Widdows also noted, “It’s all about the people. The people power the technology.” Drawing on a Big Mac analogy, Widdows noted that no matter which McDonald’s you visit, you’ll always have a consistent experience. And utilizing technology provides the same within the real estate space. “Technology never forgets. It gives consistency to a process, creating efficient systems and a consistent consumer experience.”
Understanding Today’s Consumer
Another key strategy discussed at this year’s forum had to do with taking a deep dive into the psyche of the consumer.
“As an industry, we seem to have lost our perspective as to exceptional customer service,” said Sherry Chris. With a unique vantage point (having built her business from the ground up), Chris was able to look at the entire process from the consumer perspective, launching the brand as a values-driven company. “If you have something that you stand for, it provides a level set and a great foundation on which to build your value proposition and stick to it.”
“Today’s consumers aren’t looking at the purchase of a home as a transaction,” added Chris, “which gives us the opportunity to catch their interest much earlier.”
And catching their interest begins with always thinking in terms of what’s best for the consumer. With a calculated growth strategy in place, Dan Kruse, president of Century 21 Affiliated, decided to switch up his business model and philosophy five years ago from an agent-centric company to a consumer-centric one. “With the Internet-based lead program we have in place today, our lead conversion is over 16 percent,” said Kruse. “Today, when a lead comes in, the consumer is getting close to an instant response.”
Connecting the Dots with a Comprehensive Game Plan
“In 2015, there’ll be more traffic that we can trace to mobile devices than we can to the wired web,” said Gardner, making it imperative for real estate professionals to have a comprehensive game plan in place across all devices, as well as integration with both the front and back end for a great consumer experience. “Smartphones are typically the first device people reach for, so a mobile-first approach is crucial since it’s the common thread for everything we do.”
“Mobile is definitely where it’s at today,” added Chris, who explained that the best way to stay relevant is to provide good quality content to the consumer on a regular basis.
While technology plays a large part in providing consumers with the best experience possible, it’s also important to not overlook the people behind that technology. “We’ve never moved into a market without having good people,” said Kruse, who points to a company’s culture and its people as critical pieces of the puzzle. “If your people can tell your story, they can go out there and deliver the best customer service experience.”
Stay tuned to RISMedia.com for more event coverage.
