ELITE PM Issue 05 Apr May 2016 [FULL]

FEATURE INTERVIEW NAOMI SIMSON SPEAKS ON PRODUCTIVITY AND LEADERSHIP

LEARN FROM THE BEST #05 APR/MAY 2016 AU$13.50

3 TECH TRENDS THAT WILL IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS

ACCOUNTING FOR SUCCESS

CAMERON GARRY

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS An exclusive

outsourcing case study with Miles Real Estate

7 FUNDAMENTAL REALITIES OF CUSTOMER SERVICE THE ART OF PERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Contents Regulars 004 FROM THE GUEST EDITOR Alister Maple-Brown, CEO Rockend 006 READER PROFILE Tina Case, Professionals Lithgow 008 UPFRONT News from the Community 009 REALTY BYTES Top five apps for agents 009 NUMBER CRUNCH Renter search statistics

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015 SEEN + HEARD ALPPPS 2016 024 PM Q&A Esther Nilson, Rentwest, WA 032 THE LAST WORD Fiona Blayney

First Person 010 THE LOST ART OF CONVERSATION Sophie Lyon 011 T HREE TRENDS IN TECH THAT WILL IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS Alister Maple-Brown

Cover Story 012 A CCOUNTING FOR SUCCESS Cameron Garry

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Features 016 BEST OF BOTH WORLDS Case Study: Miles Real Estate 020 R EADY TO SOAR? Naomi Simson with Tara Tyrell 022 I S YOUR OWN BRAIN YOUR NUMBER ONE THREAT? Gihan Perera 026 THE ART OF PERSONAL COMMUNICATION Amy Sanderson 028 A MATTER OF TRUST Jess Kindt with Fiona McEachran 030 SEVEN FUNDAMENTAL ‘SCREAMING’ REALITIES OF CUSTOMER SERVICE Colin Pearce

30 2 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • APR-MAY 2016

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ISSUE 05 APR/MAY 2016

epm.eliteagent.com.au ALISTER MAPLE-BROWN – Guest Editor alister.maple-brown@rockend.com.au SAMANTHA MCLEAN – Managing Editor samantha@eliteagent.com.au MARK EDWARDS – Commercial Partnerships mark@eliteagent.com.au JILL BONIFACE – Sub-Editor FEATURE WRITERS Anthony O’Brien, Tara Tyrrell newsroom@eliteagent.com.au CHORUS DESIGN – Art Direction/Design thegoodpeople@chorusdesign.com Cover photograph: Darren Hersey Impressions Photography Studio, Adelaide

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4 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • APR-MAY 2016

GUEST EDITOR’S NOTE ALISTER MAPLEBROWN

I

IT IS A PLEASURE to be guest editor of this issue of EPM Magazine. This year seems to be flying by and it is incredible to think how much has happened already in 2016.

As I mentioned in last month’s article, in what now almost seems a distant memory, late last year I was fortunate to have the opportunity to travel to the United States. The purpose of this trip was to explore their real estate market and discover the latest trends in Silicon Valley. America is a fascinating place and so too is their real estate sector, with many differences between our market and theirs.

The obvious initial difference is the value of property, especially when

comparing housing prices with those of Sydney, but the main difference I noted is the technological landscape in America. We all know that America is the hub of technological advancement, hosting the world-famous Silicon Valley and home to the big tech players such as Facebook, Google and Amazon. The technological landscape for the American real estate industry is extensive, with a wide range of services and offerings on the market.

Considering that the American population is 319 million people, a staggering 13 times larger than the Australian population, it makes sense why their real estate technology market is so large.

Their services and technology differ quite vastly from our own, but one thing which was poignant in this landscape was the amount of individual pieces of technology that work in isolation, not integrating with the other available software on the market.

In the world of technology, the Internet of Things (IoT) is the next frontier and is predicted to truly transform our interactions and relationships with technology.

The IoT refers to the concept

One other technology to watch is the use of Virtual Reality for inspections and open homes within the market. Many predict that this will take off, with potential benefits that include saving time, removing the need to travel and providing clients with inspection flexibility. This could significantly help agents with their busy schedules and help speed up the purchasing process for buyers. Could you see your business employing this technology?

Technology in the world of real estate is rapidly expanding and, if the American market is anything to go by, there

Silicon Valley, California

where all of our devices and technology are interconnected.

The days of creating a piece of technology which works in silo are over; the next big step forward is in efficiency through integration. I believe it will be interesting to see how these numerous siloed technologies will be developed to encompass the IoT transition over the coming year.

The IoT shift is already prevalent within the real estate sector in Australia. No longer is your trust accounting software used solely for accounting; the functionality within this software provides you with far-reaching benefits. Agents can communicate with their clients using the email platform

ONE TECHNOLOGY TO WATCH IS THE USE OF VIRTUAL REALITY FOR INSPECTIONS AND OPEN HOMES WITHIN THE MARKET. MANY PREDICT THAT THIS WILL TAKE OFF, WITH POTENTIAL BENEFITS THAT INCLUDE SAVING TIME, REMOVING THE NEED TO TRAVEL AND PROVIDING CLIENTS WITH INSPECTION FLEXIBILITY. service MailChimp, or they can access their general accounting software through the platform’s integration with Xero.

Technology within your business should be doing two things: saving you time and automating your manual tasks.

If yours is failing to provide you with these two benefits then it may be time to reassess your

processes and technology.

Are you using technology that works in silo? Or is your office connected, saving you manual data entry and building the software ecosystem within your business?

As we move further into 2016 it will be fascinating to watch the IoT grow in the real estate sector.

is a huge array of innovation heading towards our Australian shores.

I truly believe that this new technology frontier will help improve not only our businesses but our service offerings to our clients.

ALISTER MAPLE-BROWN, CEO ROCKEND

epm.eliteagent.com.au 5

READER PROFILE

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT Tina Case started out as a weekend receptionist. Working her way up she now has a dual role in her own agency, Professionals Lithgow, as both Principal and Property Manager.

Tina discusses how it all started, how she deals with the demands of the job and what keeps her motivated.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your role at Professionals Lithgow.

I am the principal of the office and the property manager here. I oversee the department and keep on top of the day-to-day running.

Having a principal working in the department gives our landlords a lot of confidence, because they know that I’m really invested in it – at our office property management isn’t seen as an add-on to the sales department.

What motivated you to get into real estate?

Like so many people in property management, I sort of fell into the role. I started as a weekend receptionist when my children were small and every time that someone in the office left, for whatever reason, I put my hand up for their job. I just kept on working my way up until my husband and I decided it was time to try things on our own. We opened here in 2007.

How is the market in your local area right now?

The rental market is pretty good here at the moment.

understand what we do and how much we deal with. I would encourage everyone in property management to come along to LPMA and get inspired too!

In your briefcase right now is...

Golly – so much stuff! My brolly, tissues, pen, notepad, iPad, iPhone, sunnies, Disprin,

“BEING MINDFUL OF HAVING SOLUTIONS, OPTIONS AND BEING KIND TO CLIENTS IS SO IMPORTANT.”

