Estate Agency of the Year Awards 2015 Judges Report by The Academy

Sponsored by

Since 2006, Karl Tatler’s business has won over 25 awards across both the Lettings and Estate Agency of the Year Awards, and not a year has gone by where he and his team haven’t been recognised. It is pertinent that these awards have all been in categories where customer service is paramount, as this is absolutely the key to what Karl and his team is all about. Every year the panel looks forward to seeing what new innovations and initiatives Karl has come up with, and it is never disappointed. It is extremely diﬃcult at this level to continue to improve standards yet this business manages it time and again. There is more scrutiny and expectation than ever before across all service industries but especially in estate agency given the level of emotion and financial impact tied up in a property transaction. Rapid responses are expected across a number of platforms, and online reviews can have a real impact on a client’s opinion of a business. Karl and his team have risen to the challenge these changes present. Karl is an exuberant and focused individual who always begins with the end in mind. He knows how he wants his clients to feel, and he works backwards from this desired result to map out every touchpoint. It’s particularly pleasing to see that he imparts this enthusiasm and skill to his team. Without exception, everyone at this company buys into Karl’s vision and they each contribute fully to making the business the success it is. Staﬀ retention is running at 96%, and the majority of the team has been with the business for over five years. This loyalty and dedication has been built up through the culture of reward and recognition. The Operations Manager, who has over 30 years’ agency experience across all disciplines, has designed the training programme. A mixture of internal and external facilitators deliver these sessions regularly, and there is continued investment in training to enable the team to reach and maintain the high standards.

All employees undergo psychometric analysis. This has a number of benefits: it allows the senior team to understand their drivers and behaviours so these can be harnessed, and they can also identify areas for improvement and address these directly. Managers then adapt their management styles according to the individual, and personalise career development options. In many cases they train staﬀ for a particular role, even if a position is not yet available, so they are ready to move immediately when it does. KPIs are clearly communicated and the team acts within a definitive framework of actions to achieve these, however are given autonomy to make their own decisions.

Best Estate Agency OVERALL WINNER

Sponsored by

They work on the principle of gaining clients for life. Both vendors and applicants are assigned a Personal Property Manager to look after them for the duration of the transaction. Their remit is to get to know the clients, understand their drivers and desires and see that these are met wherever possible. The marketing strategies are excellent and backed up by quality online and oďŹ&#x201E;ine activities. The state of the art website is optimised and responsive. Clients can access a raft of tools during searches, and for vendors, the property emails are stylish and content heavy. Client engagement is also carried out both on and oďŹ&#x201E;ine. Regular competitions and local news stories are promoted through social media, and the team is heavily involved in the community and with charitable initiatives. Karl Tatler was awarded the overall Estate Agency of the Year Award in 2008, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an absolute delight to give it this accolade once again. This year will see this business celebrate its 18th birthday and the panel hopes this award will be the icing on the cake.

Countrywide

Sponsored by

Countrywide is a sincere agency with exemplary focus on customer service. Following a survey of 3,000 of its clients, it has improved and extended its services as a direct result of the feedback received. Senior management know it is vital that branches don’t become siloed so have implemented strategies for central functions such as training, branding and marketing to promote cohesion and standardisation. That it has managed to eﬀect change across the entire branch network is impressive in a business of this size. The dedicated research team produces robust and credible analysis of the UK housing market to provide detailed insight into the market at local and national level, and it uses these findings to challenge Government policy. The panel was impressed with Launchpad, Countrywide’s integrated tablet technology. It enables agents to capture all client details, ensures compliance and allows the creation and completion of all relevant documents from contracts to brochures and floor plans as well as portal uploads. Countrywide combines the best of corporate agency reach and investment with focused and bespoke service akin to a family owned enterprise, and is a deserving gold winner again.

Reeds Rains GOLD

SILVER

Reeds Rains is a strong brand with a keen eye for delivering value for its customers in the face of change. It operates in a tough market but the team has developed and implemented a number of impressive strategies to maintain its position and market share. They understand that customer values haven’t intrinsically changed but their service expectations have, so their philosophy is one of, “traditional values; today’s needs”. They’ve used their 150 years of experience to design a strategy which prioritises customer needs as they understand that if these can be met, they will therefore be able to meet business and expansion goals. The listing process is excellent: once a valuation appointment has been booked, the (potential) customer receives the pre-valuation video which showcases Reeds Rains’ services and explains the sales process. The valuer then follows this up with a phone call prior to the appointment. This approach positions Reeds Rains as a proactive company providing an intuitive service.

Your Move BRONZE

Your Move is a focused agency that has identified what actions it needs to take to maintain its customer service standards. As the UK’s biggest single estate agency brand, it is able to leverage this reach in order to conceive and implement countless initiatives to meet and exceed client expectations. The executive team are often called upon by the national media for market commentary and observations, and Your Move regularly produces market reports and indices which are reported in the press. The high quality marketing materials are jargon free, and are used to communicate the Your Move proposition in simple terms. your-move.co.uk has been relaunched to maximise its usability; functionality and optimisation have improved, and clever use of cookies means greater responsiveness to searches. Each branch also has its own microsite containing relevant and specific content on its listings and location. Your Move uses MAZE to collect client feedback and then uses this information to analyse employee performance on an individual, branch and company wide level. Business practices are then amended and evolved according to the findings.

Best National Estate Agency

Hamptons International

Sponsored by

Hamptons International is a leading residential property company which offers unrivalled customer service from committed and inspired people. Clients using Hamptons will receive expert advice from highly trained, professional and enthusiastic staff. The valuers and negotiators are switched on, and are increasingly proactive in terms of progressing the sales efficiently and in a considerate manner. The culture is people oriented and the executive team has worked hard to entrench this philosophy internally and externally, so the team and the clients feel valued and appreciated. They understand that the right values are a mindset so recruit those whose attitudes mirror those of the business, and seek to reinforce this with thorough and robust training of the technical skills of estate agency, which is aligned to the business goals. It has grown its international presence and now has partnerships with over 7,000 overseas offices. Hamptons International is a professional and polished brand whose ethics and standards have led to extraordinary levels of repeat and referral business. It is a worthy winner of the gold in this category for the fourth year running.

Foxtons

GOLD

SILVER

Foxtons is a true expert in its local markets. There is a unique network of specialist departments at Head Oﬃce which gives Foxtons complete control over the quality of its service including photography, marketing, web, new homes, new business and investments to name but a few. Foxtons is a meritocracy: it promotes only from within, and the executive board has sought to create a culture where career opportunities are abundant so there is no need for anyone to leave due to lack of prospects. Reward is based on receiving positive testimonials, as well as financial targets, so the team recognises the importance of focusing on the quality of the service they provide, and not just getting the sale at any cost. This reinforces their understanding of the four dimensional customer, who has the potential to transition from tenant to buyer to landlord to vendor and could therefore enjoy a longstanding relationship with the Foxtons team. They seek to provide a high standard of expert advice and service throughout the customer journey. This commitment to communication has been cemented by the launch of a new dedicated Communications department, and the fully updated CSR strategy has led to increased community involvement.

Andrews & Partners BRONZE

The team at Andrews seeks to provide an extensive array of services to their clients, in an ethical manner and always to a high standard. The directors realise that consumers have a choice, and they strive to ensure that Andrews is always at the forefront of clients’ minds as their preferred agency. Quality performance is rewarded and there is clear evidence of staff progression. The majority of the team has significant emotional attachment to the company, and are strong promoters of the business. The onboarding process for new starters is excellent, and they have recently introduced a Senior Leadership Programme which is an MBA programme for senior managers run by Surrey University. The fact that the CEO started at Andrews as an apprentice is testimony to the career progression offered. This dedication to training also extends to the clients who can access expert advice via the online Property Hour, face-to-face conferences and roundtable debates which are available live or via online streaming. They recently undertook a huge survey of their clients (existing and potential), and used the findings to amend and evolve all practices from business efficiency to customer engagement.

Best UK Large Estate Agency

GOLD

northern ireland estate agency

2015

Sponsored by

Best Northern Ireland Estate Agency Kingham Property Specialists The entire team at Kingham Property Specialists pride themselves on giving honest advice. Everyone at the firm is regarded as an advocate and the culture is extremely even handed; each team member has a diﬀerent and specific function however they are all multi-skilled. Employees are very clear on the philosophy and ethics of this agency however are given autonomy so they are responsible for their own social networking groups, charity fundraising profiles and clients. Everyone is on a fixed salary which has encouraged teamwork and communication as there is less rivalry for deals; everyone works together to get transactions completed. The instruction-to-listing and listing-to-completion rates are excellent. Marketing is innovative and there are multiple initiatives running at any one time, such as a matchmaking service to align buyers with properties which is fun whilst achieving results. The panel was pleased that the quality of the mystery shopping scores reinforced their decision to award this agency the gold.

GOLD

Best Property Services

SILVER

Best Property Services were shortlisted in this category last year and it is evident that the team has worked hard to build on this success resulting in a jump to the silver award this year. The directors see themselves as supportive business owners and they have created a relaxed environment conducive to retaining and motivating the skilled and enthusiastic team. Staff benefits are very good, and cover a wide range of rewards and incentives. They offer services and tools which are unavailable at many of their competitors, and these are providing a point of difference which is very well received by potential clients. All viewings are accompanied and the instruction-to-completion time is impressive. Market share is excellent, and even more so when considered in light of the high level of competition in the area. As a long established business, Best Property Services’ reputation and expertise is well proven.

BRONZE

Templeton Robinson

This family run business has recently celebrated its 20 year anniversary, and the panel could clearly understand how it remains successful. IT investment is major: not only have they recently redesigned the website but they are also updating their computer system to further benefit clients. The software and telephone systems are linked so contact between the branches is seamless. The directors are regularly invited to oﬀer commentary and assessment of the housing market on television and in printed media and online, so Templeton Robinson is viewed as an authoritative business which employs market leading experts. Marketing materials are high quality and the online presence is well planned and executed by the dedicated Marketing Manager. There is a commitment to volunteering in the local community and supporting initiatives, such as a work placement scheme for schools so children can experience the property industry for themselves, and they participate in numerous fundraising activities for a children’s cancer charity.

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GOLD

scotland estate agency

2015

Sponsored by

Best Scotland Estate Agency Clyde Property The attention to detail at Clyde Property is exemplary and the leap from bronze in 2014 to the gold award this year can be directly attributed to this focus. The MD is fully involved in the business, and has built strong relationships with the team. KPIs are monitored and reported weekly and monthly, and the managers have daily conversations to update each other. The back oﬃce system is completely bespoke and has been refined through trial and error over the past eight years. They are particularly proud of the MyClyde element of their software which allows clients to view the actual working file of their property and leave comments if required. One of the key elements of MyClyde is that comments from either the client or from the agent cannot be erased. All photography including work with drones is carried out in-house, and the drone footage videos on their website have provided a huge increase in general enquiries. Client care is excellent, and the team is committed to maintaining contact with customers post-transaction, as they understand the importance of long-term relationships for guaranteeing future business.

GOLD

McEwan Fraser Legal SILVER

This company works in an unconventional way. The majority of the staff works in the main office but there are also outlying offices in 20 regional locations, which are more akin to standard offices as opposed to a high street presence with windows and footfall. It employs a significant number of lawyers so is eligible to advertise its listings on the Edinburgh Solicitors Property Centre (ESPC). Due to the lack of local offices, marketing activity is phenomenal: the company invests heavily in digital media and SEO as well as prime time television and radio adverts, in order to grow brand awareness. One of its USPs is its opening hours: the head office is open from 0800 until midnight during the week, and from 0900 - 2200 at the weekends, with all calls answered by employed staff. Since the introduction of these extended hours, the directors have found that the majority of appointments are made outside standard office hours so this policy has directly and positively impacted the level of instruction. The mystery shopping results were impressive and this agency is performing admirably across all measurable parameters.

