What's Working Where gives you a whole range of business ideas
that
have
worked
in the current market for fellow 
Relocation Agent Network members...
Customer Service
- Dawsons has implemented a system called 24/7/28, which is a series of service calls made to a buyer/seller post-completion: After 24 hours, a congratulatory call is made. Seven days later, they make a follow-up call to see if the buyer or seller requires a tradesman recommendation. Then after 28 days, a call is made to confirm the first month has gone well for the seller and whether any friends/family require assistance.
- With the view that buyers are potentially future vendors, Heritage is focussing on providing them with good customer service. This includes conducting out of hours viewings, dropping keys off on completion day and providing a 'new home gift package'. Packages may include local gym membership or vouchers for a local restaurant. This is also an opportunity to form relationships with local businesses.
Lead Generation
- Webbers makes follow-up calls with valuations that were conducted 12 months previously and did not come to market.
- Castles created a competition to win &2,000. To participate, individuals had to choose Castles to market their property during April, May and June. Participants also had to receive mortgage and conveyancing quotes, and 'like' the company Facebook page.
Selling Homes
- For a property that was externally unattractive, Webbers created an individual ‘for sale’ board that displayed a striking internal image. They received a fantastic response and sold the property.
- Thomas Morris recommends updating or changing property images to improve click-through rates for Rightmove property listsings.
- Consider setting up an account on social media platform, Periscope. It allows you to broadcast live to followers. Thomas Morris finds it increasingly useful to showcase open houses.
- The ’99 Day Challenge’ sees JB & B Leach promise vendors that if they don’t sell their home within 99 days, the agency fee will be halved.
Staff
- Choose the right staff to conduct viewings and valuations. If a certain employee has built a rapport with a client, then that employee should be the one to conduct the appointment.
- Ensure employees are providing the very best service possible with ‘Observed Listings’. This is a 44 point scoring system created by TM training and development, which helps to achieve the ‘perfect’ valuation.
- Victorstone promotes a healthy work-life balance by offering staff gym membership, flexible working hours for commuters and travel allowance.
Promotion
- Richard James makes use of advertising boards at local supermarkets as their local Tesco receives around 16,000 shoppers per week. Their advertisement asks: ‘Do you know what your house is worth? Call us for a free valuation.’
- Instead of using a ‘We Sell More’ tagline, Heritage adopts a ‘Being Different’ campaign strategy, highlighting the company's leading customer service.
- Dawsons held a ‘selfie’ competition last year. Customers took a photo of themselves next to a Dawsons ‘sold’ board, posted it to their own, personal Twitter/Facebook pages and copied Dawsons into the photo caption. The winner was then chosen by a local newspaper and given &100.
Local Community
- Pygott & Crone forms links with local universities to attract graduates as new recruits.
- Thomas Morris includes a 'Local Events and Fundraising' section in their newsletter.
- JR Hopper has built referral relationships with local businesses. In return for promotion, they pay 5% commission for any referred sale.