There are a lot of new investors in our local area, which is great for Lithgow and for us. Our vacancy rate has been pretty low over the past 12 months, so the market is looking really positive.

Who or what inspires you?

I find inspiration in so many things. I really do love to attend property management conferences and I always find that the things I come away most excited about are the new ideas from other property managers. Ours is such a unique job that people outside the industry could never fully

6 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • APR-MAY 2016

five lipsticks – just the usual stuff that a woman needs to keep herself together! I also did some routine inspections this morning, so there are about nine sets of keys on a carabiner as well.

What apps do you use most at the moment on your iPhone or iPad? YouTube Capture is the one I would use the most. I use this one for all our inspections and to create our video newsletters.

After that it would be Field Agent, another great app for real estate – I had a little part in helping develop this one!

What is your top tip for good client communication?

Always take a deep breath before dealing with issues. It might seem so insignificant to

us as property managers that someone needs to replace something or fix something, but it may not be that way to our client. Remember that they have stresses and money issues and problems we know nothing about generally, so being mindful of having solutions, options and being kind to them is so important.

Don’t rush people just because you are busy, either; it’s impolite and unprofessional.

Is there something you couldn’t live without?

My family. Plain and simple – they are the love of my life.

What advice would you give someone starting out in property management?

Get a mentor. Don’t work for someone who isn’t passionate about the industry. Treat your tenants like they are gold, because the great ones will make your job so much easier.

Words to live by?

My favourite saying is a Japanese word, ‘Kaizen’. I use this as my inspiration on a daily basis. Kaizen is the practice of continuous improvement. I find it helpful to know that I don’t have to do it all at once: small but continuous improvement is my motto. I have a photo of this character on my phone and I see it each time I open the phone as a reminder that small improvement is still improvement. ■

Tina Case will be speaking at LPMA this year. To book your tickets visit lpma2016.com.au.

FIND THE ELITE

JOBS Instead of advertising your next role on a generic job site, advertise on eliteagent.com.au to an audience of real estate industry professionals.

Visit eliteagent.com.au/realestatejobs for more info or contact us on (02) 8231 6669

UPFRONT

LEARN FROM THE BEST – VISIT EPM.ELITEAGENT.COM.AU

Rent.com.au offers listing upgrade options

In a competitive market, it can be difficult to pick up the required visibility to capture renter and landlord enquiry. As a dedicated rental website, rent.com.au offers a unique opportunity to secure high visibility in core areas and additionally capture landlord enquiry, ensuring the continual growth of your rent roll.

It’s time to find your point of difference. If bolstering tenant enquiry and empowering your brand presence is key to the growth of your agency, rent.com.au has a number of listing upgrade options to make you a suburb leader.

Committed to delivering a single marketplace for renters, property agents and private landlords, rent.com.au is the only major national property portal focusing exclusively on the rental market for Australia’s 7 million renters.

The beauty in rent.com.au’s offering is its unique and fast-growing audience; 1.2 million visitors came to the site in January alone.

With rent.com.au, you can capture maximum eyeballs with two key listing upgrade options, Feature Listings and Exclusive Top Listing.

Exclusive Top Listing dominates the search result, fixed at the top of the page. Choose to promote a single listing for maximum exposure, or a revolving gallery of your listings in your chosen suburb.

This dominant and exclusive position not only maximises your properties’ exposure but importantly your agency too, with your logo and branding colour highlighted. This lets you capture the attention of landlords using the website.

Feature Listings appear above all other listings, except Exclusive Top Listing. This upgrade option keeps your property at the top of search results and can deliver 700 per cent more views on average.

Twice the size and with full photo gallery and your branding, you get greater impact, lease your rentals faster and keep your owners happy.

Take comfort in knowing your vacant properties will be seen by renters and landlords every time your suburb is searched.

Dominate your suburb and capture your local market. Sign up online at rent.com.au/ agents, or talk to an Agent Services Member.

Call 1300 736 810 or email agents@rent. com.au.

8 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • APR-MAY 2016

Are you going to PPM’s National Property Management Conference?

If you are looking to increase your focus, direction and confidence, wanting an energy injection for your team, seeking to gather the tools and knowledge to empower your team to look at property

management differently, and hoping to network with some of Australia’s leading business owners and property management team members – combined with a short getaway holiday to the Surfers Marriott Resort on the Gold Coast – this could be your event.

With an epic lineup of speakers this year who will deliver real solutions, strategies, tips and techniques to increase your profits, productivity, performance and passion in property management, Debbie Palmer, Managing Director of the PPM Group, says “It’s important to keep up to date and have a mindset of being progressive, to think outside

the box in order to be competitive in the marketplace”.

Speakers include Stacey Holt, Andrew Coronis, Cathie Crampton, Glenn Twiddle, Deniz Yusif, Katie Knight, Jodie Stainton and more.

The event also combines PPM’s Best of the Best National Awards dinner, which recognises excellence in eight categories.

Past delegates have said, “The conference is exceptional”, “The best property management conference I have attended” and “I just love this conference, always such great content and gives you such a boost of energy”.

To download the conference brochure and book your seat online visit ppmgroup.com.au.

PAUL WEIK MOVES TO CORONIS’ PROPERTY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT

Well regarded industry expert Paul Weik has made the move from Little Real Estate to a management role within Coronis’ rapidly growing property managementdepartment.

Coronis Property Management Director Jodi Ford said she was excited by Paul’s addition to the team and what he had to bring to the table in terms of business growth and profitability.

“When the opportunity arose to meet with Paul recently, I couldn’t say no,” Ford said. “He is a genuinely nice gentlemen with a proven track record in the industry and I felt there was a number of areas where he could add great value to the management team and the wider department.

“From his experience as the State

Manager in Queensland for the ASX-listed RUN and later Little Real Estate, he knows how to thrive in rapid growth environments and manage large portfolios which is the type of skillset we need.

“Paul will step into a Rental Area Leader role where he will oversee the property management teams in our Stafford, Coorparoo, Arana Hills, Toowong, Kelvin Grove and Toowoomba offices.”

Visit coronis.com.au for more information.

Realty Bytes

Alister Maple-Brown

TOP 5 APPS FOR AUSTRALIAN REAL ESTATE AGENTS Smartphone applications are changing the way real estate professionals operate. With thousands of property applications available, real estate agents and property managers now have a multitude of tools at their disposal to improve their productivity, sales and service. Below are some beneficial tools and technologies for professionals in the real estate industry.

CO Everywhere CO Everywhere is an iOS mobile application that allows users to isolate a particular area or suburb to discover the hot spots, conversations and images.

The application syncs with Twitter and Instagram accounts, providing a live feed of updates, community events and community trends. An application like this can help you increase your local presence and community awareness; it is also a great personal tool to find the latest gigs, bars and restaurants!

