How many opportunities are you missing?

It always seems strange that as agents we can miss so many opportunities. Not only is each opportunity a possible sale, but it’s also a reflection on how our business is perceived. Missed opportunities can come in many guises but each one could be costly in one way or another. One of the most costly missed opportunities happened when one of the founding partners of Apple sold his 10% stake in the business in 1976 for £800, it is said this decision cost him $55 billion. Now I’m not saying that you could be losing billions but each and every client can generate income for your business so why are you letting them slide?

I often undertake a mystery shopping exercise to gain an insight into what opportunities may need improving. One afternoon I sent a request to view a property through an estate agent’s online form, I received an auto reply to say they would be in touch, but weeks later I am still waiting for a call or email. This is not a one-off experience and it happens more than you would expect. I telephoned one of the agents who had not responded to find out why, after a little investigation they realised that my email had arrived in their spam folder. A lesson for us all to check our spam I think!

The other Saturday I walked into a very well known estate agency to express an interest into buying one of their investment properties displayed in the window of their branch. I entered the office and no one was visible, I politely shouted ‘hello’ and heard no response so sat down and waited. How long would you have waited to see someone? How long do you think your clients would have waited? I waited over 5 minutes, now I can hear the cynical of you questioning my time keeping but I sadly assure you that the fact is I was sat waiting there for over 5 minutes until I was greeted by the agent with a “yeah, what do you want?”

I requested the details and asked to view the property to be informed that the person dealing with it would be back in on Monday. I asked if he wanted my details, as surely they would want to keep in touch with a potential buyer or potential Landlord/Vendor? But no! I was reminded that that the person dealing with would be back in on Monday. Not wanting to do this agent an injustice I assumed he was new to the business or only worked on the weekends, so I asked him his role. His reply shocked me more than anything that had happened before, “I am a partner in the business.”

You maybe a partner, a branch manager or a team member in your agency, but no matter what your title, you are a leader and how you respond to any enquiries will influence the rest of the team. If you are hungry, chase every enquiry, check your spam and enthusiastically talk with everyone who may step inside your office, you will not only prevent an opportunity slipping through your fingers you will establish a strong culture for turning opportunities into profit.

When was the last time you checked every method of contacting your business to track the response time. We all start off with great intentions but it is only by consistently testing our clients’ experience that we can understand how good or bad it is. How many opportunities are you missing?

Stephen Brown

Consultant to Estate Agents with the focus of generating more revenue. Over 20 years of industry experience having been a Director of an award winning London Agency.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Popping the Asking Price Bubble

Where in the Uk Can Buyers Snap Up Property Bargains and Where Properties Go for a Premium Above Asking Price   New research from fast selling property company, Upstix has uncovered the UK’s most surprising postcodes for snapping up a property at bargain prices this year, highlighting a widening gap between sellers’ expectations and the…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Highest demand to lease office space since pre-pandemic

The latest insights from the UK’s number one commercial property website Rightmove, reveals that the number of unique enquiries to lease office space is at its highest point since pre-pandemic, as businesses look for spaces that meet modern requirements. Demand to lease office space is 19% higher than the same period a year ago and…
Read More
Planning disputes on new build land
Estate Agent Talk

Planning consultations for major infrastructure to be streamlined

Robert Bruce, a planning and infrastructure partner at law firm Freeths LLP, said he: “Welcomed the change as a significant step to speeding up the DCO process and the focus on the quality and effectiveness of the consultation, rather than box ticking and a risk averse approach to pre-application consultation due to the current legal…
Read More
Breaking News

‘The property ladder pulls further away’ warns Open Property Group

For many first-time buyers across England, the dream of homeownership continues to slip further out of reach. Despite rising wages, soaring house prices are making it harder than ever to get on the property ladder. A leading UK professional house buying company ‘Open Property Group’ based in Buckinghamshire UK, has raised concerns over the ongoing…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

How Long It Takes to Buy a House in the UK: 5 Common Delays That Can Slow Down Your Home Purchase

Wondering how long it takes to buy a house in the UK? The average timeline ranges from 8 to 22 weeks, but even that can stretch significantly due to unexpected delays, especially if you’re a first-time buyer or caught in a chain. That’s why working with experienced professionals like Belvoir — one of the UK’s…
Read More
Love or Hate Rightmove
Breaking News

Rightmove to host Renters’ Rights Bill webinar with Guild of Lettings

Rightmove is hosting a live and interactive webinar session with the Guild of Lettings to help agents get Renters’ Rights Ready. The webinar will take place from 10:00am – 11:00am on Wednesday 23rd April. Susie Crolla, Managing Director for the Guild of Lettings, will be joining Rightmove to help agents with questions they may have about…
Read More