You know when the bad times are here because all those agency dinners and company awards bashes sadly vanish.
You also know when the recovery kicks in, because agents start splashing out on the things they’d cut back on – including those motivational company award evenings.
But you really know when the good times must be rolling when the awards bashes last several days and take place abroad.
Step forward Spicerhaart, which next month is taking a 200-strong delegation of its top-performing employees to New York for the estate agency group’s first-ever internationally held conference and awards ceremony.
Members of Spicerhaart staff who will attend the event work in any division and at any level of seniority, but all will have excelled in 2014.
The annual conference and awards which takes a look at Spicerhaart’s business aims for 2015 as well as celebrating outstanding achievements in 2014, features awards across all business areas from estate agency and lettings through to the call centre staff – and includes some special achievement awards.
CEO Paul Smith said: “We never lose sight of how important our colleagues are to the business.
“New York is one of the world’s most iconic cities so it’s a fantastic location to celebrate success.”
The weekend in early March will include a VIP viewing of the Empire State Building and a meal on a yacht on the Hudson River as well as being wined and dined at top New York restaurants.
The Spicerhaart team will be staying in a hotel on Times Square, at the very centre of the action of the city that never sleeps.
Spicerhaart has also announced that it is expanding its graduate recruitment programme and will hire 30 graduates this year, all of whom will receive an 18-month training programme.
The company is additionally taking on ten paid interns who will work for ten weeks in branches.
I have absolutely nothing against companies rewarding staff for performance, but I do think it’s a bit crass to do press releases about it. There is no need, and it creates that “80’s agent-money to burn” image of the industry. I think we should point out, on valuations, exactly why Spicer/Haart are more expensive than some competitors…..not because they do more but to pay for a jolly up in America!
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Sounds like the green eyed monster raising its head to me.
I have 20 staff to entertain (on a good day) if taking them all out on a Jolly. As a result I can afford to take the whole lot out and treat all equally. I’ve no idea how many staff SH have but to do the same would clearly be impossible. Subsequently they have obviously chosen to offer an aspirational reward to the elite and can therefore afford to push the boat out. In regards to issuing a press release, not sure if they have or not (I doubt it) but getting there reward programme onto a forum read by predominantly, if not exclusively estate agents is a pretty smart recruitment campaign if you ask me.
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£1/2 Million to take staff to New York for a weekend…..just the publicity the Industry needs coming up to an election with Agents/tenants fees at the top of the agenda. Fuel for the fire as far as Shelter is concerned and the voting young families I am sure will be pleased to see their fees being put to such a good cause. If Spicerhaart want to treat their staff that is great but in today’s economic climate “if you’ve got it don’t flaunt it” Have a thought for all the other Agents who will be tarred with the same brush
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No doubt the consumer will be saying they “charge too much” and going at the busiest time of the estate agency year. Credit where it is due, I remember when Alick & Paul only had six offices, they have come a long way.
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Well done Spicerhaart, celebrating success with high performers is the best way to keep key people who deliver the best service possible to customers. High achievers inspire others and make the customer experience special, a celebration in New York is a great way to say thank you and motivate for the year ahead. I do agree that issuing a press release can result in the wrong perception, however customers don’t often read industry press.
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