Magic Plan Magic Plan lets you design a floor plan in the easiest possible way. All you need to do is snap a few pictures of a room and the app will automatically draw your floor plan, with zero measurements needed. Magic Plan also allows you to draw your own floor plan on the app and place the objects where you want.

This is a great tool for homeowners, realtors, designers and architects.

Houzz Interior Design Ideas This award-winning application has everything you and your clients need

to turn a dream home into a reality.

Seven million high-resolution photos of design ideas, 800,000 active home improvement professionals and millions of products to embellish your home are among the top-notch features of the Houzz app.

Tap Mortgage Australia With its stunning set of features and easy-touse design, this is the best financial assistant for realtors. The app can calculate stamp duty, including transfer fees, first-home concessions and the registration of a mortgage. It also calculates loan repayments and shows summaries and repayments tables, including total savings for weekly or fortnightly versus monthly payments.

Evernote This online workspace allows users to compile lists, collaborate with colleagues, communicate, and collate articles and inspiration found across the internet. As this is a web/ app-based program you can access Evernote at any time, across any device. A free subscription provides the basic functionality, with two paid subscriptions providing additional features.

Partnering with applications like these can allow agents to connect with buyers and sellers, share insights and stay ahead of the competition. â–

NUMBER CRUNCH RENTER FEEDBACK RENT.COM.AU DATABASE ANALYSIS (SEPT-DEC 2015)

Statistics on rental searchers on rent.com.au

Using their mobile phone

58%

From their desktop computer

30% via iOS

32% via Windows

30% Who were tablet users aged 45-64

7.4%

Who were mobile users aged 18-34:

39.1%

ALISTER MAPLE-BROWN is the CEO of leading property management software provider Rockend. For more information visit rockend.com.au.

epm.eliteagent.com.au 9

FIRST PERSON

Sophie Lyon

The lost art of conversation

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO GOOD old-fashioned communication,

the type where you get on the phone and talk to someone?

Sophie Lyon discovers that, no matter where you go now, actually having a conversation about anything is almost impossible.

I bought a car recently and decided against one dealer because she continuously sent me text messages.

I may be old-fashioned but, if I’m about to buy a car from you, I think you can do a little more than send me an SMS. She would respond to my phone messages that way, rather than call me. We’re all busy, but that said to me that she was too busy to deal with me directly, so she didn’t get to deal with me at all.

More to the point, she never asked me how I wanted to be contacted. Some clients may love an SMS; some (like me) hate them.

Clients who give us their properties to lease usually have a substantial emotional investment in the process. I’d even go as far as to suggest that the majority of owners fall into the ‘over-40s’ bracket, who may have embraced technology and enjoy an emoji or two, but they still want a human element in these substantial and emotional transactions.

Property management has become more and more litigious over the years, so every manager warns their team to ‘get the owner’s

instructions in writing’ or ‘confirm it all in writing’ to cover ourselves. My theory is that, over the years, this has morphed into email being the default contact. Rather than have the conversation with an owner, we email them, they email back, we email again, they respond… It’s like tennis and it actually takes longer than having a conversation

there is an overlapping time when you are both available.

In this case, employ some more technology: Skype!

I’ve had more than one person cringe when I suggest this, but if we are happy to walk into reception and have a conversation with someone who has come in to see us, why are we worried about Skype? Maybe just make sure

THE MAJORITY OF OWNERS FALL INTO THE ‘OVER-40S’ BRACKET, WHO MAY HAVE EMBRACED TECHNOLOGY AND ENJOY AN EMOJI OR TWO, BUT THEY STILL WANT A HUMAN ELEMENT. and then confirming it back with the client.

Building great, solid, business associations comes from building a relationship first, and the best way to do that is by talking or meeting with them in the office or at the property. Face to face is the best way to bond with someone. You become human, a face to a name.

Of course, there are exceptions to the rule – clients who are overseas and in different time zones, for example – but in most cases

10 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • APR-MAY 2016

you are in the corner of the room so no one can wander into frame… oh, the endless possibilities of what could go wrong! But what could go right? The client feeling special, developing a relationship by being human, building respect and trust because you are prepared to go the extra mile; it costs you nothing but impresses the client.

There is so much that has developed with technology.

Don’t laugh, but in my first role in real estate I didn’t have a computer, rents were

paid in cash and noted on a card and every owner got a cheque. There are plenty of things I have been happy to leave behind over the years as innovation came through (Kalamazoo, anyone?) but, although it may have seemed like a good idea at the time, there are also things that have fallen away that have made us a little more impersonal, a little more distanced. A great quote I heard some time ago is “Never let technology get in the way of your humanity”.

There have definitely been times over the years when a bit of distance from certain situations would have been good. I’ve had more than my fair share of abusive clients, harassing clients, insulting clients and just complaining clients. In a way, though, I’m grateful for them because they taught me resilience. They also taught me better ways to communicate: verbal and non-verbal communication, conflict resolution tactics, empathy and honesty.

I confess I still retreat to email sometimes, but as long as it’s not our primary communication default I think we can all do that on occasion. There are some clients who prefer it, but there are definitely some who don’t.

The easiest way to work that out is just to ask next time you are chatting to them on the phone. ■

With more than 25 years’ experience, SOPHIE LYON has a proven track record in property management and has led a number of businesses to new heights through her strategic yet people-focused approach.

Professionally active and widely respected, Sophie is a past Director and Vice President of the REIV and a regular speaker at real estate industry events throughout Australia and overseas.

Alister Maple-Brown

The three trends in tech that will improve your business

TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING rapidly, and keeping up to date with

the latest trends can be challenging. Here we examine existing and upcoming tech developments that can help your agency work faster and more efficiently.

Technology in your agency should do one of two things: enhance the tenants’ experience or make your internal business processes more efficient. The former will help retain tenants over the long term, while the latter can increase your bottom line whilst improving internal processes.

1

SOFTWARE INTEGRATION Many businesses do not maximise the full features and integrations available with their technology.

Building any business will have its growing pains, but rather than investing in a new piece of software and building layers of individual technology which have no interaction with each other, ensure your technology integrates with other programs.

Integrations reduce your manual data entry, improve efficiency and can centralise the data of your business.

Integrated software includes accounts, maintenance, accounting, contracts, tenant communication and more.

TECHNOLOGY IN YOUR AGENCY SHOULD DO ONE OF TWO THINGS: ENHANCE THE TENANTS’ EXPERIENCE OR MAKE YOUR INTERNAL BUSINESS PROCESSES MORE EFFICIENT.

FIRST PERSON

2

OWNER AND TENANT LOGINS Time is a precious resource for everyone in this fast-paced world. Using owner and tenant logins can simplify communication between you and your clients. Owners, tenants and property managers can access these at any time, from anywhere, to review contracts, schedule maintenance and inspections and to report issues. Not only is this beneficial to you as a property manager, but it improves your customer service offering as a business and can be a point of difference in the competitive real estate landscape.

