RISMEDIA, September 21, 2009—Building awareness of the importance of home warranties takes a clever, consumer-friendly approach, according to Home Warranty of America (HWA). That’s why the Chicago-based firm introduced their cartoon mascot, Ollie the Orange, last year and has now taken it a step further with a new, educational, 10-minute consumer video clip.
Available as a link for agents to place on their sites, the video stars Ollie who explains the various aspects, benefits and finer points of a home warranty. Consumers can refer back to the video to review the particulars of the home warranty process, freeing the agent to focus more on selling, less on explaining and educating.
HWA suggests that agents use the animated video as a way to break the ice with both new and potential clients. The video offers agents a great reason to revisit cool leads by sending along the link to the new video; this keeps both the agent and HWA’s services top of mind.
Rita Driver—of the Memphis-based Driver Team at RE/MAX All Stars—is excited to be able to refer her clients to the new educational video. “It’s a cute and educational way to quickly orient clients about what is involved with the HWA home warranty process,” she explains. “Right now, I’m sending them to the HWA website to view it, but now I can post the direct link on my own website.”
Thanks to an established relationship with an account representative who recently went to work for HWA, the Memphis-based agent switched over all her existing clients—more than 100—to HWA. “It’s all about getting the best for my clients,” says Driver. “So when I found out I could get them all better coverage and better rates with the additional benefit of personalized service, I decided to make HWA my exclusive referral source for these programs.”
When Driver became dissatisfied with programs that were being quoted from other home warranty providers, it was an easy decision to switch to HWA based on its commitment to building agent relationships and its focus on educating consumers through news mediums like the Ollie the Orange video.
Alan Hamilton of the Hamilton Home Team at Keller Williams Realty in Dallas, also credits the personal relationship he has built with his local representative as the primary reason why he makes HWA his home warranty company of choice.
“Our local area representative from HWA, Howard Zimmerman, takes time to come to our office to visit at least four or five times a year,” Hamilton explains. “He really takes a personal interest in making sure we are happy, which means our clients are happy.”
Hamilton, who said he has HWA plans on both his own homes, has not had the occasion to make a call or claim. But he quickly recalls situations with four or five clients who have made substantial claims in recent months. “One of them had an air conditioner compressor fail just a few days after closing. Without the HWA plan, they would have been out a couple grand at least,” says Hamilton. “And it’s been the same story with every one of my clients who has had to make a claim. They make a call and their problem is remedied immediately by HWA.”
With the new and engaging presence of Ollie the Orange to walk potential homeowners and sellers through the ins and outs of home warranties, and the personalized back-up provided by reps like those serving Hamilton and Driver, HWA is demonstrating their commitment to both real estate professionals and their clients.
For more information, visit www.hwahomewarranty.com.
