Estate agency has a service problem. Not a bad service problem – a forgettable one.
Too many agents stop at efficiency, when the real money, reputation and loyalty live in the realm of hospitality.
Luxury hotels and fine dining restaurants command eye-watering prices for rooms and meals that, if we’re honest, aren’t vastly different from what you could get elsewhere. What you’re paying for is the detail, the theatre, the experience – the feeling that someone has anticipated your needs before you’ve even voiced them.
And that’s where estate agents can learn a thing or two. While we like to call ourselves a “service industry,” much of what passes for service is really just process: emails, viewings, valuations, completion. Efficient? Sure. Memorable? Forget about it.
But let’s look at what “five-star” really means.
When a family arrived at the Ritz-Carlton in Bali with special eggs and milk for their allergic son, they found them broken and spoiled. Most hotels might have dismissed this as a problem of the customer’s own making. The Ritz-Carlton’s chef instead sourced replacements 1,600 kilometres away in Singapore. His mother-in-law personally flew them in. The parents left with a story they would tell for the rest of their lives.
At another Ritz-Carlton, a lost toy giraffe named Joshie was returned to its owner not just by post, but with a full photo album of Joshie’s “extended holiday” – lounging by the pool, helping security, living his best life. The father shared it on the Huffington Post, and suddenly the Ritz-Carlton’s care and consideration had earned them an international audience.
In the restaurant world, Morton’s Steakhouse once delivered a porterhouse steak to an airport because a loyal customer tweeted a joke about wanting one on arrival. A tuxedo-clad waiter met him at the gate, steak in hand. The stunt went viral, winning millions of views and untold goodwill.
And at Eleven Madison Park, one of New York’s most celebrated fine dining restaurants, a group of diners once mentioned they hadn’t managed to try a New York street hot dog. Minutes later, the kitchen sent one out – on fine china, beautifully plated, and topped with caviar. Another couple who’d cancelled a beach holiday found themselves dining in a private room filled with sand, umbrellas, and cocktails; the restaurant literally brought the beach to Manhattan. And it paid off – Eleven Madison Park was later named the best restaurant in the world, and its co-owner Will Guidara went on to literally write the book on exceptional customer service.
A bank – that least cuddly of institutions – proved that it could needlessly exceed customer expectations. When TD Bank unveiled its “Automated Thanking Machine”, customers expected another cash ATM. Instead, it dispensed gifts. A widowed mum received tickets to Disneyland for her children. A pensioner found himself holding a bouquet of roses. Another customer got a flight to visit a sick relative. Every gift was deeply personal, drawn from the stories staff had quietly collected over time from their customers. Reactions of tears, laughter, disbelief went viral overnight. TD Bank reminded its customers that behind the spreadsheets, they were humans who’d been listening all along.
Even airlines, not exactly known for infusing their customers with joy, have shown what’s possible. WestJet’s “Christmas Miracle” saw staff secretly buy gifts passengers wished for mid-flight, so when they landed, the luggage carousel was filled with wrapped presents. The video has since clocked tens of millions of views and cemented WestJet’s reputation for humanity in a cold, transactional sector.
And sometimes, the magic is as simple as pizza at 30,000 feet. When a United Airlines flight was stranded late at night, a captain bought 30 pizzas for hungry passengers. As every despairing estate agency manager knows, pizza makes everything better.
So what’s the lesson for us?
Hospitality at this level isn’t about opulence, but observation. It’s about listening carefully enough to spot the small, human detail you can turn into delight. A hot dog, a child’s toy, a thoughtful gift.
And when we translate that to estate agency, the same rule applies. The best experiences don’t have to be costly, just considered.
Imagine a valuer who notices a child’s artwork pinned to the fridge and later sends a little “new home” sketch pad with a thank-you note. A negotiator who logs that a client’s completion date coincides with their anniversary and arranges a card and bottle to be waiting in the new home. Or a branch that swaps its generic welcome pack for something genuinely local – pastries from the bakery next door, coffee from the roaster down the street, a hand-written “welcome to the neighbourhood” from the team.
These aren’t grand gestures. They’re human ones. And they transform the ordinary into the unforgettable.
The commercial payoff is real. The Ritz-Carlton’s tales of kindness became global PR gold. WestJet’s Christmas video generated millions of new customers. Morton’s steak stunt multiplied its social following overnight. When people feel cared for, they talk about it – and talk, in our business, means referrals, reviews, and repeat instructions.
Personal touches are the cheat-code to building more meaningful relationships.
The truth is, buyers and sellers don’t just want agents who are just competent – they want to feel special, seen, and remembered.