3

BENEFIT FROM THE CLOUD Cloud-based property management software is beneficial to businesses of all sizes. Cloud software has automatic updates, enhanced security and flexibility, allowing you and your team to access data from anywhere at any time on any device. Everything is stored remotely, off site from your business, eliminating the need for backups; everything you need to run your business is safe.

Property managers are constantly on the road, which makes working incredibly difficult if you do not have a cloud-based product. Using a cloud-based solution allows PMs to inspect properties and report in real time. This system will speed up reporting of inspections and maintenance issues and provide the flexibility that your business needs.

Assess your current technological infrastructure and ask yourself whether you are maximising its potential. ■ ALISTER MAPLE-BROWN is the CEO of Rockend.

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COVER STORY

12 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • APR-MAY 2016

ACCOUNTING FOR SUCCESS CAMERON GARRY ISN’T your run-of-the-mill PM

business owner. As co-founder and director of Adelaide-based Affordable Property Management, the former chartered accountant travelled an interesting career path before successfully landing in property management. Story by Anthony O’Brien.

A

FTER GRADUATING WITH an accounting degree from the University of Adelaide in 2005, Garry worked for global Chartered Accounting firm Grant Thornton in Adelaide, crunching out clients’ tax returns and financial statements. “I got sick of [tax accounting] because I was working on people’s accounts that they had done a year ago. Even if I saw they’d done something that was a bit strange, they wouldn’t be able to make any changes until the next year,” he explains.

In 2008 Garry took a job with listed property trust GPT Group, which was in the process of distancing itself from a venture with failed investment bank Babcock & Brown. This was Garry’s first taste of the property industry, and he was part of the finance team that prepared the ASX-listed company’s financial statements.

After a couple of years at GPT, the young bean-counter decided to take some time off to go backpacking through Europe, the UK and Asia. In August 2011, he returned to Australia and soon accepted a position as a manager with Affordable Housing Consulting in Adelaide. Affordable Housing Consulting specialises in the management of residential properties and is heavily involved in the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS).

This scheme is a partnership between the Australian Government and the states and territories to invest in affordable rental housing. In this role, Garry was involved in training property managers in the vagaries of NRAS.

LAUNCHING INTO SMALL BUSINESS After a few years with Affordable Housing Consulting, Garry’s exposure to the property management industry, coupled with a desire to be his own boss, led him to launch Affordable Property Management in August 2013, with two silent partners. “One of my partners helps with business leads and the other got us onto the NRAS panel. This gives us a one in five chance of winning NRAS work,” Garry explains.

Garry also believes that his background as an accountant made owning a business a good fit. “Depending on the background of an owner, doing things like a BAS, superannuation and setting the business up in the first place can seem intimidating,” he says. “But with my accounting skills, I felt I could weigh up properly the costs [of running a small business] against the revenues we’re likely to get, which means that our

business is a bit more grounded.”

It might be grounded, but Affordable Property Management seems to be headed skywards. “In just over two years, we have more than 360 properties under management and a few staff,” Garry says. “However, growing that quickly certainly comes with challenges from all perspectives, including HR, finances and general business management.”

THE NUMBERS GAME Using finance and cash flow as examples, Garry cautions, “While you’re growing you have to be careful that you have access to money – you don’t want to be growing so quickly that you can’t pay your wages.

“My background in accounting helps because it’s very procedurally oriented. It’s very black and white. Perhaps it also helps that because I haven’t worked for other agencies I’m not moulded into [running the business] one way or the other. I’m also more likely to question why we do that, or ask what’s another way to do something.”

For example, Affordable Property Management recently purchased a small rent roll of 60 property managements. “Buying rent rolls is certainly a popular trend at the moment and something I take an interest in.

As I come from a different industry and nontraditional background, my perspective on property management is fresh, and perhaps I am a good example of the new wave of professional property managers and agencies that are starting to surface.”

In the early days of Affordable Property Management, Garry found that his extra qualification as a chartered accountant was very useful when it came to attracting clients.

“We found early on when we were trying to win business that having a CA as the owner

epm.eliteagent.com.au 13

COVER STORY of the business worked. It appealed to many people,” Garry says. That said, he has let his membership of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand lapse. “It’s not so much the membership fee; I just can’t clock up the professional points to maintain it.”

TARGETED TRAINING In addition to being a chartered accountant, Garry has plunged into the art of property management, becoming a certified real estate professional. He holds a Certificate IV in Property Services through the Real Estate Institute of SA (REISA) and has a Diploma in Property. Garry is a big advocate for REISA: “I send my staff to institute training. Being a small business, it’s good to have the REISA there, rather than paying for internal consultants or doing it myself.”

Likewise, Garry steers away from the flashier real estate conferences, favouring events run by REISA. “I prefer to target training that focuses on property management,” he explains. “When it’s sales and property management combined, there are more personalities in sales and that aspect of the industry tends to dominate.

This is good for salespeople and it’s why they go there, but property management is treated as a sidebar at the bigger events.

“Property management is becoming its own thing. It’s no longer the little brother on the side any more that is helping to keep sales afloat. It’s been turned up a notch, thanks to technology that is advancing quicker than ever before.

“There are more apps and websites that are focused on PM, making it more efficient. There is a greater focus on customer service and, as employers, there is a greater emphasis on employing property managers who have a Certificate IV.” An accountant by nature, Garry believes having more training and education can mitigate risk, and as a consequence more employers are looking for higher levels of certification before hiring PMs. “REISA are talking about separate training for property managers and I completely agree with that,” he says.

Property management is not an afterthought with specialists such as Affordable Property Management. “It does make a difference. Some people will have had bad experiences, which may not have been caused by an individual; rather, it comes from a lack of direction from the top, which is understandable.”

It is the ability to work with people that makes property management a more satisfying career choice for Garry. “There’s a sense of satisfaction when you see people

trying to do their best and you can help them into a home. That’s quite nice.”

Garry also enjoys the ability to get out and about in his role as a property manager.

“With accounting, it’s numbers and paper,” he says. “With property management, you have people and properties to visit. It’s very different and enjoyable.”

Focusing on IT and branding has also contributed to the early expansion of Affordable Property Management. “I always wanted to make sure my website was better than my competitors’. Early on we saw that an investment in the logo and website would help build trust,” he says.

Interestingly, Garry doesn’t use scripts and dialogues. “I can see merit in scripts and dialogues for a bigger business. While

also no point procrastinating. If you want to get into PM, do it now while there are low barriers to entry – and before people like me think of ways to create some barriers!”

CAMERON GARRY’S KEY TIPS FOR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SUCCESS: • Invest in an appropriate website and branding. You don’t want to fail because your website or branding gets outdated quickly. There are very low barriers to entering the PM sector, so if you’re going to do it, this is the major cost.

• Get yourself up to speed with education. If you’re like me, or you did your PM training a long time ago, go back to school.