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GOLD

wales estate agency

2015

Sponsored by

Best Wales Estate Agency McCartney’s LLP McCartneys operates in a tough market; the offices are spread over a large area of mid Wales and there are huge differences in these locations, both in terms of property type and client demographic. Every member of the team works hard to ensure their knowledge and expertise reflects these variations, and that they are able to meet customer expectations, whether they’re based in town or more rural areas, and whether they’re selling a one bed flat or a farm with hundreds of acres. They offer a consistently good service and are readily available out of hours. The sizeable branch network is leveraged for maximum property exposure. The use of technology is innovative for the location, and sets them apart from the competition. The team at McCartneys is very heavily involved in the community, and charity work is informed by an overriding philosophy set out by the directors, but with each branch given autonomy to select and work with their own charities and initiatives.

GOLD

Peter Alan SILVER

This business is perpetually successful in this category and the panel is pleased to reward its eﬀorts again. The directors understand the importance of customer feedback and have built a bespoke reporting solution to deliver their NPS scores. Bringing this in-house has saved the company significant money, which they have subsequently reinvested in systems and ideas generated by the comments. Email enquiries and portal leads are routed to the central contact centre, and customers can expect to receive a response within 30 minutes. The staﬀ is greatly skilled, and retention is high; they are incentivised through a considered mix of financial and personal reward. Prizes are carefully selected to ensure they appeal to everyone. The Rising Stars programme rewards individuals with management potential through increased training, and leads to branch manager positions. Peter Alan is an agency fully committed to delivering excellence to all stakeholders, and the judging panel found every reason to believe it achieves this aim.

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Howard Cundey Quality recruitment is the number one priority at Howard Cundey as the directors believe that if they employ the best people, best practice will naturally follow. They follow the belief that if a company recruits according to attitude and work ethic, that everything else can be taught. The culture at this agency is one of positivity and proactivity and the panel found every evidence that the team buys into this wholeheartedly. The offices are designed to reflect the branding and ethos however the interiors are also planned according to the location so the fast paced town offices are furnished and set up differently to the more rural locations. Each branch is still instantly recognisable as a Howard Cundey office though. Every sale is managed by a Client Manager and there were numerous examples of the team exceeding expectations in the service they provided. Sponsored by

Karl Tatler GOLD

GOLD

This is a business that is recognised time and again in these awards, and every year the judges are amazed to see that Karl and his team have managed to raise their standards even higher – no easy task for an innovative market leader. Customers using this agency can be confident they will receive excellent service from a dynamic and caring team. Systems and processes have been carefully defined and designed, and are continually monitored and amended as and when necessary, so they evolve with the business needs. Technology is used to great eﬀect and automation is used where appropriate to enable the proactive staﬀ to focus on providing personal service that goes above and beyond expectations. 75% of the team has worked at Karl Tatler for over five years so are fully immersed in the culture and ethos of the company, and returning clients appreciate they will work with people they know and trust.

Best UK GOLD

Coalters The panel was hugely impressed by the breadth and quality of service demonstrated by this business. The passion and dedication of the forward thinking director, Reuben Barrett, informs the ethical and personable culture at Coalters, and the judges commented on his effectiveness at imparting this ethos to his team. He uses an external company to calculate staff engagement and the number of staff who are actively engaged is striking: it is clear that they value the open communication and that they are kept fully informed as to the goals and direction of the business. Every customer is surveyed using the Net Promoter System and these figures are equally as impressive, especially when one considers these include those who have withdrawn sales and any applicant who registers. Coalters is a well deserving winner of this award.

Best UK Medium Estate Agency

Best UK Small Estate Agency

K Single Office Estate Agency

LONDON ESTATE AGENCY

medium agency

In a highly competitive category, this is a confident agency which lets the facts speak for themselves. All viewings are accompanied and the ratio of instruction to completion is impressive, especially when considered in the context of the London market. The team prides itself on providing a transparent service and they spend significant time at the outset setting realistic expectations. All stakeholders can therefore feel confident that they will be dealt with in a proactive and communicative manner. The judges commented that James Pendleton is leading the way in innovative and personal marketing. The website is excellent: it is regularly reviewed and renewed to ensure it remains cutting edge. Digital presence is also good, and properties are displayed across a variety of platforms from Twitter to Facebook and Pinterest. The directors seek to find ways in which they can compete online with bigger agencies with larger budgets and this is leading to innovative uses of online tools and activities.

Sponsored by

GOLD

James Pendleton

SILVER

Marsh & Parsons medium agency GOLD

SILVER

SILVER GOLD

The attention to detail at this agency is breathtaking, especially when taken in context of its size and continued growth. The team at Marsh & Parsons has managed to maintain high standards and fees in a challenging and competitive market. The CEO believes in employing motivated individuals who want to provide exceptional service as this will result in the best outcomes for clients. In return for their hard work, employees receive exceptional benefits and an uncapped commission structure. They are encouraged to build relationships with each other outside of the office environment and there is a great level of friendly rivalry across the branch network. The branding is strong and recognisable and is rolled out across every possible platform from branded hoarding during office refurbishments to ring doughnuts which are used to advertise 0% commission deals. New offices achieve instructions prior to opening, such is the strength of Marsh & Parsons’ reputation.

Best London Estate Agency Anthony Pepe

Anderson Rose

This is a highly competitive category and Anthony Pepe stood out as a clear gold winner. Having won the gold in this category in 2014, it was clear to the panel that this agency has worked hard to consolidate its position as a market leader. It achieved a near perfect score for the telephone element of the mystery shop. The senior management team spent a considerable amount of time out of the business at the beginning of the year in order to streamline the moving process and reassess their internal procedures. Regular meetings and training sessions are held, and they have honest conversations with the employees to ensure that they are in the correct roles and feel motivated and happy. This has been vital given the rapid expansion of the business. The directors have huge ambitions for the future: the key aim is to open a new oﬃce every year until they have five oﬃces, however they will only do this if their service standards can be maintained.

The director is extremely experienced and couples his expertise with an ethical and entrepreneurial approach. Having won this award in 2014, the team met soon afterwards to look at what they do well, and what could be improved and then worked together to perfect both sets of lists. One particularly nice idea is the virtual hamper which is given to buyers on moving day. This includes a number of vouchers for them to use in local businesses from the pub to a spa, local takeaway restaurants and boutique shops. This has the twin eﬀect of ensuring great feedback from appreciative buyers but also higher levels of recommendation through the partnerships Anderson Rose has built with a number of local businesses. Properties are also deep cleaned prior to completion. The team is incentivised in a number of ways from financial reward to activities and outings. The budget for the Christmas party is directly related to the NPS scores achieved. Communication is second to none, both internally and with clients, and this was borne out by the fantastic mystery shopping results; customers can feel confident they will receive prompt and intelligent responses to their enquiries.

small agency

single office

Paramount Haus Properties small agency

The panel cannot emphasise the quality of this agency enough. Haus is a boutique operation with an impressive instruction to completion ratio. Without exception, every single viewing is accompanied and they go to great lengths to communicate the benefit of this approach to clients; they believe that by managing the communication between vendor and buyer they can minimise the emotional impact of the transaction if any issues arise. They also have an impressive track record of chain management, often working through the chain agent by agent to bring the sale to completion. The living room style oﬃces are fun and welcoming and have been designed perfectly for the locations in which they are situated. The team enjoys community involvement and they undertake a number of initiatives to get people through the door, and to publicise the Haus name. Haus Properties is a young, fun agency which takes a serious approach to estate agency.

single office

The ethos at Paramount is to simplify the moving process wherever possible and the team achieves this aim through a combined approach of expert knowledge and common sense. They have reduced their average instruction to completion time and nearly all viewings are accompanied. There is a dedication to social responsibility and Paramount is well known in its area as a business with a strong social conscience and a hands-on approach. They hold regular Q&A events with external experts such as solicitors and brokers and these are also tweeted for those unable to attend in person. In keeping with their service-led philosophy, the team seeks to get involved wherever possible, and understand that clients often rely on their judgment and guidance. Without exception the team oﬀer the best advice to clients in a transparent and diligent manner. Negotiators are rewarded and incentivised based on feedback as well as on figures and a shared commission structure has resulted in strong teamwork and excellent communication.

EAST OF ENGLAND ESTATE AGENCY

medium agency Balgores is a trusted brand in its location. All managers have been promoted from within after started their career with Balgores as juniors, so they are totally knowledgeable and committed to delivering according to the company vision. Every buyer and vendor is telephoned a week after completion by a director from a different branch than the one which dealt with the transaction. This alternative approach has dual benefits: customers are pleased to receive a call from a director but are also more honest in their feedback as there is a degree of separation. The MD personally rings any unhappy clients and uses their comments to evolve the offering where appropriate. Technology is only used to benefit the customers and never for its own sake - the top notch website has been updated with interactive tools to allow instant online valuations and review functions, and a tracking facility which shows sales progressions is proving popular. Google rankings are superb across all offices.

Sponsored by

GOLD

Balgores

SILVER

Thomas Morris medium agency

GOLD

SILVER

Following success in this category in the past, Thomas Morris has not stood still and continues to innovate. The three directors are fully involved with the business and speak every morning for updates and actions. They use Periscope, which is a live video streaming app, to great eﬀect. They see this as complementary technology that is taking property particulars to the next level as they host Virtual Open House appointments; potential buyers can tune in to view the house through Periscope to get a “taster” of the property and from this decide whether to book a formal viewing. It’s a great way to show the property to a wide audience with minimum disruption, and also cuts down on time wasted. The team engages with the local community and they generate great publicity for the business whilst benefitting good causes in their location. Market share and average fee has increased in the past 12 months, and the reviews remain excellent. There are countless examples of outstanding customer service so both vendors and buyers can rest assured they are in safe hands.

Best East of England Estate Agency Ashtons

Ashton & Charters

For an agency of this size, Ashtons’ level of investment in the branches blew the judges away. The directors are determined to bring people back into their offices for face-to-face contact so have created state of the art offices where clients can access the best staff, systems and technology that estate agency can offer. The expert team enjoys access to a superlative training programme and this is reaping rewards as they are achieving impressive levels of repeat and referral business. They are kept fully up to date with legislative changes and industry updates, and are fully supported in gaining industry qualifications. The core ideology at Ashtons is, “Always be First”, and they strive to create extraordinary relationships which are remembered by the client. Every customer is viewed as a client for life so the relationship doesn’t end upon completion of a sale – the team follows up regularly to maintain contact and cement future instructions.

Ashton & Charters is a relatively new agency that has worked hard over the last year to consolidate its position as a gold standard agency. The directors have spent time analysing the demographic of those they wish to engage with and have implemented a number of fresh and fun initiatives to achieve this aim and to maximise their local presence. They entered the Redbull Soapbox Challenge in a hobbit shaped kart and were selected from 2,000 entrants as one of the 50 to race. This has resulted in some excellent publicity across a variety of media, and the team has continued to use the kart to great eﬀect at school fetes and other community events. This face-to-face engagement is followed up online through social media activity to generate chat, and they have been able to achieve a direct impact on instructions as a result of these activities. The oﬃces are highly modern but welcoming, and the experienced team understands the importance of providing an expert service with an empathic attitude.

small agency

single office

Frost’s

small agency Frost’s has seen turnover grow rapidly and this has enabled the directors to invest in new team members. The recruitment process is stringent and they have gone to great lengths to ensure quality is not compromised during this period of rapid expansion. The increase in trading accounts go beyond what can be reasonably attributed to improved market conditions and this is due to the inward focus and outward activities on moving the company from good to great. New starters are given a welcome pack including a personal gift, and the induction programme is exemplary, as is the continued development programme for existing staﬀ. Frost’s is heavily involved in local community causes and sees itself as a genuine partner in these ventures so the team actively participates, rather than simply donating money. The mystery shopping results were brilliant and this agency should be congratulated on the quality and speed of its responses – the Frost’s philosophy is engrained in every interaction.

