My fellow real estate professionals:
In the past weeks, I’ve heard from many of you about your concerns regarding the lawsuits faced by NAR and your colleagues, the recent settlement in the Sitzer-Burnett case, OneKey’s response, and the overall business impact of these events. This is a time of uncertainty and change, and in such circumstances, it can be helpful to revisit our values and priorities as professionals, focus on what we know, and plan to find opportunity as we pivot forward into this new landscape.
We are a diverse group--divergent backgrounds, a spectrum of business models, a variety of generational identities--united in our integrity as professionals who serve our clients and the consumer for a common good, that of creating equitable access to information and opportunity for the purpose of helping individuals on the path home. Our priorities as a collective: service, honesty, and a commitment to fair housing and an open marketplace remain the same. And though with these lawsuits there may be some challenges to this industry’s reputation in public perception, we have the opportunity through how we act now in the face of this situation to renew our commitment to our values, stay focused on our service-based priorities, and take action to win over consumers, set the tone with clients, and pivot our business practices in this new reality: one interaction, one transaction, one home at a time.
We know that our actions matter and our role in service of our clients, the consumer, and the marketplace can benefit all. A more open way of articulating those benefits and that value, one that gives solid insight into the skills and services we offer, can only strengthen relationships with those that value the same. I recently heard some survey statistics regarding the value of service in the eye of the consumer:
- As of 2020 customer experience will surpass price and product as the key brand differentiator Walker study
- 64% of people surveyed say customer experience is more important than price RingCentral
- 58% of customers will go out of their way to buy a product or service from a company they know will offer excellent customer service RingCentral
Paired with the data from the 2023 NAR Profile of Buyers and Sellers we know that:
- 89% of buyers purchased their homes through a real estate agent or broker
- Having an agent to help them find the right home was what buyers wanted most when choosing an agent.
These statistics give us all reassurance regarding the consumer’s desire to work with a real estate professional and impetus to make sure we brush up on and articulate those customer service skills and offerings in conversations with consumers to win their business.
There's a well known quote from Rahm Emanuel:
“'You never let a serious crisis go to waste.' And what I mean by that it's an opportunity to do things you think [sic] you could not do before.”
That sentiment feels particularly timely right now. Is this a crisis? Or is this an opportunity? Regardless of how you view it, OneKey® is with you shoulder-to-shoulder and will be supporting you throughout these transitions. We’ll assist to the best of our ability, helping you take advantage of the skills, tools, and host of OneKey solutions through a series of updates, learning & development opportunities, and job supports in the weeks to come. The OneKey® team invites your feedback and questions at info@onekeymls.com and we’ll make sure the answers are included in our ongoing communications and support materials.
Sincerely,
Richard Haggerty
Chief Executive Officer
OneKey® MLS