• Do your research on the right PM software. We went cloud-based early on

“ONE OF MY PARTNERS HELPS WITH BUSINESS LEADS AND THE OTHER GOT US ONTO THE NRAS PANEL. THIS GIVES US A ONE IN FIVE CHANCE OF WINNING NRAS WORK.” 350 managements is average, six months ago we were small and six months before that we were tiny. I’m close with my staff and we only do property management, so I’m not distracted by other things. We also have property managers with six to nine years of experience who have come from other good agencies, so I take advantage of their knowledge.”

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Again the accountant, Garry says consolidation is the name of the game at Affordable Property Management.

“We want to consolidate on our very fast growth. We don’t want to undo all the hard work by getting ahead of ourselves.

That said, there’s no real limit on where we can expand in Adelaide, but I want to be sure of my processes and systems before we expand.”

As for those considering starting a property management business, Garry advises, “Nothing is as scary as it seems.

If you’re an owner and try to be a jack of all trades, it might not seem like enough.

Alternatively, you might be good at one thing and not another. Learn what you’re good at and not good at. Either accept it or improve it.

“Also, get help when you need it. There’s

14 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • APR-MAY 2016

and it’s paying off. The cloud is working because it gives us flexibility. We base ourselves in the office but we do get out. And most [software programs] are subscription based, which means you don’t have a big outlay upfront; rather, you pay as you grow. If you’re not doing business in the cloud, you’re probably behind, whether you’re in PM or accounting.

• Have a long-term plan. Don’t do something simply because it suits you today. Think what impact an initiative will have in a year’s time. For example, am I going to create a process today that will be outdated in a year’s time when I’ve doubled my managements, whether it’s 10 to 20, or 100 to 200?

• It’s an old chestnut, but keep yourself sane.

Play some sport, do some exercise, go to the movies and don’t work to midnight every night. If you’re tired, you’ll be grumpy and not smile as much when you’re on the phone to that next client. ■

SEEN + HEARD

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CASE STUDY

16 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • APR-MAY 2016

Best of both worlds

ONCE UPON A TIME IT WAS A CHALLENGE to think about

outsourcing your trust accounting to someone else.

But times have changed, and now it is relatively easy to gain efficiencies, save costs and sleep at night knowing everything is expertly done for you by professionals that are right here in Australia.

Twelve months ago one of the oldest and most respected companies in Victoria, Miles Real Estate, outsourced their trust account and property management training to hastings + co. We talked to Lisa Fitzpatrick at Miles Real Estate to find out what the process is really like and the numerous benefits that their very large business has realised.

A

S A FULL SERVICE agency, Miles Real Estate are one of the top independent businesses in Victoria, with a large list of residential and commercial properties under management. For the past 12 months they have been using the services of hastings + co, led by Natalie Hastings, both for managing their trust account and for developing property management procedures and processes as well as staff training.

The relationship started when, more than a year ago, Miles’ office manager Lisa Fitzpatrick realised that the business was at an ‘in between’ stage; the company was

big enough that she needed to make sure they had back-up for the trust accounting function, taking into account the need for people to have time off, but also have enough staff to cover leave periods. Lisa says, “We were at a point where we needed to have more full-time people in the department so that we were always covered for annual leave and sick days. When we weighed up the cost, it was a commercial decision; it was more cost-effective to outsource.”

Natalie Hastings, CEO and founder of hastings + co, recalls, “At first I think that Miles were a bit hesitant to come on board.

They approached us over twelve months ago and it seemed like a significant change

in their existing processes, as they had been doing things ‘in house’ the same way for about 20 years.” And Lisa agrees it was a difficult decision. “Miles has been in business for 90 years; some clients have been with us a long time. We were initially very nervous about outsourcing, wondering whether we would lose business if the trust account function wasn’t kept in-house.”

But as Lisa explored the model further, other benefits became apparent in addition to the initial simple cost and resources efficiencies she had wanted to achieve. She says that maximising the use of software programs used at Miles was one such advantage. “It was also about having staff that were 100 per cent across Rockend REST. There’s so many times you find you have software in place, and you don’t use all the areas that you should be using, and therefore not getting the full benefit out of it.”

Having qualified Rockend Trainers and Consultants managing their trust account has proven to be beneficial in terms of keeping the system up to date and taking advantage of upgrades. Lisa says, “Shannon [Vallance] and Natalie keep us completely up to date with REST, upgrades and realigning processes and procedures around any of the new upgrade features. If we get a new property manager on board, hastings + co come on site and train them one on one in the hastings + co procedures. With anything additional or new in the software that comes through, they are always 100 per cent across it. And there’s always someone on the end of the phone if we need help,” she concludes.

Maintaining a trust account the size of Miles Real Estate requires a high level of experience and skill, and although hastings + co are now in a great day to day rhythm with their client on the trust side, Natalie is also incredibly proud of what they have achieved together on the training and procedural side of the engagement.

“We wrote a full operations manual for Miles,” she says. “It included how the two companies would work together and how to get the best out of the software and

“SINCE OUTSOURCING TO HASTINGS + CO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO FROM ONE STATEMENT RUN PER WEEK TO THREE, WHICH IS A BIG BENEFIT TO OUR OWNERS.”

epm.eliteagent.com.au 17

CASE STUDY systems. It was incredibly detailed across each department in their business. And we delivered probably more than 35 hours’ worth of training across all the departments in the business before proceeding with us in what is now the current operating model.

We really tailored our services to what Miles needed as a business.”

Knowing that Miles Real Estate needed to undergo a significant cultural shift for outsourcing to be successful, the team at hastings + co created a project plan to make sure that everyone would be comfortable during the transition.

Lisa says, “Going into it we thought that the commercial property managers would probably adjust to things more easily, because with invoicing and workflow on that side of the business there was less of a change, whereas residential property managers needed to be retrained in a workflow that was more new to them.

“So I guess we were concerned about push back with our property managers if they thought they were going to get extra work to do.

“Before handing over we also had to make sure that the REST action/conversation diary was 100 per cent up to date and monitored regularly, as this was to be the primary method of communication with hastings + co.”

Shannon adds, “It was great working with Miles to achieve the handover and I think the success of the project was also about the way Miles structured their business and staff accountability for ensuring things were done on time for us.”

Lisa now acknowledges that some of the benefits to date have been enormous. The day-to-day operating rhythm for Miles has become more efficient and there have been cost savings and other tangible benefits.

“Since outsourcing to hastings + co we

“IT USED TO BE THAT THE DAY WE RE-OPENED IT WOULD BE ABSOLUTE MADNESS AND BEDLAM. THIS YEAR IT WAS THE SMOOTHEST IT HAS EVER BEEN. have been able to go from one statement run per week to three, which is a big benefit to our owners.”

She also says that it made a massive difference over the Christmas break to have business continuity. “We close every year over the holiday period,” says Lisa.

“It used to be that the day we re-opened it would be absolute madness and bedlam.

This year it was the smoothest it has ever been. Our staff were able to take a good break and when the office re-opened there was more of a sense of calm.”