Pygott & Crone

MIDLANDS ESTATE AGENCY

medium agency

Sponsored by

Centrick Properties medium agency GOLD

SILVER

YEARS

GOLD

SILVER

Best Midlands Estate Agency Jon Mellor & Co single office Pygott and Crone continues to impress and it is evident that the team has worked hard to consolidate its position as a market leading agency. There has been substantial investment in both the marketing and technical teams so it now has the capability to design, run and programme its website in-house. Web traﬃc and unique views have increased as a result. Most importantly, this has enabled them to quickly react to customer feedback and evolve the online presence accordingly. The executive team has launched a Gas Safe registered company with qualified engineers to carry out the relevant gas safety, carbon monoxide and legionella testing in line with current legislation. The required certification can then be produced in-house which minimises delays and gives them control over the process. They adhere to industry best practice guidelines and are members of over 14 professional industry bodies and redress schemes. The branch network has expanded to meet demand, with further oﬃce openings planned for 2016 and 2017. Absolutely superb.

Centrick Property started as an estate management business and has developed into an exemplary market-leading, multi-discipline business. Every member of the team has signed the Centrick customer service charter which sets out the company expectations and standards. Negotiators spend substantial time with clients at the outset in order to fully understand their requirements and expectations, and they work hard to deliver results accordingly. This commitment to exemplary communication is cemented through the duration of the relationship, and both vendors and buyers can expect regular updates as well as quick responses to any queries they might have. The panel was pleased to see this guarantee was borne out by the excellent mystery shopping results. The Centrick team is well rewarded with a number of benefits, ranging from competitive remuneration to social events, and impressive training provision.

This market-leading agency clearly demonstrated it had taken great strides over the past year to grow the business, and it was evident that this goal has been achieved with no compromise on service quality. Jon and his team strive to innovate and spend time looking outside the industry to identify diﬀerent tools and services, which they then employ in the business. Their clients therefore receive service that combines expert estate agency practice with the best commercial innovations. Communication is excellent – stakeholders are kept up to date through thoughtful and relevant interactions. This is a relatively new business operating in a highly competitive market so it should be congratulated on maintaining its position as a well-respected and busy agency. The judges are pleased to recognise Jon Mellor & Company as a gold winner for the third year running.

Martin & Co. Harborne single office

This franchised oﬃce is owned by young and dynamic individuals who have grown it at an impressive rate since opening three years ago. They expanded into sales last year and instructions, recruitment and recommendation have all rocketed. The directors are hands-on and approachable so the working environment is collaborative and fun. They believe in leading by example and are easily contactable outside of hours by both staﬀ and clients. Employees enjoy flexible hours and are trusted to make autonomous decisions. The recruitment process is robust and every team member comes from inside the industry so are experts in estate agency. The mystery shopping results were excellent, and reinforced the judges’ recommendation of an award for this business.

NORTHERN ESTATE AGENCY

medium agency

Manning Stainton is led from the top by focused directors who are fully involved with every aspect of the business. The directors are approachable and encourage an open door policy with their team so the internal communication is admirable. This emphasis on great communication extends out to the client base as well. They have completely rebuilt the website this year to increase visibility and the social media activity is used to publicise the agency and also drive traďŹ&#x192;c to the website. The in-house marketing team develops weekly strategies for social media, and they carefully monitor and measure engagement levels so they can directly attribute the ROI generated by their endeavours. This also enables them to adapt activity according to what works well. Manning Stainton won the silver in this category last year, and the panel is delighted to award them the gold award for 2015.

Sponsored by

GOLD

Manning Stainton

SILVER

Gascoigne Halman medium agency

GOLD

SILVER

SILVER GOLD

The team at Gascoigne Halman should be congratulated on their continued focus on standards, and we are pleased to recognise them in this category once again. The director is knowledgeable and approachable and this attitude filters down to the rest of the team. The attention to detail is impressive and they understand the importance of getting the basics right. The company customer service charter sets out expectations but employees, most of whom are longstanding, are also trusted to use their own initiative and judgement. New starters are matched to a specific branch manager according to their character and knowledge - this helps build a great branch dynamic as they immediately fit in with the existing team, and also ensures each oďŹ&#x192;ce oďŹ&#x20AC;ers a range of technical expertise and personalities. The website is constantly updated with customer feedback, and as part of their 25 year celebrations, they invited the whole community to share great ideas and suggestions that they will implement.

Best Northern Estate Agency Karl Tatler

Coalters

Karl Tatler is a consistently fantastic agency. The panel was especially impressed with Karl’s continued eﬀorts to innovate and improve, which is diﬃcult given the levels at which he and his team already operate. Their community involvement is exemplary and is resulting in tangible benefits for both the company and the local residents with whom they work. Karl mentors students at the local college, and the agency operates a walk to school scheme. Local good causes and events are promoted via Karl’s Twitter account and they also get involved with local events for national charities such as the Red Cross. He has spent time focusing on “what good looks like” in order to accurately convey this to his team, and to put in place KPIs to measure and assess behaviour, performance and results. Client feedback is publicised online via Twitter. This is a business which is known for its honesty and integrity, and customers using this agency are in excellent hands.

The panel felt that Coalters is a standout company across all measurable performance indicators. The director is fully involved and is unafraid to make changes where required for the good of the business, the team and the clients. He has an MBA background and uses this to great effect, recently working with the team to apply the “Lean Thinking” model which has been used productively in other industries. They spent time mapping the viewing process from end-to-end, and as a consequence have streamlined it for maximum efficiency; saving time and money without impacting service levels. They are working hard to apply this model to other business functions. The online reviews are numerous and excellent, and the physical office is stunning. Market share is impressive as is staff engagement. The training programme is well thought out and every member of the team undergoes weekly sessions, with reward based on companywide goals. This ensures engagement and teamwork across the board.

small agency

Julie Twist small agency

Julie is a fantastic director and it is a delight to reward her business. Her enthusiastic and bubbly attitude filters down to the team who must also be congratulated for their part in creating a brilliant business. They are given autonomy to make decisions and are encouraged to not only share their great ideas but to go on to develop them themselves, and present them for consideration. Technology plays a big part in this business and is used in a considered manner to complement the personal, bespoke service. A number of online communication methods are available – this is especially useful when dealing with a high proportion of international clients who cannot physically attend viewings but are able to view properties via Skype appointments. This agency dominates in its location with exemplary market share and an instantly identifiable brand which is an intrinsic part of the local landscape. Julie and her team are seeking to build on their local reputation by building relationships and undertaking activities nationally to ensure they are at the forefront of conversation whenever Manchester property is discussed.

single office

Logic Estates single office

Logic Estates is a very serious company that is clearly gunning for the number one slot in its location. The panel felt that its achievement to date is remarkable for a single oﬃce operation which is competing against much larger agencies. It enjoys excellent market share and this is growing all the time. Much of this growth can be directly attributed to the consistent service levels and the accuracy of the valuations; the listing to sales pricing ratio is excellent with very little price reduction. The training provision is excellent and is delivered via a number of methods from technical skills to mentoring opportunities. The team can also be assured of a clearly defined career path which oﬀers generous incentives and opportunities for promotion. The judges are pleased to award Logic Estates the silver award in this category once again, and look forward to seeing it continue to grow even further in the future.

SOUTH EAST ESTATE AGENCY

medium agency

This agency seeks to build long-term relationships with its clients, and the directors understand they can only achieve this aim with the correct people in place. Referrals and repeat business levels are significant and this is due to the expertise and attitude of the Howard Cundey team. Training is continuous, and methods and delivery are amended throughout the progression path to reflect the position of the individual. Therefore induction training methods and content are very diﬀerent to the mentoring initiatives that are shared with more experienced members of the team. The directors have identified eight core values intrinsic to the business, and every interaction is undertaken with these in mind. They hold regular internal forums whereby staﬀ can participate in creating plans and strategies for the direction of the business thus ensuring their commitment to delivering on these policies in every customer interaction.

Sponsored by

GOLD

Howard Cundey

SILVER

Beals

medium agency GOLD

SILVER

SILVER GOLD

Beals is an independent multi-discipline agency, which offers a value for money service. The fee structure is transparent and the Beals team is able to accurately convey the benefits of their services to clients with the result that they quickly secure instructions. The financial services offering is excellent: they provide independent advice on pensions and investments alongside mortgage products and insurance. It has grown and turned a profit every year since inception with no borrowings. Staff benefit from a clearly defined career path with excellent progression opportunities. Top achievers are offered partnerships – this keeps them motivated and also means that Beals retains its best people. This business clearly has a social conscience; a number of local causes are supported through volunteering, fundraising and direct donations.

Best South East Estate Agency Brand Vaughan

Maddisons Residential

Brand Vaughan continues to impress and the panel is pleased to reward its continued eﬀorts with the gold in this category again. There was clear articulation of what has made the business a success and an understanding of how they’ve built on this success by continuing with what works well and through seeking to innovate further. The marketing material is high quality and informative, and vendors will be extremely pleased with how their properties are displayed in the particulars, which are also available for download. One member of staﬀ is a qualified member of the British Institute of Professional Photography, and they employ two professional copywriters. Having identified a requirement to penetrate the £1m+ market, the directors and team set out a focused marketing strategy to achieve this and have undertaken activity accordingly with great results. Viewing feedback is communicated live to vendors via tablet technology, and informative property briefing sheets keep everyone up to date with current stock. Brand Vaughan is a business to be admired.

The judges commented last year that Maddisons was one to watch and it is pleased that it is able to award this agency the gold award this year. The director has taken on board the panel’s comments from 2014 and has sought to bring the business on. Particularly pleasing was the sheer number of standout initiatives which have been implemented, each of which has been carefully considered and designed. The director has brought great passion to her business and is doing her part in improving the reputation of the industry. They schedule weekly conference calls with all agents in a chain so each agent is kept fully up to date with all information. This has helped provide a better client experience, sped up the conclusion of most deals and enhanced Maddisons’ local reputation. The team is unafraid to have diﬃcult conversations in order to complete a transaction but always in a diplomatic and tactful manner. The mystery shopping exercise yielded great results across all parameters.

small agency

single office

Brock Taylor single office

Jones Robinson small agency

Jones Robinson is a professional business which does things in a special way. Staff retention is high and the average length of service is impressive. The directors understand the clear correlation between staff attitude and service standards, and they employ Net Promoter Score analysis to ensure their perception of their customer service delivery is backed up by facts and figures. Feedback also corroborates he effectiveness of this approach as clients are happy, and repeat business levels are good. The Virtual Auction offering has been well received and is proving successful as it provides a viable alternative to traditional sale methods. New training sessions have been launched on the back of this to ensure staff are confident of relaying the benefits of this service to vendors, as have a set of standard communication pieces and practices which are used with unsuccessful buyers to reinforce the relationship and retain their potential business.

