Internet agents falling short
Remember the saying ‘you get what you pay for’? Never has that been truer than with internet agents. We’ve seen a raft of property chains at risk of falling through recently, all because internet agents aren’t willing and don’t have the skills to sort through the typical problems that arise. Instead, our teams have had to dive in to rescue the situation, to get everything back on track.
So what can we do? Log all the problems in a central place so the public understand the risk they take with internet agents? Charge these online agents for the work that we’ve done in their place? Raise the matter with higher powers including central government, demanding intervention?
Traditional agents understand the benefits of being local, of knowing the geography and indeed geology of the local area. Knowing how the land lies is critical, in every sense. Most will get to know the buyer’s requirements and vet their finances.
I’d be very interested to hear other examples of where internet agents are falling short. It’s then down to us to ensure the paying public understand the reasons why internet agents can, in many cases, be a false economy.
Best way to incentivise staff
I’m proud to say that at Spicerhaart we offer what I believe is quite simply the best incentive scheme for estate agency staff anywhere in the UK.
What other agent takes their staff on all expenses paid trips across the world, with lavish entertainment laid on as a thank you for all their hard work?
We’ve just returned from Bangkok where we took our 200 top performers on a trip of a lifetime. We combined our awards ceremony with our annual conference, where amazing Australian motivational speakers Tom Panos and Bob (The Rent Roll Builder) Walters gave a rallying call to our troops.
From the minute we left Heathrow and touched down in Thailand to the minute we left, we had a ball. The sight of our staff in 90 tuk tuks, weaving through the streets of Bangkok adorned with our company flags and with a police escort, is something I’ll never forget.
From trips on 64 long tail boats to sightseeing at the Grand Palace, and from massages with 154 Thai masseurs to parties and entertainment, we showed just how much we value our team and the hard work they put in throughout the year. We even watched a boxing match and handed out our awards and medals in the boxing ring.
Engendering a sense of competition in our profession is crucial, it makes everyone work that little bit harder – and with next year’s trip combining Vegas and LA, followed by a further opportunity later in the year to Austria, our team nationwide already have the winning line in their sights.
Comments (17)
I haven’t been Mr Smith’s biggest fan in past, and often don’t agree with what he says – or how he says it.
Looks like nothing’s changed there.
Paul …. ill advised post!!!!!!!!!!!!! Done you no favours and you must have been still suffering from a hang-over at those parties. If you can afford to take that many staff on that type of trip …. NO WONDER THE PUBLIC THINK AGENTS CHARGE TOO MUCH. Many agents are not as big as you and afford a lavish life style at the expense of their staffing hard work. Not wise at all to end up bragging after you slate someone, even if you are right.
“I’d be very interested to hear other examples of where internet agents are falling short” how do we contact you Mr Smith? I suspect getting past the gateguards to speak to you might be difficult. The investigation into various goings on throws up an awful lot of interesting practices and claims that ought to be controlled.
I have to agree with the majority above Paul Smith is very good at blowing his own trumpet, no other companies take their staff on overseas trips …………!! 200 staff members out of how many The retention of staff at SHG is not fantastic and as for great incentives the targets set and the winners seem to be the same ol same ol faces year in year out, the company I work for has realistic expectations where all members of staff have a fair chance to achieve the incentives on offer, and last year all staff were taken on an all expenses trip to Monoco staff moral this year is immense and records are being broken, Mr Smith all be it a very successful Buisness man is no motivator of people, just as his blaming online agents for chain collapses?? He needs to look a bit nearer home for that.