Some of the other benefits, says Natalie, include the fact that Miles are now also able to rely more on their software for management reporting, which they felt they couldn’t do before as some reporting systems were manual. She has recognised this as an issue in the beginning with some of her other clients, who use spreadsheets and other manual methods to manipulate data believing their software reporting is wrong. “I say to them, no, the reports aren’t wrong; your data is wrong. That is the first thing we look at fixing up. And it is so worth it in the long run.”

Shannon Vallance, hastings + co General Manager, adds, “How we work really depends on what the individual client wants from us. With Miles, they were eager to better use REST and wanted to rely on

Natalie Hastings (centre) and the hastings + co team.

18 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • APR-MAY 2016

PROFILE: HASTINGS + CO Established 2010 Specialising in: • Outsourced trust accounting • General account bookkeeping and payroll • Bank reconciliations • Specialist REST professional training • Property Management and Sales Training • Database health checks • Efficiency reviews.

PROFILE: MILES REAL ESTATE Established 1924 • Full service agency covering Sales, Commercial and Residential Property Management and off the plan • Located in Banyule, Victoria in the north-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, about 10 km from the Melbourne CBD • 6 Commercial Property Managers • 13 Residential Property Managers • Combined rent roll 2,900+ properties.

REST more in terms of their management reporting. Natalie was very heavily involved in numerous meetings with them at their office about where there might be inconsistencies with their data, really assisting them in a clean-up of the data and also showing them different management reports that could assist them.”

Lisa agrees that the success of the project so far is down to the work that Natalie and Shannon had put in beforehand. “Shannon had a huge project plan with all the things that had to happen, the timelines, who was to action what – so I knew what things I had to do at our end, and what things she

was doing. She would send through the manuals as they were being developed, check and change them to suit the way we operated. I always knew where she was at and I knew what I had to do at our end.”

Says Shannon, “For us, it’s not just punching numbers/receipt/reconcile/pay; we want to make sure our clients get the most out of the system. We want them to feel like they’ve been really supported by someone who’s not in the office every day but is only a phone call away.

“We all take the time to get to know our clients and develop good relationships with the people. We want them to feel like they are being looked after, as opposed to other outsourced accounting agencies which may sometimes say, ‘No, this is how it’s done and if you want to outsource to us then this is what you need to change or implement.’

We go in with the attitude of trying to help the business be better, fit in with their

office, and where applicable maybe make suggestions on how they could better streamline procedures.”

Natalie continues, “At the end of the day it is our job to empower our clients.

Not just at the agency level, but also the individual property managers, empowering them with information to make their job easier.”

Although the team from hastings + co still visit Miles regularly to provide training and updates, now the day to day mostly happens remotely. But the personal touch is important.

Says Shannon, “We think it’s important at the start to meet everyone; property managers, department heads and senior figures at the company, so they have a face that they can then put the voice to when we’re speaking on the phone or sending emails.

“We also make a point to get out and visit our clients at least once a quarter.

Sometimes that’s even more frequent, if

“AT THE END OF THE DAY IT IS OUR JOB TO EMPOWER OUR CLIENTS. NOT JUST AT THE AGENCY LEVEL, BUT ALSO THE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY MANAGERS.”

we go and meet with management about certain things or provide training on the numerous upgrades. Every time our clients bring on a new employee, we try to get out just for a bit of a meet and greet as well.”

After 12 months of working with hastings + co, we ask Lisa if there is any advice she would give to other companies considering outsourcing their trust account.

“When we were going through the process of considering outsourcing to hastings + co, I think I rang three different agencies that were already using their services for trust accounting, and they all were very consistent in what they said,” she says.

“One in particular said to me, ‘I can tell you a good story and a bad story with outsourcing’. They told me how they had outsourced previously with someone else and it was a complete disaster. They came back in [house]. They too, were incredibly reluctant to do it again, but felt they wanted to give it another go with hastings + co, and told me I wouldn’t regret it.

“I did ask the question, ‘Is it the sort of thing that, once you jump in and do it, you’ll look back and say I should have done this sooner?’ And she said, ‘Absolutely!’ I believe it lived up to that.” ■

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FEATURE INTERVIEW work. It came in a little white envelope. I was still very proud.

After work on the Friday my colleagues asked me to go out for something to eat.

I chose the cheapest thing on the menu, which was still more than what I got paid for the seven hours. I learned the value of money and about effort returns. It’s like, ‘Wow, I worked seven hours for effectively a plate of spaghetti bolognese.’ That’s not a good return on time.

READY TO SOAR? for her work on Channel 10’s entrepreneurial show Shark Tank or for being the founder of RedBalloon, Naomi Simson is one of Australia’s greatest tech success stories: an entrepreneur herself, a speaker, director, chair, mother, author, blogger, innovator and TV personality.

WHETHER YOU KNOW HER

N

aomi was recently ranked second on the Business Insider’s list of Australia’s biggest tech influences and has received numerous awards throughout her career. She is known to be an entertaining speaker on entrepreneurship, motivation, reward and recognition; she is passionate about her own life and career, and in helping others to create their own success.

She runs one of Australia’s top 15 best business blogs, has written a bestseller, Live What You Love (2015) and has a new book,

Ready to Soar, set for release in May 2016.

Simson took time out of her busy schedule to chat with EPMs Samantha McLean about her career highlights, what it takes to be a leader in today’s society and what LPMA attendees can expect from her at this year’s event in April.

What was your first job, and what did it teach you?

My first paid job was at a toy shop. I worked three hours on a Friday night, and four hours on a Saturday morning. My first pay cheque was $5.03, for seven hours of

20 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • APR-MAY 2016

You often speak about making choices to live a ‘life you love’. If you are unsure of what you should be doing, how do you figure it out?

Ask a lot of questions, and be fundamentally curious. Sometimes people just don’t know the answer. If you don’t know the answer, then what is your question? Be curious in everything and anything.

When you are curious, asking questions, meeting people, going to diverse conferences and seminars, or looking at TED talks, whatever... There’s so much content and information available. Something will pique your interest that you want to find more about, and more about, and more about. You become passionate about it.

What are the most important qualities needed for leaders to be successful?

What we don’t want is a leader who changes like the wind. You want someone who sets the course. You might have to adjust your tactics along the way on how to get there based on what people say.

Ultimately great leaders listen. They’re also effective communicators. Effective communicators have two ears and one mouth.

You’re recognised for being incredibly productive - if someone were to ask you what is the one thing they could do to improve their productivity, what would it be?

It would be to choose just one thing. It’s funny that you say I’m productive. I’m not; I’m just focused. What that means is you set the course of what you want to achieve in the day which is going to deliver to the overall, ‘Where am I going?’ Then it’s not hard to choose.

Most people are unproductive because they don’t know what to work on. They’ve got so much to do. Do a little bit of this, and a little bit of that. Focus is focus. It’s like, ‘What is the overall gain? What am I working on?’ Often they will rush to other people’s urgency for the sake of their own importance. Because somebody else has said ‘I need this! I need this! I want this!’

