Developing A Hybrid Estate Agency

Below is a quick look at what percentage of consumers claim are important issues they would like addressed:

A cursory glance at those figures will reveal that what consumers really want is better, more personal service, in addition to greater availability. This may explain why Purplebricks conducts 70% of their business outside normal operating hours. It is clear that customers, accustomed to the 24/7 nature of the internet, are now beginning to expect this level of service in all other aspects of their lives and are not willing to settle for less.

For the traditional shop front, this poses a problem. Creating a website is just the first step in addressing these demands, but what comes next? Stepping into the ever-advancing world of technology can seem daunting, but these days, the transition from traditional model to hybrid agency is easier than ever.

 The above list makes it clear that technology alone will not create a successful agency. Consumers still want a human touch, and buying a home is one of the more stressful events in a person’s life. The speed and convenience of the internet has pushed Purplebricks to the forefront of people’s minds, but even they recognize the need for a physical presence. As a result, they have ramped up their hiring of local property experts to address this concern. As we’ve mentioned before  ‘The Year Ahead’, once a disruptor enters a market, they almost always have to adapt their model.

Traditional brick-and-mortar agencies, strangely, find themselves in a unique position. They already have a physical location. They already are local experts. And they are, therefore, already more personal than purely online agencies. This means that it is less problematic for them to adapt to the changing model than it is for an online agency to become local. Getting software, in other words, is easier than setting up shop in a community. So how does technology benefit an agency, specifically, and how would one go about it? To answer these questions, let’s first look at the benefits.

As an exercise, let’s examine the old model versus the newer, tech-based model to see how the different approaches would handle the same situation. In the past, for example, if an agent wanted to create a brochure for a specific property, they would tour the site with the seller while taking notes and photographs. Once that was completed, they would have to return to their office, sit down and start typing, editing photos and so forth. They would then have to get approval from the seller before then sending it off to be printed.

Now imagine the agent of the future who shows up to the meeting with an iPad. During the tour, they take photos and instantly incorporate those photos into a template, complete with text and information the seller wishes to advertise. At the end of the meeting, they can show the seller their customised brochure and have it approved or amended right on the spot. The agent could then email that brochure to a list of buyers in their database who are looking for such a property. All of this happens before the outdated agent even sits down at their desk.

That same database would also contain information on removals companies, conveyancing, insurance brokers, lawyers and more, allowing the agent to make introductions between the best possible matches and extract more value from a single sale than they may have before. This also might help them address the concern over excessive fees, as even a slight drop in those fees might attract new customers, leaving them better off overall as a result.

Another exciting development that takes advantage of your full database is the upcoming Client Login Area. This new feature will allow vendors to sign in, and at a glance, view activity across multiple properties, status, updates, and more. This can also greatly increase the ease of communication with the agent since both parties will have access to the same information and can send messages via the app. Buyers, Sellers, Tenants or Landlords can also use the same system to search for similar properties, save them, update images, manage rent payments and log and book viewings or valuations. The Client Login Area will help support the hybrid agent by providing a central hub that keeps everyone on the same page and up to date.

As we have seen, adopting this new technology isn’t as scary as it may seem and the benefits are numerous. What then, are the first steps to becoming an agency equipped to meet these new demands? Rezi was designed for just this sort of thing. A powerful API fifteen years in the making, Rezi can automate tasks like emails and reminders, keeping an agent informed as to whom they should be contacting, for instance. It was created to integrate with almost any third party software and to evolve with the times, making it virtually future proof. This flexibility also means that an agent can bring their own creativity and use it in new, exciting ways. Want to send flowers to congratulate a new homeowner? Rezi can do it for you, complete with a customised, personal note. Have an idea on how to improve your business or customer relations? Rezi can help you realise those ambitions.

One of Rezi’s most powerful tools are its fully customisable workflows. With minimal effort, agents can set up automated and personalised workflows to handle tasks that would otherwise require time and attention better spent on customer service. These workflows can handle things as mundane as emails and reminders, or something else entirely, like automatically sending clients a bouquet of flowers on the anniversary of buying their home.

Once implemented, these solutions are designed to automate as much of your business processes as you like, leaving you with more time to focus on customer service. They also help maintain a consistent brand as all of your materials originate in the same place. With such power behind them, you might think creating an automated workflow would require a degree in computing, however, the entire Rezi interface is built to be simple and easy to use, helping you get the most out of its technology

With so many options for customisation, Rezi is the best way to turn your brick and mortar operation into a hybrid agency designed to get the most out of evolving technology. As the market changes, Rezi helps you change with it to meet the future head on. Becoming a hybrid agency might have seemed daunting in the past, but with Rezi’s software, it’s easier than ever. Our experts will make sure that Rezi fully integrates into your business and will oversee the transition to ensure fewer issues after launch. If you’ve ever wondered how you might grow your business by taking advantage of the newest software, Rezi is here to help.