The power of branding cannot be underestimated. Established, well known firms can be fail-safe magnets for landlords to place their hard earned property investments, safe in the knowledge that their property investment will be protected and managed as promised in that hard-fought market appraisal pitch. We are working in a market full of agents all promising the same thing: ‘We are the best’, ‘We can let your property quickly’ and ‘We have the best, most experienced, well-trained team to manage your property’. As consumers, we are attracted by brands. A well-known brand, may not be the ‘best’ for you. Small independent businesses, should be a viable consideration, as somewhere to put your trust and money.
Large corporates will tell you that their staff training and development programmes and customer service teams will equip them with the best focused people for you to place your trust in them. The truth is large corporates invest a huge amount on training and development, it must form an integral part of a large business, but does this really substitute for on the ground passion, enthusiasm and eagerness to fulfil the job and provide the best service to the client?
When you work with a small independent letting agent, what you are getting is that personal, bespoke customer service. You are getting the flexibility and availability of your contact. There are no ‘offshore’ call centres to chase your rent arrears. You can rest assured that the company you have chosen has actually seen your property and knows exactly what they are ‘selling’ and how to best advise you. You get the same person and the same team every time you call. Then there’s the price. You can negotiate your fee that’s fair to all and have a candid discussion with the person you are dealing with. There’s no waiting for decisions and sign-off from senior managers that are not even working in the same town and certainly not aware of the customer you are dealing with.
These are just some of the reasons we decided to set up our own local and independent business. Having worked for a large company, we have first-hand experience of this in the industry we love and know the type of business we want to be a part of. We can promise our existing clients and our future customers that we will go above and beyond to deliver a service that they expect and they deserve, and as we grow and expand we never want to lose this passion. This is what you get from an independent letting agent.