Brock Taylor is an established business which uses its location well. It stands out from the crowd by offering highly effective and eyecatching service from motivated and well trained sales consultants. The directors have invested heavily in technology this year: they have implemented a new website with a live chat function, interactive touch screens, call recording and analytics and are utilising SEO to enhance their online presence. The latter is coupled with a strong social media presence which gets them noticed. Branding is strong and marketing activities are undertaken with defined desired results in mind so effectiveness can be measured and the market impact assessed. Most importantly, these are also fun so encourage buy in from local residents and businesses; during the Rugby World Cup they delivered a mixture of printed materials to schools and ran competitions which were publicised at the offices and online. The highly trained team uses all tools available to them in order to provide a consistent level of service every time.

SOUTH WEST ESTATE AGENCY

GOLD

medium agency

The team at The Property Centre provides a wealth of expertise which they combine with in-depth local knowledge for the benefit of the clients. The proficient director spends a significant amount of time in each office as he wants to build relationships with his team and know that they in turn feel able to approach him with ideas and issues. The dedicated sales progression team provides a point of difference in this location, and has been extremely well received by clients; feedback is excellent. Every branch employs an independent mortgage advisor who has access to whole of market products, so clients can quickly source the financial solution they require, resulting in greater customer satisfaction and reduced fall through rates. Marketing campaigns are integrated across a selection of media, and deliver a cohesive message with a great mixture of online and offline activities. The mystery shopping results were first-rate for both the web and telephone enquiries.

Sponsored by

GOLD

The Property Centre

SILVER

Best South West Estate Agency Sawdye & Harris

Helmores

Katie Griﬃn and her team continue to impress, and their ongoing commitment to standards has resulted in the gold award for a second year. Katie’s enthusiasm is contagious and her team follows her lead in providing a dynamic and aspirational level of service. This year has seen the launch of Vox video so colleagues can send instant video messages. Clearly the business enjoys an excellent reputation but Vox has helped them move further forward by giving them an element of exclusivity, and they are developing its use beyond an instruction-winning gimmick to a tool with real measurable benefit. They have also undertaken a more focused and uniform approach to prospecting which has increased the number of viewing appointments and valuation requests per branch month on month. The training provision seeks to oﬀer a mixture of technical qualifications with soft skills; the team is able to request training in areas of personal interest so they are engaged and motivated.

The judging panel is thrilled to be able to award Helmores the gold award in this category for the third year in a row. The team should be congratulated on their exemplary mystery shopping responses for both telephone and email enquiries. One particular area that stood out is the focus on the team. Over the past year there has been heavy investment in a new staﬀ benefits programme where reward is based on customer service feedback rather than figures. Staﬀ retention has increased and the focus on customer service levels has resulted in increased instruction. They’ve also brought in a land and planning department which has yielded some great investment opportunities. Industry updates and professional training is sought from external resources and has resulted in a focused and motivated team. Cinematic quality videos are a staple of the particulars and have triggered real interest and excitement from customers.

small agency

single office

Atwell Martin Plymouth Westcoast Properties small agency

The executive team at Westcoast Properties recognised that their marketplace can be tough with high levels of competition, so they have undertaken an entire review of how the business works in order to stand out. This appraisal has led to a number of changes across all systems and processes. They have invested heavily in the business over the past 18 months with three of the offices being entirely refurbished. Marketing materials and particulars are extremely high quality and differentiate this agency from its competitors - the branding is fresh and eye catching. The dynamic team approaches every transaction with enthusiasm and expertise; they offer service which is personal yet efficient. This attitude is borne out by near perfect telephone results in the mystery shop. Westcoast Properties enjoys a strong local presence and the team volunteer their time for community events, especially with schools in the area. The judges felt that Westcoast combines the best of corporate agency with the lightness of touch and sensitivity of a local agent.

single office

This multi-discipline agency enjoys high levels of referral leads. The directors expect a lot from the dedicated team but have also worked hard to create an environment and culture that allows the staff to enjoy a good work/life balance. The office is located in a prestigious area of Plymouth with great footfall and they have invested in technology such as touchscreen window displays, which is providing a point of difference from competitors in this location, and generating positive feedback from the public. The panel were impressed by their expansion into the new homes arena; following conversations with a local college which was seeking advice on selling some of its playing fields, the Atwell Martin team helped them sell and worked with them to find alternative playing fields. The extra revenue generated by this and other advisory and disposal deals is impressive for a single office operation. It is the panel’s opinion that this diversification has underpinned and future proofed the business.

GOLD

innovation estate agency

2015

Best Innovation Deighton McKenzie The directors at Deighton McKenzie identified industries where communication is vital, and have sought to replicate their best practice in estate agency. They use a group communication tool called Slack which is a chat app aimed at businesses. Whilst the use of this app isn’t innovative in and of itself, it’s what this business does with the app that impressed the panel. The negotiator creates a completely private channel for each property. The vendor downloads the app and can access all information pertaining to their sale, including documents. They are able to ask specific team members questions, and information is updated in real time. The functionality allows several people to access the channel so conveyancers can be involved giving vendors even more visibility over the sales progression. Slack is also integrated with the CRM system and Twitter feed, so the team can react quickly to comments on social media. As the vendors experience a high level of transparency and communication, inbound email and call volumes have reduced so the team has more time to focus on positive actions.

Sponsored by

GOLD

Thomas Morris

SILVER

Thomas Morris was an early adopter of the Periscope app, and was oﬃcially the world’s first agent to use the video streaming technology to host a virtual open house. The reaction to the first showing was impressive, with extensive press coverage including prime time BBC news, and it is still featured on the BBC website. The team has subsequently hosted 63 Periscope viewings in five months, and the number of instructions has increased as a direct result. They are primarily using Periscope as a preliminary viewing service as they recognise that virtual open houses will never replace live viewings, however the app provides a way for them to reach a wide audience simultaneously, and subsequently identify the committed potential buyers. This has saved a lot of time as time wasters can be identified early on. The feedback from vendors has been very positive. The use of Periscope is unlimited - they are also intending to use it to host forums and Q&A sessions. The impact of this innovation shouldn’t be underestimated – Thomas Morris has received requests for advice on launching Periscope from estate agents as far away as New Zealand.

BRONZE

Streets Ahead Croydon is set for a £5bn investment over the next five years. The existing shopping centre will be replaced by a state of the art Westfield centre, and between 5,000 and 7,000 new homes will be built. Streets Ahead is already regarded as Croydon’s agent of choice, and its full partnership of Develop Croydon, alongside its membership of the Croydon Forum and Chamber of Commerce will only cement its reputation. Through these partnerships, the Streets Ahead directors are able to advise and influence policy and strategy on the developments. Their advice has been so well received that they are holding hugely successful and oversubscribed forums to educate clients (existing and potential), the public and investors on a variety of topics including overseas liabilities, planning issues, market trends and inheritance tax. As the only agent to be involved in the regeneration plans at policy level, Streets Ahead is leveraging its position to positively influence and guide the plans for the benefit of Croydon’s 380,000 residents whom it knows and loves.

Samsung SDS Nexhop Interactive Marketing is Retail sales & marketing support solution that enables customers to enjoy the in-branch experience whilst also enabling estate agents to increase operational efficiency. This is achieved by enhancing connectivity between customers and stores.

Benefits Improve Customer Experience • •

Attract new customers by triggering interest with eye-catching displays Provide an immersive experience by leveraging in-branch touch screen and external information (map, transport information, street view)

Enhance Service Competitiveness •

•

Provide a customised and personalised consultation that Stands-out from the crowd Meet accessibility needs both in and out of office hours

Reduce Operation Cost •

•

Increase operational efficiency and meet brand guidelines easily through integrated content management Reduce unnecessary printing costs

Contact

Headquarters Samsung SDS Tower, 125 Olympic-ro 35-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Korea 138-240 Samsung SDS Europe 1st Floor, No.5 The Heights, Brooklands, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 0NY, United Kingdom contactsds@samsung.com Tel. +44 (0)1932 823569

GOLD

Best Marketing

marketing estate agency

2015

Sponsored by

GOLD

SILVER

Marsh & Parsons In a highly competitive category Marsh & Parsons stood out as a clear winner. The internally designed campaign was launched in two parts in January; the first of which featured a number of cleverly written lines to convey its brand and ethics in a fun and enticing way. “Impeccable manors”, and “The only way is ethics” are two such examples. The second stage was to produce adverts with eye catching photos and witty captions which highlighted both the high standard of property available through Marsh & Parsons and the diversity of its customer base. The team sought to cut through all the marketing noise in London so rather than competing on a like for like basis with competitors, they designed and launched a clever, subtle and unique campaign which stood out. The advert placements were carefully considered – the team walked the local areas to handpick locations, and the copy and images were carefully matched to the location, such as the caption, “Fair please”, on the sides of buses. Measuring brand campaign results can be diﬃcult but every indication shows that this idea has increased footfall, online chatter and positive feedback, all of which lead to increased business.

McEwan Fraser Legal The directors at McEwan Fraser Legal spent significant time with the in-house marketing team to design the “Thinking Diﬀerently” campaign. They recognised the need to up their game in 2015 to stay ahead of the competition and this campaign was launched to highlight the key diﬀerentiators of this business. They were very clear as to what they wanted to achieve and mapped this at the outset, identifying seven key areas of focus. The messages were rolled out across a variety of mediums from print to online, and on television and radio. The marketing team wrote all the scripts for the latter as the directors believe that they are best placed to understand and convey the business benefits to the relevant audiences. Success was evaluated through analysis of online stats such as unique visits, pages viewed, likes and shares etc., alongside more traditional measurements: properties sold, fee income and instructions.

Chestertons BRONZE

In June Chestertons announced it was launching a new rewards scheme in conjunction with Avios, the travel points reward programme formerly known as Airmiles. The directors recognised that people are rarely rewarded for their loyalty in this industry and sought to rectify this. Given that property transactions involve large sums of money, clients can quickly earn enough points to book flights: they are awarded one point for every £1 spent with Chestertons. The marketing campaign, which was designed entirely by the Chestertons marketing team, was launched in two phases – the first to existing Avios collectors, and the second to those who may not be aware of Avios. The creative used joint Avios and Chestertons branding, and the bold images were complemented by the pithy straplines. All creative also had to be signed oﬀ by the Avios legal and branding teams. In terms of business success, new business is up 20%, the Avios information page on the website is the most popular landing page after the homepage, and clients as far afield as Rome and Shanghai are benefitting from the scheme. This partnership is innovative and ground breaking, and Chestertons should be congratulated.

The estate agency software of champions

GOLD

lettings supplier

2015

UK Estate Agency of the Year 2014 & RAN Agent of the Year 2014 & 2015

Flexible and Tailored CRM Software Solutions for Estate Agents

Everyone knows Reapit is the best software to use if you want to be the best agent. Kevin Scrupps, Managing Director at Pygott & Crone

www.reapit.com

GOLD

customer service

estate agency

2015 large

Best Customer Service – Large

Streets Ahead In this category the mystery shopping results are vital, and once again Streets Ahead has blown the judges’ socks oﬀ. If you want to see how to get truly integrated into a community then these are the guys to follow. They’re not selling – they’re making friends. The directors understand how customers think and act, and get right alongside them; the team is wherever their customers are, speaking their language. They use their daily 90 minute prospecting sessions to keep in touch with clients, and keep them informed on the developments and regeneration of Croydon, alerting them to any opportunities. They also oﬀer advice where required and invite clients to relevant charity events run by the Streets Ahead Foundation. The seamless process feels natural and it’s clear that the team really enjoy their jobs. Streets Ahead has changed the local perception of estate agents and has taken on the mantle of the area experts.

