Morning Meetings – Time for Change?

Morning Meetings – Time for Change

Estate agent morning meetings are a staple of most offices, but could your meeting be costing you money?

On a chilly morning a couple of weeks ago, I drove up to Penrith to attend a Rightmove seminar, along with around 50 local agents. These seminars are always really interesting, and I generally come away with my head buzzing with new ideas. This one was no exception.

However, one big takeaway was when Miles Shipside shared a couple of graphs showing the pattern of phone and email enquiries into agents’ offices. Phone calls tend to be at their highest levels between about 8.45am and 10am, whereas emails peak after 8pm in the evening. No surprise there really, if you think about your own phone and email patterns.

The dilemma

This does beg a rather perplexing question though: if the first hour or so of opening is a flurry of activity, answering phone calls and returning emails, why do most agents hold their morning meetings at exactly this time?

There’s no doubt that staff meetings promote good communication, raise awareness of new clients and properties, increase and maintain levels of motivation, and generally encourage everyone to behave like a team. But do they need to be held first thing in the morning?

Of course, not all agents switch the calls to answerphone during their meetings; some will assign someone to man (or woman) the phones, but is this the best way of making sure all calls are answered quickly, efficiently and without distraction?

Resistance to change

After the Rightmove seminar, I had the chance to talk to some agents about their feelings on the subject, and there was definitely a general reluctance to move the meetings to a different time of day.  I can understand this, given that it’s often the only time slot where you can pretty much guarantee everyone will be in the office, and the earlier the meeting, the less likely distractions can crop up to prevent attendance. But let’s look at the bigger picture here: it’s clear that the first 90 minutes each morning are the most valuable in terms of inbound enquiries. These could be vendor, purchaser, landlord or tenant enquiries, and therefore the quality will certainly vary. But can you take the risk of missing a call from a new client, perhaps ready to add a chunk of profit to your bottom line?

What do you do?

There is not an easy answer to this challenge, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject. What do you do? When do you hold your meetings? How do you manage the dual priorities of staff management and morale, and client enquiries? Let me know in the comments below, or send me an email at sam@home-truths.co.uk  and I’ll share the best ideas in a future post.

What to read next: The Pumpkin Plan Formula

What to do next: Do you get my Supertips? They’re jam-packed full of great tips and marketing strategies, and best still – they’re free! Get yours here -> www.samashdown.co.uk/supertips

Speak to Sam: If you’d like to know how I think you could improve your marketing, just answer a few short questions here  and I’ll tell you if and how you could be more effective.

Sam Ashdown

Sam is an industry-renowned marketing strategist to estate agents. She helps agents grow and flourish, using her unique smart marketing techniques and strategies. Sam works with agents throughout the UK to help them gain more valuations, win more instructions and sell more properties.

You May Also Enjoy

small house bird box
Breaking News

UK First Time Buyers better off than many other global nations

Is it really that bad being a first-time buyer? UK better off than many other global nations when it comes to affordability The latest market analysis from Yopa, the full-service estate agents, reveals that first-time buyers (FTBs) in the UK may be paying 63% more to get a foot on the property ladder than they…
Read More
new build homes colchester essex
Breaking News

Building Safety Regulator Reform

The Government has announced reforms to the Building Safety Regulator, including leadership, process and investment. The changes are hoped to deliver 1.5 million homes. The reforms pave the way for creation of a single construction safety regulator, as recommended by the Grenfell Tower enquiry. David Smith, property litigation partner at London law firm Spector Constant…
Read More
Breaking News

New anti-money laundering rules now in effect: what landlords need to know

New anti-money laundering (AML) rules came into effect this month, marking a significant change for landlords and the lettings industry as a whole. The new rules mean financial sanctions checks are now required for all lettings, regardless of how much rent is charged. Here, Steve Bond, managing director of residential lettings for Beresfords, explains what…
Read More
Breaking News

What landlords need to know about the upcoming Renters Rights Bill

The government’s long-awaited Renters Rights Bill is one of the most significant overhauls of the private rental sector in decades. While it has not yet received royal assent, the legislation is expected to come into effect late this year, or early in 2026. With the bill moving closer to becoming law, Steven Bond, managing director…
Read More
Breaking News

Mortgage approvals bounce back in May

The latest figures show that: – Mortgage approvals on house purchases for May sat at 63,032 up 3.9% from 60,656 in April. The monthly increase seen in May marks the end of four months of previous decline, with approval levels having fallen each month since January of this year. Approvals are also 2.5% higher than…
Read More
Breaking News

Money and Credit – May 2025

Key points: Net borrowing of mortgage debt by individuals increased by £2.8 billion to £2.1 billion in May, following a large decrease in net borrowing of £13.8 billion to -£0.8 billion in April. Net mortgage approvals for house purchases increased by 2,400 to 63,000 in May. Approvals for remortgaging also increased by 6,200 to 41,500…
Read More