Are you where you belong? Do you have the necessary tools to succeed? Craig Witt addresses those questions in his latest blog.
Please allow me to ask you a question: why do you work where you do? Really, what significant detail or one thing can you say attracted you to and makes you stay where you are? You see, everyone has stuff to some degree…tools, training, technology or some value-add component that keeps you welded in to your office. The question is always, do I feel like I belong here and is it getting the most and the best out of me.
As I tour around the North Central Division of the United States visiting our EXIT Realty offices and speaking at events, I try to ask the agents and brokers I encounter this simple question: why would I work for you or your office? What is it that you really like about where you work, and what would make it better? By asking these effective questions, it gives me a better idea of what is important to them, and how we can better service our own agents.
Broker/owner responses are often interesting as to what they perceive is important to their agents. In a time where Wall Street money is gobbling up real estate companies, acquiring long-time independents, and becoming these mega franchises, service and support are more important than ever. Owners and agents typically don’t mind paying a royalty if they are getting great service and support. In my travels, however, that is not always the case. It is our job as a franchise brand to provide a value proposition to our associates that is better than everyone else. Underpromise and overdeliver in every way so they never have to question the commitment of the company to the asset, the agent.
When I joined EXIT Realty back in 2004, I was taught that the agents are the most important asset in a real estate company. I could not agree more; without agents there is no brokerage and therefore no real estate company. If this is the general consensus, then what can we do to make agents more productive? What can we do to empower our agents to help be part of building our company because they believe it is the best place to work? How do we give them a voice so they can be heard and feel like their opinion matters? When you stop listening to your people, they stop listening to you.
As we cruise through the second quarter of 2013 and business continues to improve, always take time to ensure you are getting your return on investment. Take time to invest in yourself and really utilize the tools, training and technology your company offers you. If you are an owner, participate and pass down the information to your agents to keep them informed and current. Hold them to a higher standard and help them become better through education; the goal is to provide an environment where agents and owners love to work and can be productive.
Have a great month!
Craig Witt is the president of the North Central Division of EXIT Realty Corp., which includes Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.