Sponsored by

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

Preston Baker This agency is all about process, and this is process at its best. Everyone at Preston Baker understands the steps that need to be taken in order to meet service expectations. It was abundantly clear that they know exactly what is working in the business, and what can be improved. They know their demographic and how to speak to each type of customer – communication is beautifully tailored. Every customer touchpoint has been mapped from initial customer contact to completion, and the central admin team checks monthly that standards are being met. Every meeting, whether at board or branch level begins with a review of customer feedback to celebrate the positives and address any issues. They use the Net Promoter Score system to ascertain their market position and the NPS measurements have undoubtedly driven business change as well as delivering more clients and an improved return on investment.

Karl Tatler The judges commented that again and again they are privileged to look under the bonnet of this agency, and it never disappoints. Karl’s philosophy is that, “anyone can wow once, it’s doing it consistently that matters”, and he has implemented a number of robust and thoughtful systems and processes to achieve this. The team provides such a personal service however, that clients won’t be aware that a process is being followed, which is a brilliant touch. The 24/7/28/52 process is excellent: after completion they ring the client after 24 hours, 7 days, 28 days and 52 weeks. This high level of aftercare enables them to quickly identify and resolve any issues, and underpins the relationship for future transactions. Adding to this is the fact that staﬀ retention is at 96% so returning clients can work with people they already know. The agency was mystery shopped a number of times and achieved amazing scores across the board.

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www.fairfielddisplays.co.uk info@fairfielddisplays.co.uk

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GOLD

customer service

estate agency

2015 sm all

Sponsored by

Best Customer Service - Small

Ivy Gate This passionate business offers a jargon-free concierge style service. The team really understands that customers want the perfect blend of state-of-the-art technology and good, old-fashioned customer service. The customer service offering has lots of substance. The business model is unique and operates according to territories rather than offices. Each territory has a Personal Relationship Manager to look after vendors, an Associate who assists buyers, and an administrator. Territory size is limited so it and the relevant portfolio can be managed to a high standard. Clients deal with a single person from start to finish, and without exception, everyone at Ivy Gate is multi-skilled with a high level of expertise. They understand that every step of the customer journey is important, so view the preparation prior to listing as the key to building trust and setting the standard for what follows. Ivy Gate is an exemplary business proving that a different model can work.

GOLD

Propology Boutique Properties SILVER

BRONZE

Propology Boutique Properties is led from the top by an enthusiastic and committed individual. Having won the gold in the Best Newcomer category in 2014, they have sought to capitalise on this recognition, and continue to oﬀer an amazing level of service. The number of listings is limited to 20 at any one time so the small team can focus on the portfolio, and ensure that every client feels valued and important. The MD has many years’ experience in the prime London property market and she is using this to diﬀerentiate her business from her competitors. The Lifestyle Consultancy package is above and beyond the usual agency service: clients can access interior design, landscaping and architectural services through Propology. The team knows their clients and understands what makes them tick. This is boutique at its finest – not at all process driven, just the best of personal service. The fantastic mystery shopping results backed up the panel’s findings.

Daniel Cobb

The director of Daniel Cobb has extensive experience outside the estate agency industry and he brings this know-how to bear when designing the customer experience. He trains his team to engage with the consumer, educating them on the importance of trust and understanding. Communications are changing rapidly but the team at Daniel Cobb is more than keeping up – they amend their practices according to feedback and with customer expectations at the forefront. They apply the 80/20 rule to every interaction so listening takes up 80% of their time, and the remaining 20% is reserved for talking. They seek to accurately understand clients’ requirements and priorities by asking carefully considered questions, and really listening to the answers, before recommending a course of action. Daniel Cobb is bringing the best from the corporate world into estate agency, and the panel has no doubt that customers will be wowed. Everyone in this business is delivering great service and making the family name proud.

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GOLD

website estate agency

2015

Sponsored by

Best Website Daniel Cobb In this category, the judges looked at how the agencies utilise their resources for maximum eﬀect so the methodology this agency took to its website really made it stand out. The directors have turned the whole approach to web on its head, and refreshingly have looked outside the industry to identify those businesses that are leading the way online. They spent a year working with a design company to map out every permutation of the customer online journey and have designed their site to meet as many of these requirements as possible. The overriding aim, which was communicated in the brief, was identifying the most important action they wanted visitors to undertake, and that is to contact the agency. They therefore set out a wealth of tools and features across the fully responsive and optimised site to enable customers to achieve this goal. There is an immediate focus on property searches, and it is very clean and intuitive – any unnecessary information has been removed. In particular the Social Wall and area guides demonstrate real local knowledge, and they also look great.

Pygott & Crone GOLD

SILVER

Pygott & Crone has completed redesigned its website so it is now fully responsive and optimised. It was designed with mobile as the starting point so it looks great on all devices – the scrolling navigation is particularly impressive. All services are easy to navigate and the overall style of the site is picture heavy, text light and intuitive. The directors use analytics on web searches so they can identify which properties are being viewed, and equally as importantly, those which aren’t. They then work with the sales team to take appropriate action. New search functionality has been introduced, in particular draw-a-search. The home page caters for both buyers and sellers and they can navigate to the relevant areas with one scroll of the mouse. It utilises full screen imagery to good eﬀect and the search function is immediately available. There has been heavy investment in recruiting an in-house technical team so the site can be maintained and updated regularly with ease.

Portico BRONZE

Following a redesign and rebrand earlier this year, the Portico website is an extension of a clear brand identity. The improvements were influenced and led by customer research. It has a premium look and feel and is very fresh – bespoke icons and imagery were created for the site. Portico has worked hard to make the instant valuation tool more engaging and interactive, and has increased the number of options available to refine and improve the accuracy of the valuation. Much of the oﬄine marketing is being used to push the valuation page, and they have generated an extra 250 leads each month. The team has dedicated significant time to build relationships with local suppliers and they work together online, for example, retweeting each other’s content. This localised content has helped SEO so has driven Portico up the Google rankings. The new platform gives vendors and buyers equal parity and there are clearly navigable sections with rich and relevant content for both parties. Traﬃc has increased by 30% since the re-launch.

Outstanding Property Software

Enough said.

eurolink.co/veco

GOLD

social media

estate agency

2015

Sponsored by

Best Social Media Howard Cundey Howard Cundey is an out and out winner in this category. The team identified that social media enables them to reach specific audiences, and they’ve built an enviable online presence. They’ve sought to move beyond gathering likes and followers to build real engagement with the community. There is an exciting blend of online and oﬄine activities, and nowhere was this clearer than with the hugely successful “Howard the Fish” campaign. This is their biggest ever digital campaign and is a shining example of how to get people talking. This started with an online video and was supported by branded printed materials in the oﬃce, as well as giveaways such as fish stretch balls. The website was reconfigured so all property searches return fishbowls so all elements were linked. This year has seen them position social media as central to their business, and the directors have committed that all future marketing will be digitally led.

Andrews & Partners

GOLD

Andrews has built on its success from last year and the exemplary social media policy should act as a how-to for the industry. Every year they set out objectives for each platform and design a targeted content schedule according to the platform and the audience. Every piece of content they generate is publicised through online and oﬄine channels. The team is given quarterly training to remind them of the social media policy, tone of voice and the objectives of what they’re aiming to achieve through the social media activity. The latter is very clear and remains the same: lead generation, brand awareness and engagement. The amount of activity is breathtaking, not least because of the quality. They respond to customer requirements, so to meet demand for more online content this year, they’ve produced 87 videos, held Google+ hangouts, run webinars and hosted numerous #PropertyHour Q&A sessions. They track and measure KPIs which are reported and assessed monthly.

Hannath SILVER

BRONZE

The team at Hannath wanted to take a considered approach to social media, and spent time identifying what their key objectives were. Facebook is still the number one platform in Northern Ireland so they undertake most of their activity here. The directors engaged marketing experts to advise on the best way to use this channel for maximum impact. They understand the importance of content and are pushing this out across a variety of carefully selected channels, alongside Facebook. They’re working hard to build engagement and get their name out there which is vital - they understand that not every activity leads directly to a sale or instruction but as a consequence of their content, their reputation as experts will grow rapidly. Hannath’s online growth has been organic and this can be attributed to the quality of its posts and the information it shares, so its followers have been gathered through considered activity. Congratulations.

Liberty Gate

BRONZE

Liberty Gate is a new business that is just coming to the end of its first year of trading. The directors recognised that most people will come across their brand via online mobile searches so are harnessing this to build brand awareness. They have a presence across a number of platforms and these are managed via an external dashboard as well as through live updates from the team. This dual approach means they’re assured of regular content updates whilst maintaining a friendly and personable tone of voice. For a new business of this size, the marketing investment is considerable, and the directors are constantly looking for new tools and apps. Video content is central to their future plans and they’re building a library of content through specific recordings and via the Periscope app. Liberty Gate is a small business which has found innovative ways to build its brand online via social media and the judges were seriously impressed.

GOLD

training & development

Best Training & Development

estate agency

Karl Tatler

2015

Sponsored by

Karl knows his business inside out and takes a whole world view to his training programme, which has a 360° approach to all elements. He is extremely focused with an eye for detail, and he works hard to ensure every client receives the same level of service from his dedicated team. Every employee receives a quarterly review with Karl, and over the past 12 months, he has implemented measurable KPIs which are recorded on contribution sheets, so they show each individual’s performance and how this compares to the rest of the team. This procedure is designed to be a positive one and has resulted in higher conversion rates and a greater level of reward. There is a clearly defined career path and the senior team oﬀers exceptional support to allow staﬀ to progress. All managers have been promoted internally, and new employees receive a pack at their house containing all relevant reading material and a bottle of champagne. The judges were wowed by the retention rate which is at 96%.

Hamptons International

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

The training provision at Hamptons International is a clearly defined programme which covers every career step. Every employee from new starters to senior directors can access a raft of sessions which complement each other and ensure everyone at Hamptons is a well rounded and multi-skilled expert. Training is designed according to direct client feedback; they recently interviewed people on the street to understand their expectations of estate agents, and they’ve used these comments to educate staﬀ. This has resulted in a more empathic approach as the team can spot the potential hot spots for client frustration and can mitigate these proactively. Alongside client feedback, the training team also works with the Executive Board to ensure that the curriculum is aligned with business goals, and will support the vision and values of Hamptons. Courses are regularly reviewed and feedback measured so they can be updated and amended as required. Feedback scores, engagement rates, NPS scores and referral rates are all up as a result of this approach.

Howard Cundey Howard Cundey has recruited a Director of Estate Agency to head up the dedicated, state of the art training facility. As an experienced trainer with a background in global sales, they have designed a series of generic tutorials alongside bespoke and individualised lessons to create an all-encompassing curriculum. Training is delivered by individuals from Howard Cundey alongside expert external trainers. There is a culture of peer learning as they’ve identified which employees have a flair for training and they are now delivering sessions to their teams – a sales consultant is the resident expert on the business software, and one of the directors trains on listings. The directors have sought to personalise incentives so outstanding individual development is rewarded in a number of ways from voucher schemes to bonuses and recognition at the annual awards presentation.

Streets Ahead BRONZE

Streets Ahead has always positioned itself as the Croydon expert, and is now heavily involved in the £5bn regeneration project which is currently underway. At least 5,000 new homes are set to be developed as part of this project, so Streets Ahead has set up its own Academy to train and develop the staff on the investment opportunities this will offer. The directors recognised that few of their team had experience in either new homes, or the buy-to-let market so set out to rectify this through specific sessions. The Streets Ahead Academy has also been a valuable recruitment tool as they have been approached by individuals from other agencies who want to be part of this initiative. The training sessions take into account that a large number of the clients don’t have English as a first language, so they offer foreign language sessions. They also seek to educate the clients alongside the team, so have held highly successful investor forums.

