our efforts to try and get these properties resent out as a new property" Absolute lies and fortunately our software provider could infact prove to them that they were wrong their system had mistaken the properties for similar properties marketed by another agent!!
"Interestingly their running costs have stayed relatively the same (£31.9m 2012, £35.9m 2013)."
REALLY, Paul H?
12.5% increase year-on-year is hardly what I would call "relatively the same", matey!
Admit it – if YOUR costs rose by that amount in 12 months you'd 5h!t a hedgehog… 😉
"Admit it – if YOUR costs rose by that amount in 12 months you'd 5h!t a hedgehog"……Not if my profits rose by 26% in 2012 and 19.5% in 2013 😉
Note my comments above to Paull…
I'M just as green-eyed as you or anyone else in that respect, matey! 😉
Don't forget that both Rightmove and Zoopla can Forecast with fair confidence their annual income and running costs, as CURRENTLY agents do not leave.
Few cracks appearing in the current duopoly of late. Jolly good. Hoping to be rid of both before too long.
How can you even begin to associate the figures pumped out by the portal PR departments with statistics? Agreed both are numbers but that is where the similarity ends…. a bit like Soot and Diamonds.
I never answered these surveys either, in fear of a price increase. Can't wait for RM to start losing agents, they are a vile company that focuses solely on profits. I would love to see their business wiped out over night!
Me too!
"… they are a vile company that focuses solely on profits."
Yup – and so are ALL the most successful companies profit-centric, Paull.
Admit it – you're just jealous of their profit margin.
I AM! 😉
Inclined to complete the survey awarding RM and Z 'nul points' out of 10 and AM 10 points – explaining I'm sick and tired of their duopoly position and constant profiteering….. Whatever next ? a survey asking us which portal we're going to drop when AM launches ???!!!
Ahhh, yes – this one 'popped up' the other day.
I NEVER give RM info. What they do with it is, frankly, dangerous.
Lies… (water retaining structure)+n lies… and Property Portal "statistics". 😉