That’s what five-star hospitality delivers. And in a world of lookalike agencies and samey slogans, it might just be the thing that makes yours stand out.
Thanks Toby. What an excellent piece and a great reminder to us all of what going the extra mile REALLY means. With all the emotional stresses of buying/renting and selling a home and the general “sameness” displayed by most estate agents, this idea presents a great opportunity for some of us to really stand out.
I’d love to hear what other PIE readers do to stand out for their buyers, sellers, tenants and landlords.
Any suggestions gratefully received!
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The article argues that estate agents must move beyond merely “efficient service” (which it calls “forgettable process”) and instead deliver “theatre”—personalised, memorable, and often unexpected gestures drawn from the hospitality industry (e.g., luxury hotels, fine dining).
The approach risks failure due to the fundamental difference, such as the transaction between property and hospitality:
1. Misplaced Priority: Competence vs. Delight: Buying or selling a home is one of the highest-stakes, most stressful transactions a client undertakes. The client’s primary concern is the agent’s competence in securing the best price, navigating complex legal issues, and ensuring a smooth, on-time completion. If an agent provides “theatre” (like a personalised welcome gift or a thoughtful card) but is slow to respond, mismanages a viewing, or costs the client money through inefficiency, the personalised gesture becomes a superficial distraction or even an insult.
2. Unsustainable Cost and Focus: The highly publicised, viral examples cited (Ritz-Carlton’s global sourcing of milk, Morton’s airport steak delivery) are often high-cost stunts, labour-intensive, or require significant institutional resources. For an estate agency operating on standard commissions, consistently delivering these levels of “hospitality” for every client may be financially unsustainable or divert crucial time and resources away from the core business of transacting property.
3. Low Frequency of Repeat Business: Unlike a restaurant or hotel, which relies on frequent repeat customers, a property client may not buy or sell again for a decade. The commercial payoff of the “theatre” must translate entirely into third-party referrals. If a firm focuses too heavily on gestures that don’t directly lead to a demonstrably better outcome (e.g., a higher selling price), the return on investment for the “theatre” is highly questionable.
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Hi WITMM, I’m afraid you’ve encountered a writer who’s more than happy to pontificate further on a subject dear to me.
Your first point – couldn’t agree with you more. Theatre can’t replace competence. In the world of hospitality, no amount of personalisation and surprise could make up for bed bugs. But as you said, this is one of the most stressful transactions a client undertakes – so why shouldn’t we strive to make it more memorable for all the right reasons? Why should “good enough” be good enough?
Point 2 – Sometimes the smallest gestures are the most memorable. You could deliver a thoughtful gift that barely cost a penny to create. A handwritten post card, a print of their new home that’s been created with AI and printed in the office, a colouring sheet and crayons if you know they are arriving with kids. Throwing money at these things is often less productive – because it becomes less thoughtful, and more generic.
Your third point – This is the one I feel strongest about, and where a great many agents are missing opportunities. Estate agency IS a repeat business. It may take years for a customer to return to you, but why shouldn’t you nurture them to ensure they don’t go elsewhere?
What’s more – what’s you biggest source of leads? Most people I ask that question to say, “Word of mouth reccomendations.” You want your previous customers to be advocates for your business, to spread the word, and share their experience and for other people to be blown away by what they hear. Sure, an ex-customer could just be a closed book – a transaction that completed, a fee that’s been paid. But give them an experience worth talking about, and they can be so much more.
But don’t get me wrong – it sounds like you know your business and your own priorities, and there’s more than one path to success. Have a great day!
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As both my comment and your response were convoluted, let’s cut to the chase!
What’s your demonstrated and recorded return on investment that supports this approach?
No ifs or maybes or unproven percentages. Just hard currency please…
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“Your third point – This is the one I feel strongest about, and where a great many agents are missing opportunities. Estate agency IS a repeat business. It may take years for a customer to return to you, but why shouldn’t you nurture them to ensure they don’t go elsewhere?”
The vast majority of EA will not be with the same firm in 10 years time.
People are not fixated on the EA who sold their house 10 years ago – they have moved on.
When they come to move again they will do the same thing – ask a few against to come and provide valuations and pitch.
When I moved last bit one the agents was very good – when we came to move again we had 4 vals and chose a different agent on the basis of price and fee – they arranged a sale at a higher price than the original agent within 4 days.
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I reckon there’s a piece of work that the likes of TwentyEA could publish around repeat business.
Somewhere within the portals and Land Registry lies the data that would indicate if a property comes back to the market and completes with the same agent. It wouldn’t give a number for who had moved and then instructed the same agent to sell their new home (although examination of chain data might) but it would show one side of the repeat business debate.
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