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GOLD

Best Newcomer

newcomer estate agency

2015

Sponsored by

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

Jezzards The owners of Jezzards are interesting and dedicated individuals whose business successfully combines traditional values with cutting edge technology - the panel feels they have got the balance just right. They understand how to use technology and avoid using it for its own sake. With this philosophy in mind, they have written their own back office programme which includes online trackers so clients have full transparency on transaction progress at the touch of a button. The team looks at overseas agents to identify areas of innovation and best practice which they then adapt and implement in their own business. This habit differentiates them from the competition, both in terms of their vision and the quality and breadth of services available. Since opening in January 2014, it has already changed premises three times to accommodate its growth, and a new office is set to open at the end of the year so further development is already in the pipeline. Jezzards won gold in the Best Newcomer category at the Lettings Agency of the Year awards, and the panel found every indication that its sales offering is run to the same high standard – they are therefore delighted to match the Lettings gold with this one.

Buckley Brown Buckley Brown is a traditional agency with a modern twist. The business launched with two separate grand openings; one for the public, and one for local businesses which was invitation only. For the latter, the director identified local solicitors, landlords and financial companies he’d like to partner with, and then sought to build a relationship with them. These events were opened by celebrities Rebecca Adlington and Robbie Savage so garnered some excellent press coverage. The team has created a “Homeowner’s Guide to Selling” which highlights the importance of using quality photography and items such as floorplans, and gives statistics and metrics as to how their usage (or lack thereof ) can impact a property sale. They also surveyed the marketplace in order to gather direct feedback on what the public expect from estate agents, and then used these comments to inform the culture and practice of the business. It has already won local recognition for its outstanding customer service in a local awards scheme in which it competed against a number of well known high street brands. There are plans to expand the business into the lettings arena early next year, and the panel is in no doubt that this will add to Buckley Brown’s success.

Charles Bainbridge Charles Bainbridge is an impressive new business which the panel feel will go from strength to strength. The fact that a second oﬃce is already being planned is testament to its quality. The directors deliberately secured the high profile oﬃce location as they understood that this ensures the best exposure for the business by raising brand awareness. The “Spot, Snap, Post, Win” initiative was enthusiastically received – they invited children to photograph any Charles Bainbridge branding they spotted and either email the photo in or post it on Facebook. There were various prizes and the overall winner received £100 of sports vouchers for their school. Engagement levels were excellent. As well as competitions, they also use Facebook to publicise news, updates and property listings. They have formed strong community links with Canterbury Cathedral, donating a percentage of every commission to the Bursary Fund which assists choristers from all backgrounds. This relationship enabled them to hold the company’s launch reception in the Cathedral Lodge in the Cathedral grounds, with attendees treated to an exclusive performance by the choristers.

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GOLD

Best Auction Agency

auction estate agency

2015

Sponsored by

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

Auction House East Anglia There is much to diﬀerentiate this company from the competition. The director has unbridled passion for the auction process, and he and his team are on a crusade to bring this method of selling into the mainstream. Precise and focused, they have in-depth knowledge of property market which has resulted in them being seen as the “go-to” auction house in their location. The business is heavily web based so the site is easy to use and provides a great resource. It leads the way in partner programme servicing so it finds local buyers who will have a use for the property in order to gain higher revenues than if the property is sold to a remote investor. This retail auctioneering has led to an increase in instructions from agents who want to give their clients a choice, and who see auctions as a viable alternative to traditional sales methods. The directors seek to innovate and have recently launched an eBay style online auction option. This includes an option to sell for free, as well as allowing a period of time after the hammer falls for buyers to arrange their mortgage and conveyancing.

CP Bigwood CP Bigwood has been an auctioneer since 1854 and this unparalleled experience shines through. It works with all the local councils, and numerous property companies in Birmingham, and the directors know that this local presence is a major factor in their continued success. The experienced team provides a fantastic level of skills and knowledge, as each individual has between 10 - 25 years’ experience. Despite its heritage as a longstanding business, there is a culture of innovation: it has undergone a year of reviewing its technology systems and usage, which has led to the team designing and developing their own auction-specific software programme. Their ability to code means that they can improve and upgrade the system organically. The web presence has been enhanced, so the website is fully responsive and they have embraced social media and online tools. This activity is helping bring auction into the mainstream as a method of selling. The rate of lots sold is impressive, and they are increasing the number of auctions in order to give each lot ample time. All vendors are notified immediately if a lot is unsold, and these are subsequently emailed to anyone who downloaded the particulars as this may still result in a sale.

Butters John Bee butters john bee has focused on challenging vendors views about auctions, and presenting this method of selling as an expedient and transparent alternative. The team works with local agents as well as its own extensive branch network and they continue to build relationships with large local owners such as HMRC, The Coal Authority, Insolvency Service and the Ministry of Justice to create stock. They understand the importance of educating vendors on the auction process, and the expert team are confident when doing this face-to-face but clients can also access an excellent video online which explains the auction process in detail. Novice auction participants are invited to attend a sale where a number of butters john bee staﬀ are on hand to answer any questions, and dispel any concerns they may have around the auction process. The large asset sale department enhances the proposition as clients can benefit from selling contents and fittings alongside their property if they so wish. This department has sold items ranging from fine art to plant machinery. All staﬀ are encouraged to participate in the sales, irrespective of their role, so everyone at butters john bee can speak with authority when dealing with clients.

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GOLD

Best Buying Agent

buying agent estate agency

2015

Sponsored by

GOLD

Black Brick Black Brick is an independently run business based out of Mayfair that employs a salaried team based from their offices rather than commission-only, home based search agents. The panel was particularly impressed with the range of services offered beyond a house purchase including a vacant care service, which ensures that a property is regularly checked, post collected and satisfies the vendor’s insurance especially if the property is empty for months at a time. In addition the Concierge package is offered as a complimentary service where the team at Black Brick can arrange for a property to be prepared before the owners return from overseas, including having fresh food waiting for them. They have a high regard for the estate agents they work with to acquire properties for clients, and this goes as far as giving the agents the opportunity to find tenants for properties if needed, with the ongoing management then handled by Black Brick. It boasts an impressive list of case studies and testimonials from clients and the passion and effort that the team put into helping their clients find the perfect property is very evident.

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GOLD

Best Franchise

franchise estate agency

2015

Sponsored by

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

Homexperts HomeXperts fully deserves to win the gold award in this category again. The judges found it to have excellent core values that are driven from the top – the MD has a huge social conscience and she works closely with the franchisees to build relationships in local communities. The selection criteria for franchise owners is strict and non-negotiable, and all franchisees undergo intense training and induction so the consistency of service standards is guaranteed. The central tenet is one of absolute support of the franchisees, and this ethos has enabled the business to grow rapidly without compromising on quality and due diligence. There has been huge investment this year in the infrastructure, systems and people, especially online. The franchisees’ resource hub is a great tool – owners can access a raft of resources including the operations manual, training programmes and the CRM software online 24/7. Quarterly franchisee conferences seek to educate further through expert speaker sessions, and the ability for owners to network has strengthened crossbranch communication.

EweMove Sales and Lettings This business has a strong, fun brand which communicates its philosophy in a memorable and catchy way. The look and feel is bright, with cheeky, punning copy and straplines; induction and ongoing training is accessed via the Eweniversity, for example. As the brand is so unique, the guidelines are strictly enforced but franchisees have full access to a library of artwork and images. This business operates one of the most aﬀordable entry models but the vetting process is stringent. Anyone who wishes to join has to secure the approval of three franchisees before they can apply – the existing owners therefore make sure that only the best people can apply so standards are maintained. There is a strong culture of working together so the directors run numerous events to embed this, from consultation groups to surveys. The award winning Ewereka software is central to the business. The directors both have a background in web and IT so designed and built this behemoth themselves. EweMove oﬀers the best online technology and exemplary personal service.

Auction House UK Auction House UK is a superb business and it is a privilege to be able to investigate it once again. Its consistent success in this category is absolutely due to its ability to innovate and evolve it’s oﬀering without compromising on standards. Franchisees can be confident of superb and structured support from Head Oﬃce across all areas from marketing to financial management. The model remains unique in the industry and has enabled estate agents nationwide to become successful auctioneers. The size of the network is impressive and can be leveraged by the member agents for mutual benefit as the lots can be promoted to local, regional and national audiences. The communication between the franchisees is exemplary, and it’s clear that they are working together to shift the public perception of auctions so they become a mainstream and attractive option for property transactions. Auction House UK combines the best of visionary leadership from the franchisor with strong franchisee performance.

GOLD

Best Prestige

prestige estate agency

2015

Sponsored by

PA Black pa black is the sister company of Peter Alan, Wales’ largest estate agency brand. It was launched in 2011 following extensive research which identified that whilst there was growth in the Welsh premium property market there wasn’t a dedicated prestige service. pa black operates from two dedicated branches, and via prestige property specialists located in existing Peter Alan branches. This dual access strategy is proving successful as it allows more clients to access first-class services for their high-end properties. Due to the continued success of this oﬀering, there are plans to open further pa black branches in the next 12-18 months. Vendors receive first-class property marketing tools as standard. Properties are listed in Distinctive, the prestigious lifestyle magazine from pa black which is available online and in print; 10,000 copies are distributed throughout South Wales. Vendors are assigned a dedicated relationship manager whose role is to drive the sale from start to finish. Clients can expect a high level of face-to-face contact throughout the process. The directors should be congratulated on filling a gap in the Wales property market with this distinctive oﬀering.

GOLD

UK Sotheby’s International Realty

SILVER

UK Sotheby’s International Realty never fails to impress. Whilst it has the ability to leverage its global network in order to bring properties to the widest possible audience, it does so only in accordance with a client’s wishes. For those who want maximum exposure, properties can be marketed online at sothebysrealty.com which has over 10 million views each year. Other options include the ability of the Sotheby’s team to generate press, advertise in luxury publications and host prestigious launch events with partners such as Rolls Royce, or leading yacht company Edmiston. For those who prefer a more discreet approach, the Sotheby’s Private Office broker deals off the market - 30% of its transactions are progressed privately. The small team is exceptional. The directors identify and recruit the best individuals, irrespective of their industry background – the team has work experience in art, fashion and luxury brands. They also work with the overseas Sotheby’s offices to recruit in accordance with market requirements; having identified that Indian investment in the UK market has increased, a member of the India Sotheby’s office has joined the UK team to facilitate transactions between the two countries.

BRONZE

Rokstone

Rokstone sells the entire prestige lifestyle, not just properties. The director, Becky Fatemi, must be congratulated on her vision and ability, and since launching the business in 2006, now offers services including property sales, investment and funding advice, access to VIP events and joint branding opportunities with prestigious sectors. Rokstone is a boutique agency so it stands out in a market dominated by medium and large corporates. As a single office business, its ability to flex and evolve according to market changes is hugely beneficial, especially at the luxury end of the market which is subject to many external influences. Alongside sales, the team also act as buying agents so they are able to assist their clients across the entire transaction; not only do they offer expert sales advice but they also leverage their contacts to source potential properties which may be of interest. To help facilitate the latter, Becky and the team have developed strong relationships with luxury property developers, such as Candy and Candy, and have recently sold a £46m penthouse in Belgravia.