They have to keep reminding themselves what they’re going to do today.

What do you think your own greatest strength is in business?

I feel very fortunate I was given the ‘gift of the gab’. I write the way I speak, and people quite like what I write for that reason. They think they’re having a conversation with

that there will always be another Christmas.

I was always working to a deadline. I think the older I’ve gotten, instead of waiting for the end results, [I’ve learned] to enjoy it along the way. There is no end, except when one day I’ll be put in a box.

You’re never ‘there’. People say ‘I’m getting there’. Where are you getting to?

There is no ‘there’. You’d better just have a

“I’M RESPONSIBLE FOR MY OWN DESTINY. IF I’M LATE TO WORK I DIDN’T LEAVE EARLY ENOUGH.” me. Because I don’t get lost in jargon or the vernacular, it means I can bring people with me. I speak simply. I write simply.

On the path to success, if there was one thing you could do more quickly, what would it be?

That’s the funny thing; it would be the opposite of that. Everything was urgent before I even started a business. Even when I was working in corporate and sales, I was always in a hurry, always trying to get things done. Push, push, push. I learned the lesson

good time, and a few laughs, and have great friends and some great family around you.

Because that’s all there is. Being successful makes me laugh, because success is my own pulse. For me success is trust over time, because time is the only resource you really have. How you choose to use those minutes is very important.

What are some of the best pieces of advice that you’ve ever been given?

I’m a gatherer by nature, and it’s funny how information comes to me when I need

it - often a little piece of gold. Somebody was talking about responsibility and I read this quote that said ‘If it’s meant to be it’s up to me.’ That has served me so well. I take responsibility; that means that I can live without blaming other people. It’s such a great way to live. I’m responsible for my own destiny. If I’m late to work I didn’t leave early enough.

What are some of the messages you will be delivering to the LPMA attendees this year?

I think most people, when they hear me speak, are left with a sense of possibility.

They realise the person who gets in their way the most is themselves. When they come and hear me speak, they’ll have a good time. People can be assured we’ll have a giggle-rama.

But they’ll be left knowing that they can create what they want to create, and that they should get on to it. The first thing they’ve got to do is see it, and believe in it.

Belief is a very important part. ■

NAOMI SIMSON will be speaking at LPMA this year. To book your tickets visit lpma2016.com.au.

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PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Is your own brain your number one threat?

OUR BRAINS ARE INSTINCTIVELY GOOD at pattern

matching. We’re great at seeing, recognising and acting on patterns in the world and that gives us valuable insights, judgement and wisdom.

But LPMA speaker Gihan Perera points out the problems we can face when we fail to take time to think things through.

A

lot of what we call intuition comes from pattern matching – even if it’s subconscious. For example, you get a routine email from a landlord about their property.

It looks like a fairly simple email, just reporting on an interaction with one of your team members. But you know she’s upset. There’s nothing obvious, but subconsciously you spot something there that’s different from her normal emails – in other words, something that doesn’t

match her usual pattern.

Or you’re making a presentation to your team and you stop for questions. You look around the room, and even before somebody raises their hand you know that person is going to ask a question. You call on them, and they are amazed – because perhaps they hadn’t even decided yet to ask the question!

But you spotted something in their posture, a micro-expression on their face, or a tiny change that crossed your subconscious mind and registered as a pattern.

Pattern matching is valuable because it fast-tracks our decision-making. If we

22 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • APR-MAY 2016

drive a different car for the first time, we get the hang of it quickly because most of the features are exactly the same. If we eat at a new restaurant, we broadly recognise most of the items on the menu even if we’ve never seen those exact items before. When we get a new client and start managing their property, we have a pretty good idea what they need to know about working with us.

PATTERN MATCHING IS A DOUBLEEDGED SWORD. Although pattern matching is very useful, it can also get us into trouble, especially in a world that’s changing fast. Some of the patterns that used to serve us can sometimes hold us back – or worse.

Here’s a quick puzzle. Maria’s father has five daughters: 1. Chacha 2. Cheche 3. Chichi 4. Chocho. What is the fifth daughter’s name?

The answer is (drum roll, please)…

Maria. If you said ‘Chuchu’, as many people do, that’s because you fell into the patternmatching trap.

Here are three more puzzles (answers at the end of this article): Puzzle 1: A cricket bat and ball together cost $11. The bat costs $10 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost? (Taken from Poll Everywhere, 16 April 2015).

Puzzle 2: If five men can paint five walls in five minutes, how long does it take for 10 men to paint 10 walls?

Puzzle 3: A fish weighs 500g plus half its weight. How much does it weigh?

HERE’S A REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE When I mentor leaders and presenters who are using webinars for the first time, I often find that the more experience you have as a presenter, the more difficult it is to run your first webinar! That’s because the webinar environment is so different, and some of the patterns you have learned don’t work. For example: • You don’t have those subconscious cues that somebody is about to ask a question.

• You don’t get friendly smiles and nods from the audience when you make a point.

• You can’t tell whether your attempts at humour are working, because you can’t hear people laughing (or not) • You don’t know whether people are paying attention, because you can’t judge from their eyes or posture.

Ironically, less experienced presenters often do better, because they have never learned these patterns. So they just get on with it and do just fine. But experienced presenters sometimes feel unnerved by it.

So pattern matching is a double-edged sword; powerful but can be dangerous.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOUR BUSINESS? Think about situations in your business where you might be acting on autopilot because you’re just responding to familiar patterns. For example: • When you make a management listing presentation to a new client, do you just make a standard presentation every time, or do you really listen to what this specific owner needs for their property and the way they deal with you?

• If a tenant causes a minor problem, do you automatically react based on other tenants you have known, or do you take the time to discover their unique situation before you respond?

• If your most junior team member suggests an idea in a team meeting, do you reject it because ‘We tried that before and it didn’t work’, or treat it (and the team member) with respect and consider it seriously?

• When somebody posts a negative comment about you on your Facebook page, do you hit back immediately because it raises long-held personal beliefs and emotions, or do you stop and take the time to push those patterns aside so you can respond more appropriately?

• Do you lump all your agency’s salespeople into the same group because ‘They are

DO YOU LUMP ALL YOUR AGENCY’S SALESPEOPLE INTO THE SAME GROUP BECAUSE ‘THEY ARE IN SALES AND DON’T UNDERSTAND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT’, OR DO YOU TREAT EACH OF THEM AS SKILLED, TALENTED, AND MOTIVATED INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN HELP YOU BUILD YOUR BUSINESS AS WELL? in sales and don’t understand property management’, or do you treat each of them as skilled, talented, and motivated individuals who can help you build your business as well?

• Do your processes, systems, policies, and procedures force everybody (tenants, owners and your team) to fit into one way of doing things, or are they flexible enough to accommodate individual needs?

It’s tempting to take shortcuts based on patterns we have seen in the past. This is often useful, but it’s sometimes risky. If you want to be more innovative, more flexible and future-proof your career, your team and your business, be careful not to get caught in the pattern-matching trap.