This isn’t news…it’s an advert and not really worthy of publication. Like many, I’ve been a ‘high street’ agent for many years and have now gone to an ‘online’ agent. I worked for the most profitable High St version, a small, local and now a national online agent. During all that time there hasn’t been a time where I have thought things could have been done better. Either stubbornness to keep up with technology or a refusal to fund the necessary changes. So High St vs Online? At the moment they sit there each with their own market. However, I can see a time, if technology keeps going (there is already an agent VR headsets for Viewings) then there will really be no need for an office, which is why the ‘big boys’ are buying up online versions.
i find it insulting to a profession i have worked in for over 25 years that a sweeping pigeon hole phrase can be used to describe anyone that doesnt have a high street branch. As if sitting in a glitzy office somehow makes you more ‘professional’ and even a better agent. i happen to work in a traditional set up, but i would like to think that if i decided to set up from home i would not suddenly lose the skills, tenacity, service levels etc that i have developed over the years. i would advertise on Rightmove…. like everyone else lets be honest, i would encounter inexperienced, poorly trained and arrogant staff in chains and day to day contact with my rivals as i do now, i would have to deal with the corporates, the online and the independents that make up our industry and i am certain i would also, as i do now, come into contact with some incredibly good agents as well from all sectors. I honestly believe that this country will move to a predominantly online offering in the years to come, when that will be no one can predict, but then twenty years ago we were still sending advert cards to the local paper every week so things can move fast. The key is we have choice. we set up our businesses how we want to trade, and the public have a choice as to whom they use. The fees reflect the service provided, if everyone charged the same then you would have a right to moan, but we dont… most agents i have worked for dont even charge all our clients the same in one office let alone across several, at least the online agents are transparent, you know what you are paying and you get what you pay for.
“…at least the online agents are transparent, you know what you are paying and you get what you pay for.”
EHHH?? How can you possibly say that?
Look at what people are led to believe they are “paying for” with the online claims:
‘Sell for just £595.’
‘Instruct to sell for just £798…’
‘Sell with one of our experienced local estate agents for £780′
‘Sell your home for a fixed fee of £699′
SELL… SELL… SELL… – no mention anywhere that the fee is payable WHETHER OR NOT the advertised ‘sell’ happens.
I have worked within the industry for almost 40 years. I see good and bad Agents every day. I smell billshut where others cannot sniff past the rosepetals cast in front of them.
And I NEVER write cheques that I can’t cash.
When the current playing field is levelled that’s when the different models will survive, thrive – or wither and die.
Let us see the fittest survive – not the biggest billshutters.
The winners then will be those that count – our customers.
‘I see good and bad Agents every day. I smell billshut where others cannot sniff past the rosepetals cast in front of them.
And I NEVER write cheques that I can’t cash.’
…………….then competition wont scare you then will it? especially given you have a bionic nose.
t’only thing that scares me is Mrs PeeBee.
NO Agent should need to fear honest, decent, fair competition.
I would suggest that you offer your interpretation of ‘competition’ open for debate, however.
With or without the cloths on, lol.
Oh come on Mr Smith.
Taking online properties where they failed to sell is very easy in deed. We’ve al done it.
Taking 200 of your top performers on holiday just means you get lonely when you have your holidays and want a little company.
I think Paul Smith needs to look at his high turnover of inexperience, incestuous staff, in lots of his failing offices before making comments about picking up the pieces of online agents. Plus, I think he’s still angry that his own online venture didn’t work out all them years ago, you can almost Bangkok on it.
LOL
Every little helps.
What exactly is this .. Want to complain about business ? Then tell stories of Thailand . If I was a general member of the public Paul I would think it was an advertisement for online agency , “we had to do some work so then we took 200 people on the trip of a lifetime round the world and called it an awards ceremony so we can claim it back against our uk tax” please use us in the future, it’s a bit more expensive but we are worth it …
Lol. That is so true. Lol.
Is this about online agents or Advertorial as part of Spicerhearts recruitment drive…..?
No, i think he is trying to justify why people pay more…so they can go on holiday??? wtf…and i am a high st agent.
Good idea though about a central system that appears top of google searches when people type ‘ i need a crap online agent to sell my house becuase i dont like local ones becuase i was bullied at school.com ‘