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GOLD

Best New Homes

new homes estate agency

2015

Sponsored by

GOLD

SILVER

Countrywide Land & New Homes Having won silver in this category last year, it is very clear that Countrywide is on a growth plan to develop and enhance the specialism within their Land & New Homes oﬀering. The business has developed its range of services to house builders and there is very much a sense of a joined up approach across the whole of the Countrywide business, including the commercial agency arm Lambert Smith Hampton, Countrywide Surveyors and the most recent acquisitions of highly regarded new homes experts Preston Bennett and Greene & Co. Particularly impressive is the approach taken to Graduates entering into the land function of the business, and how these individuals are mentored and trained across all departments. This is clearly a good strategy for developing more specialist land functions which will help speed the ongoing growth with house builders’ new homes instructions. Furthermore the data that the business is able to provide to house builders to assist in pricing and acquisition work was very good and the way in which this information is shared either directly or through live events was very well structured.

CBRE Residential As part of the world’s largest property company, CBRE Residential has the ability to leverage its reach to bring the most up to date global market information to its client base. The team is seriously impressive, both in terms of their passion and knowledge. Its reputation is built on a strong foundation; developers and buyers know that the CBRE staﬀ will be completely hands-on throughout the process. The team understands its market and works closely with developers to build in-demand homes for a discerning audience in the competitive London market. Attention to detail is meticulous and the fact that the CBRE team works on developments literally from the ground up means that their knowledge is unmatched and unsurpassed. The Development Consultancy team works closely with developers to help shape development opportunities into truly aspirational residential living spaces. The range of new homes projects oﬀers something for everyone from riverside apartments to city penthouses, and they can advise all customers, whether they’re seeking a new home or an investment opportunity. The level of expertise and service is truly world class.

BRONZE

Simon Brien Residential

This business is involved in marketing some of Northern Ireland’s most prestigious developments, and handles a considerable amount of new build properties. It is well known in its location as a recognised expert in the land and new homes arenas, with a level of service encompassing every stage of the process. Starting at the point of land acquisition, the team makes recommendations to the developer and architect on the development plans and advises on marketing strategy before selling the properties. As they’re involved in the plans from the outset their detailed knowledge is second to none. It has an excellent track record and there is a real feeling of mutual respect between all stakeholders, as everyone involved in the process knows they are dealing with dedicated and expert individuals. This has resulted in Simon Brien being the go-to agency for Northern Ireland’s landmark residential developments. The judges felt that Simon Brien Residential is a standout business oﬀering a unique perspective in its location.

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GOLD

Best Financial Services

financial services

estate agency

2015

Sponsored by

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

Preston Baker Preston Baker seeks to use its financial services offering to simplify the moving process via a dedicated individual in each branch. In its location and size band, it is fairly unique in providing financial advice, and the financial services team is fully integrated into the rest of the business. The directors have worked with the mortgage advisors to develop a fully integrated proposition. Vendors are given a two-step “Cost of Move” appraisal with a mortgage advisor and valuer to identify and understand all costs associated with moving to assess affordability, alongside negotiating the best price for their property. The Preston Baker advisors have a whole of market view so can offer clients the best rates possible from a variety of lenders. They also work with some of the biggest and well-known providers of mortgage protection products in the country. They use the Net Promoter Score system to measure client satisfaction and the results are excellent. One customer was so impressed by the Preston Baker service that they went to work for them.

Reeds Rains The team at Reeds Rains understands that each client presents a unique set of circumstances and requirements so they tailor their service accordingly. When advising clients, they clearly take into account their financial situation but also ascertain any aspirations and concerns they may have, before oﬀering advice. Customers who arrange their mortgage through Reeds Rains are automatically enrolled in the “Remortgage Club” which reminds them when their current deal is due to end so they can review their arrangement, and receive advice on the best next steps. Recognising that there has been an increase in the number of people seeking face-to-face advice in branch rather than online, Reeds Rains has undertaken to train a number of its existing staﬀ in financial services. This initiative will see the company sponsor and support 12 individuals to gain their professional financial qualifications. It ensures consistency and excellence in customer service standards by running a loyalty programme where clients are incentivised to recommend them to friends. Customer satisfaction rates are extremely high, and the online reviews are excellent.

Your Move Your Move quickly identified the trend for more people to appoint mortgage brokers to source products rather than going directly to banks and building societies, and sought to capitalise on this. It set out to increase its financial services advisors by 40% so consumers can access a dedicated person in over 90% of its branches. 20% of its advisors are recruited internally from other disciplines and are fast tracked to gain their CeMap qualifications, following which they participate in extensive on-the-job training and mentoring. Your Move is fully responsive to clients’ needs and designs its product propositions according to customer feedback and market trends. The website was re-launched this year and contains an impressive numbers of tools, guides and calculators to assist consumers with any financial query. As one of the UK’s largest providers of mortgage and protection products, the board understands that its standards must be beyond reproach so its compliance and redress procedures and policies are transparent and robust.

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GOLD

UK Conveyancer of the year AVRillo Solicitors LLP Overall Winner

As in previous years, our awards have once again recognised the dedication and hard work of the best conveyancing companies. Congratulations to the overall winner, AVRillo Solicitors LLP

Sponsored by

GOLD

LARGE CONVEYANCER

estate agency

2015

Sponsored by

Best Large Conveyancer Howells Legal Howells Legal is a stand out business. In the last 12 months it has launched a new ‘Fast Start” process with a large estate agent, similar to the old HIPs whereby the solicitors collate the necessary documentation for the property at the start of the process, giving them a head start on the legal requirements once a sale is agreed. As a result, their level of instruction has increased and the average time from an oﬀer being accepted to completion has reduced by two weeks on average. The team understands that the moving process can be emotional and stressful so there is a strong focus on proactive communication. They work with the agents at the start of each month to understand the priorities and all stakeholders are updated through the process as key points are completed such as searches, mortgage oﬀers, surveys etc. There is a focus on compliance and transparency and the claims record is exemplary.

GOLD

MyHomeMove

SILVER

BRONZE

MyHomeMove processes a huge amount of transactions. In order to maintain customer service standards at this level, it has made huge investments into two key areas: training and technology. The IT system is extremely advanced, and the revolutionary CMS is regularly reviewed and amended to meet the evolving business requirements. Clients receive real-time updates on progress via sms or email, and are also alerted when action is required. The use of this system has significantly reduced the time it takes to complete transactions to up to three weeks faster than the national average whilst giving the agents greater visibility and transparency. Its Learning and Development Academy is recognised by the SRA and CLC as an accredited college, and it has delivered nearly 6,000 hours of training this year resulting in 70 conveyancers graduating into conveyancing teams. MyHomeMove has a proven track record in combining state of the art technology with the best of personal and considered service.

Advantage Property Lawyers This is a proactive and dedicated practice which takes a no-nonsense approach to working with agents and consumers. This attitude extends to every area of the business: having identified a requirement to grow the firm, the directors have expanded the offices in order to operate in a more efficient manner. They have spent time researching the business practices, and have amended the training programme in order to address any weaker areas or skills gaps. They hold monthly brainstorming sessions with key agents to improve communication and understanding of the different drivers of each stakeholder. Procedures are then adapted accordingly. To aid communication, the CMS has additional layers to notify other conveyancers, brokers, agents and insurers at various stages as they are reached as well as alerting them as to any potential issues, so that all parties are kept in the same loop. The company is very risk focused and has employed the services of external compliance companies to reduce pressure on the fee earner.

Best Small Conveyancer AVRillo Solicitors LLP This is a firm of solicitors who think and act like estate agents which is not surprising given that the partners at AVRillo are ex estate agents themselves. They understand every aspect of the sales process and this knowledge helps facilitate the communication between themselves and the agent: they literally speak the same language. The solicitors are proactive in their dissemination of information to all parties - clients, agents and the team. Daily morning meetings apprise each staﬀ member on sales progression. Many law firms assess their practices internally but AVRillo employs external measures and review facilities to amend and evolve its customer service. It uses the Net Promoter Score system, and its score is comparable to high profile brands. The investment in training is impressive, and the imaginative programme allows for a diverse number of sessions in both technical and soft skills. AVRillo won the silver in this category in 2014, and the panel is delighted with its progress.

GOLD

SMALL CONVEYANCER

estate agency

2015

Sponsored by

GOLD

The Partnership The judges found The Partnership to be an excellent firm. Every fee earner has three screens; one for the CMS, one for email and one for documents. This enables them to easily switch between screens, minimising the risk of entering data incorrectly and improving eﬃciency. It has its own bespoke, cloud-based CMS that incorporates every aspect of the conveyancing process, so it can be changed inhouse according to users’ requirements. The panel particularly liked the “moan list” which gives staﬀ the ability to request changes to the system. Requests can then be “liked” by the rest of the team to move them up the priority list. It is imperative that legal firms are able to minimise the risk of cyber crime so The Partnership has a number of measures in place to ensure client safety online. The internal portal is used to email confidential and sensitive information which has severely reduced the possibility of external hacking.

Smart Legal The judges were wowed by the standard of communication at Smart Legal. Clients can speak to their solicitor via various tools including the CMS, Skype, sms and whatsapp. Smart Legal has an office in India as well as the UK office and this investment is impressive in a firm of this size. The time difference means clients can speak to a fully qualified solicitor outside normal business hours. They request feedback after completion from everyone involved in the case including the agent and mortgage advisor as well as the client. The points awarded are recorded and displayed in the office so everyone’s performance is completely transparent. They have partnered with an external company to provide an innovative service whereby they commence all legal work at the point of a property being marketed so once the sale is agreed, both sets of solicitors are almost in a position to exchange. This firm has fantastic buy-in from the team and they fully deserve to be recognised for their efforts.

SILVER

BRONZE

GOLD

best conveyancer estate agency

2015

Sponsored by

Best Conveyancer Tony Piccirillo AVRillo

The judges found that Tony is an innovative and focused individual. He has been involved in the property industry for 23 years, first as an estate agent and now as a solicitor. As a co-owner of his business, he still practices conveyancing on a day-to-day basis. Tony uses his considerable experience and knowledge of estate agency to improve and expedite the moving process wherever possible. His calm and reassuring manner has won him clients from all walks of life, including estate agency directors and high profile individuals from the media, sport and political arenas. He anticipates where issues may occur, and solves these in a proactive manner to minimise and mitigate any frustration. Tony heads up the COLP and antifraud departments, so he ensures that compliance is second to none. He has also been responsible for co-designing the bespoke AVRillo case management system, even learning to code so he can amend this himself when necessary. This system has been instrumental in AVRillo being accredited to Lexcel, CQS and ISO 9001 standards. The panel felt that Tony’s wide reaching abilities were fully deserving of the gold award again, and is delighted to see his continued application to delivering a high standard of professional service.

Geraint Aubrey Convey Law – shortlisted Tony Piccirillo AVRillo – shortlisted Charlotte Ridgway Hedges Law – shortlisted

Best Negotiator Jason Davis

Ellis & Co Golders Green Jason is a stand out individual and the judges commented that they would happily employ him. In nine years he has only taken one day oﬀ sick. In the entry, he is described as, “a diligent, hard working performer” which is true of many negotiators but Jason brings something unique in his attitude. He works according to a constant improvement plan based on the Japanese philosophy of Kaizen. Through this he approaches the role of negotiator through four aspects: physical, mental, spiritual and procedural. Each day he tries to improve every aspect of his work. There are some fantastic examples of customer service - in one case, Jason’s vendor was admitted to hospital on the day of completion for a premature birth so he ran the move with the husband, and his service extended to building the cot in the new nursery. Jason is wholly focused on creating a bond between himself and his clients. He has identified the most common time for inbound client contact and makes sure he is available then, although his day starts at 0500 when he meets his mentoring club at the gym. Jason is a first-rate individual, local celebrity and trusted advisor. It is easy to see why he has been voted Best Negotiator across the Ellis and Co. group for five years and following his mention on the shortlist last year, the panel is pleased to add this award for Best Negotiator to his collection.

GOLD

best negotiator estate agency

2015

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GOLD

best manager estate agency

2015

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Best Manager Kier Preece Waterfords

Kier is an exceptional individual who started his estate agency career with Waterfords 17 years ago. Kier holds himself fully accountable for the actions and performance of his staff. The fact that he started as a junior and has worked his way up means that he has participated in every aspect of agency, and can therefore advise his team on any issues. He has taken this experience and applied it directly to the business in order to improve the service offering and standards where required. To ensure that these standards are applied, Kier has designed and delivered his own training to the team, so everyone at his branch is fully aware of what they need to do, and have been given the tools and skills to achieve this. Whilst everyone is incentivised according to centrally allocated sales targets, he understands that people are motivated by different things and he focuses on individuals to understand their drivers, and sets out rewards according to these, funding them himself. He has recently received a well deserved promotion to Associate Director and the panel is certain that Kier will continue to progress due to his tenacity, skills and ethics.

Patrick Donnelly Streets Ahead – shortlisted Jonathan Dyson Hamptons International – shortlisted Martin Jordan Humberts – shortlisted Jonathan Dyson Hamptons International – shortlisted Kier Preece Waterfords – shortlisted Chris Ryall Hamptons International – shortlisted

Best Valuer Philip Knight

Hamptons International Philip is well known in his area and has worked hard to build relationships with the local community. His figures speak for themselves in terms of his ability to close a deal but there is a human touch to his approach. He takes a lot of time mentoring his team, and shares with them what he views as a winning formula for excellent service: the four P’s – preparation, presentation, people and pitch. He is also known for his piano playing, and if a vendor owns one, Philip’s rendition of “Great Balls of Fire” usually secures the deal! Since his promotion to manager in 2011, he has grown his oﬃce’s income every year, and in 2013 broke the Hamptons record for year on year growth in a country oﬃce. Every property he values is subject to the same level of diligence, care and accuracy: he stays informed on market and legislative changes so clients receive the most up to date advice and information on property values and pricing strategy. Hamptons is a multidiscipline agency and Philip extols the benefits to clients if they use its services including mortgage advice and conveyancing. He has also built strong relationships with local new homes developers. The judges commented that they would have no hesitation instructing Philip to sell their properties.

GOLD

best valuer estate agency

2015

Sponsored by

Gurpreet Bassi CPBigwood – shortlisted James Ewart Waterfords – shortlisted Nicholas Hapgood Hamptons International – shortlisted Sue Iles CJ Hole – shortlisted Philip Knight Hamptons International – shortlisted Claire Lowcock Preston Baker – shortlisted

GOLD

best estate agency to work for estate agency

2015

Best Estate Agency To Work For This award is judged on a diﬀerent basis to the rest of the awards. Entrants are given an online questionnaire to distribute to their team which asks individuals to rate statements about their employer on a scale ranging from “Strongly Agree” to “Strongly Disagree”. The questions are designed to discover how each individual views every aspect of their employment, from how valued they feel, to remuneration, career prospects and progression and if they’d recommend their employer to a friend or family member. Companies are required to gather responses from at least 40% of their team in order to be judged for this award. All replies remain anonymous but each response is checked to ensure it is an individual and genuine response. Answers are then analysed, and we are delighted to recognise the following companies.

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GOLD

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Kit Check

GOLD

outstanding contribution estate agency

2015

Outstanding Contribution to Estate Agency Christopher Hamer After nine years Christopher Hamer has recently stepped down from his position as The Property Ombudsman.

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Throughout his career, which crossed both the public and private sectors, Christopher gained an enormous amount of experience in compliance and dispute resolution, firstly in his roles as Director of Services at the Insurance Ombudsman and the General Manager at the Personal Investment Authority Ombudsman Bureau, and finally in his global compliance role for a major international bank, which he held prior to taking up the mantle of Ombudsman for Estate Agents in 2006. Christopher’s overriding aim was to contribute to establishing best practice in the property industry, to the point that compliance and fair trading became the norm. He has been a vocal supporter of the industry as he recognised that the vast majority of agents were honest and professional, so wanted to communicate this to the public. He sought to make property transactions of all kinds fully transparent, honest and fair for the benefit of both the consumer but also those hard working agents who are applying professional standards across every interaction. To aid this transparency he has regularly published the summary judgements he made on disputes and produced an Annual Report. He was also regularly called upon to provide insight and opinion across a variety of media outlets and to consult on policy and regulatory change at Government level. He has been invaluable in his role as Chairman of Judges for these awards and we remain grateful to him for his on-going commitment, as his involvement has ensured that the judging process is robust, fair and impartial. He understands that consumers select an agent based on a variety of factors, and award-winning agents are contributing to raising standards, which can only be beneficial for the industry, and more importantly, the consumer. During Christopher’s tenure he has overseen the evolution of the Ombudsman’s service from being the Ombudsman for Estate Agents to the organisation we know today – The Property Ombudsman. This change has been wide reaching with huge implications for the property industry as a whole as the scheme has shifted from covering only residential sales disputes to now include lettings, commercial, UK based international agents and residential leasehold management disputes. It has also been the first redress scheme approved by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, and the first scheme to be authorised under the Consumer Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007, which requires all UK agents to have membership of an approved redress scheme. It is fair to say that Christopher Hamer has been a driving force in shaping the industry for the better, and he will be sorely missed.

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GOLD

corporate social responsibility estate agency

2015

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Cecil Jackson-Cole Award for Corporate Social Responsibility Paramount The directors at Paramount understand that CSR is not simply about charitable donations and volunteering but recognise it requires a 360° approach to running a sustainable business across a number of areas from compliance to minimising environmental impact. Paramount’s CSR policy has been designed and developed to address every aspect of corporate social responsibility whether through its contribution to a better society and a cleaner environment or its transparent interaction with all stakeholders. It was clear to the judges that these philosophies are followed through with direct action and the positive attitudes of everyone at Paramount. The team at Paramount identified five key areas of focus to form the basis of the CSR policy: community; environment; people; suppliers and charity, and has worked hard to ensure that every activity is undertaken with these aims in mind. These goals also inform the business ethos so Paramount’s best practice standards and CSR activities are completely entrenched. The local community enjoys a number of initiatives run by Paramount, and these are designed to help people in a number of ways. It seeks to inform through free seminars on a range of property specific topics. These are well attended and the feedback is great. It has developed strong relationships with like-minded local independent businesses and schools through sponsorship and strategic partnerships.

GOLD

This has helped build a network of mutually supported boutique businesses so the community is thriving, and gives it an air of individuality. The team is working towards a paperless environment, and is educating clients on the benefits of running a green home. Wherever possible they walk to appointments, and they try to email the majority of documents. The focus on recycling is also exemplary. They’re running an eco-drive initiative so they’re able to recommend and supply environmentally friendly appliances, fixtures and fittings. And finally, the charity work must be mentioned as the approach is really special. Paramount identified five key areas specific to its charitable activities – giving its time, donation, fundraising, sharing its office space and offering its skills. They work with three specific charities on an on-going basis, and also select other charities to help alongside these on a yearly basis. The office is a permanent collection point for a local food bank, they work with a homeless charity, and they set up a grotto for Father Christmas in the office each year, giving presents to local children and the children’s ward. Corporate Social Responsibility is not something that Paramount merely does – it’s central to what this business stands for, and the judges are thrilled to publicly commend the team for its efforts and achievements. Agents Giving is the charity for the UK property industry and endeavours to encourage estate agents, letting agents, house builders and their suppliers to raise as much money as possible having fun. TV presenter and property expert Phil Spencer heads up the charity as its patron for national and local good causes. Agents Giving also organises fun events throughout the year bringing the industry together for great causes. So get fundraising and together we can make a real difference to our national and local charities. Please visit our website www. agentsgiving.org for more information on how we can give you special support towards your fundraising.

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GOLD

Best Supplier

supplier estate agency

IAM sold

2015

IAM sold provides estate agents with a comprehensive white-labelled auction offering, complete with in-house training provision and marketing tools. It currently works with 450 agents covering approximately 1,000 branches across England and Wales. The directors are actively expanding the offering into Scotland, and there are in-depth plans to open franchises in six countries. They have their own research and development centre to design and build the industry leading technology, including service monitoring and feedback reporting. Clients have free access to its digital marketing centre as part of the package, and it offers industry leading agent incentives. The team worked closely with a prominent Midlands agent to help establish a more effective auction product. The judge spoke to them and it was obvious that they are delighted with the relationship. In their opinion it goes beyond the standard supplier/customer scenario. They see IAM sold as a business partner, and whilst the central offering is an improved auction service, they have also benefitted from expert advice on other key elements of the business such as SEO improvement. Auction revenue has increased 72% year on year.

Moneypenny GOLD

SILVER

Moneypenny receptionists answer overflow calls and send detailed messages back to the branch, in a service which is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, through the UK and New Zealand contact centres. Moneypenny currently looks after 440 estate agency brands representing 950 branches. Companies are assigned a dedicated receptionist from the specialist property team, and these are matched to each other based on personality. Receptionists are fully briefed on the companies they represent so the caller is not aware that they are speaking to an outsourced service. The judges spoke to one agency that appointed Moneypenny after identifying that it was missing up to 5,000 calls each year which went to voicemail, or were unanswered. Moneypenny now covers its phones during the day, and into the evening to capture inbound calls received outside business hours. The Moneypenny monthly fee is significantly cheaper than hiring a receptionist, especially given the hours it covers, so is completely cost-eﬀective. It’s client now never misses a call so the business is growing as they can respond to all requests for valuations, viewings and particulars.

Reapit BRONZE

Reapit provides a market leading CRM system. The list of existing clients is impressive, and it is currently used across 3,300 branches. Many agencies use the Reapit system across their entire operation – front and back oﬃce – and can directly attribute both cost savings and business growth to this technology. Most new business leads are referral based, and Reapit’s Net Promoter Score is aspirational. Software is updated on an eight-week development cycle so it is always cutting edge, and the in-house testing team ensures that all products are fit for purpose before launch to market. This year Reapit has worked with a leading Northern agency to join up the business across all departments, and has successfully delivered three huge technology projects: new software, a fully responsive website with property trackers, and a new CRM system. Its end-to-end process is now seamless and the customer contact centre is making a real diﬀerence to the customer experience and the bottom line. The MD told the judge that the business has been transformed in the past twelve months, and this would not have been possible without Reapit’s help.

Thank You | To the Judges The Estate Agency Events team would like to extend a huge thank you to this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s judging panel.

Chairman of the Judging Panel: Christopher Hamer, The Property Ombudsman

The Judging Panel: Gareth Ashington, Ashington Page Jamie Cooke, iamsold Kevin Ellis, Thomas Mae Peter Grant, VTUK Jan Hytch, Arnolds Keys David Mackie, President Elect, NAEA Suzanna Mavity, Brief Your Market Loschinee Naidoo, Legal Eye Limited Jo-Anne Neighbour, Savills David Pollock, Union Developments Hayley Ridal, Ravensworth Bob Scarff, Industry Expert Claire Scott, BoomerangCRM Miles Shipside, Rightmove Keith Stacey, Breckon & Breckon Joanna Swash, Moneypenny James Thornton, Samsung Glyn Trott, LetMC Jerry Watts, FLR Spectron Simon Whale, Reapit We would also like to thank Gerry Fitzjohn, Vice Chairman TPO, who kindly acted as Arbiter during the judging process..

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