HOW DID YOU DO WITH THOSE PUZZLES? Here are the answers to the three puzzles I posed earlier: A cricket bat and ball together cost $11.

The bat costs $10 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?

The obvious answer is $1, and that’s what your pattern-matching brain might say because it sees the $11 and $10 and jumps to a shortcut. But that’s wrong. If you do the maths, the ball is actually 50 cents and the bat is $10.50.

If five men can paint five walls in five minutes, how long does it take for 10 men to paint 10 walls?

Again, if you just used a patternmatching shortcut, you might say 10

minutes. That’s the obvious pattern, right (5-5-5 should match 10-10-10)? But the correct answer is 5 minutes. If five men can paint 5 walls in 5 minutes, it takes 5 minutes for a man to paint a wall. So if there are 10 men and 10 walls, it still takes 5 minutes. If there are 1,000 men and 1,000 walls, it still takes 5 minutes.

A fish weighs 500g plus half its weight.

How much does it weigh?

Again, if you used a pattern-matching shortcut, you might take the 500g and add half of that – which is 250g – to come up with the answer 750g. But again that’s not right. The correct answer is 1kg, because the ‘half’ is half of the full weight.

Beware the pattern-matching trap! ■

GIHAN PERERA is a futurist, conference speaker, author and consultant who gives business leaders a glimpse into what’s ahead - and how they can become fit for the future. Gihan will be speaking at LPMA 2016. For more information and to book tickets visit lpma2016.com.au.

For more information on Gihan visit gihanspeaks.com.

epm.eliteagent.com.au 23

PM Q&A

Esther Nilson Rentwest, WA

out, to enhance current lifestyles, to achieve financial security for all stakeholders.

Property management has been an amazing leveller and forced me to be more patient.

It has made me a better person and communicator; I can reflect on where I was to where I am now and I’m amazed how I have developed personally and professionally.

Every step in my life has led me to where I am now, and I also have a clearer understanding of my future, which excites me.

After more than 20 years in a variety of administrative roles, including 15 years within the Government legal system, Esther made the move to real estate – first in sales and now in property management. Her high standards and busy lifestyle, both in and out of the office, mean little time for relaxing, but her hard work has paid off. In the last few years she has won numerous awards and will be speaking at LPMA 2016.

How did you get into property management?

I started as an assistant property manager, having come from a real estate sales background. I love real estate and after exiting the sales market I was reluctant to leave the industry completely.

I then decided to take a sideways step into property management, rather blindly I must admit, but after doing so have never looked back.

As a property manager, what are the biggest challenges you face?

I manage properties in Western Australia, from up in the hills in Roleystone, through the south-east metropolitan area, down to Wellard in the south. The travel is a challenge to some degree, although I am very proactive about scheduling appointments when in the area.

My biggest challenge is maintaining the very high standard of communication and level of service as my

portfolio increases. I am reluctant to let this standard slip at any stage, so I find it increasingly challenging to be able to dedicate the time and effort required for each client. I set high standards for myself and I’m my biggest critic. However, I have learnt in the last couple of years to allow myself to be proud of what I have achieved; I have to give myself credit where it’s due and cut myself some slack from time to time.

(Rentwest, peer voted) and Finalist, Property Manager of the Year 2015 (REIWA Awards for Excellence).

These awards mean a lot in that they validate what I do, but I try not to let them define me. Whilst they give me credibility and acknowledge all the hard work I put in, in turn they simply create a higher benchmark for me to attain. In some ways I’ve created a rod for my own back, but that’s okay. Onward, forever onward!

Tell us about any of the awards you have won and what they mean to you.

I was awarded LPMA Rising Star 2013, LPMA Property Manager of the Year 2015, Employee of the Year 2015

What do you love about property management?

I love the diversity of people, the different conversations with different demographics; the opportunity to create futures for people just starting

24 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • APR-MAY 2016

What is one thing that makes your agency unique?

We are an exclusive PM agency. We pride ourselves on our high level of communication which sets us apart from other agencies. Rentwest won the Communications Award 2015 at the REIWA Awards for Excellence. This was a great achievement for us; it recognised the efforts of every staff member in keeping all parties informed at every step of the way in a very challenging market in Western Australia. This endorsement is a common thread in comments we receive from clients new to our agency, as well as current clients.

What was the most memorable property you have ever managed?

I have an 83-year-old tenant with cancer. She is frail of body but strong of mind. She has gone through several chemotherapy treatments and uses a walking frame.

But the property she rents is immaculate and she does all the cleaning and gardening herself. She puts every

other tenant to shame and is worried she will not ‘pass’ her routine inspections. She rang me recently, very excited because she’s now been given the all-clear for her health. I was so happy for her! Betty is an inspiration; if only we all had her positive outlook and strength of will to never give up and just keep on. I’m blown away by her attitude and only hope I can have her mental fortitude, if I’m lucky enough to live that long!

What’s the best advice you have been given?

Don’t sweat the small stuff; don’t overthink things. At times I can get bogged down, so I sometimes need to pull back and look more at the overall picture than the minute details. By doing this, I can manage time and portfolios far more effectively. Taking advice on board is at times hard, but upon reflection it has always been positive.

What are your most important values?

Honesty. Integrity. Loyalty.

Three values I hold very highly and will not compromise for

come back to bite you in the end!

Do you have a mentor, or someone who inspires you?

Our Director, Suzanne Brown, has been my inspiration since I started at Rentwest.

I have known her for some years prior to this. She is an incredible woman, business owner, friend, mentor and philanthropist. If I can achieve 10 per cent of what she has achieved in property management I’ll be happy!

Suzanne is well known in the industry in WA and runs a very successful agency at Rentwest. She understands the business as well as how to keep a large group of women happy working together - no mean feat! Suzanne is not above jumping in when help is required, being hands-on at the desk, even after 20-plus years. This is what makes her so approachable and realistic; she never puts herself above others. I cannot speak highly enough of her.

Our General Manager, Michelle Rigg, has been with us for just over 12 months.

Michelle is also well known in

the industry and has incredible knowledge of legislation and experience in training. She’s always willing to share what she knows and help out; I’ve learnt a lot from her regarding practice and procedure, and she’s been amazing in helping me achieve my goals.

I have great regard for these two incredible women in business who have strongly shaped my attitudes and career – as you can tell!

How do you relax outside real estate or maintain a work/life balance?

Relax? What is this word!

I have a husband and two children who keep me busy with all their needs and sporting schedules, so I have very little personal downtime.

I should take more time for myself, but unfortunately I don’t and I need to work on that. We love our footy (go Eagles!) and I’m dedicated to watching my sons play their sport of choice, whether it is AFL, cricket or soccer.

I do love travelling overseas and have done so since a young age. I’ve worked hard to make this achievable on a

MY BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS MAINTAINING THE VERY HIGH STANDARD OF COMMUNICATION AND LEVEL OF SERVICE AS MY PORTFOLIO INCREASES. love or money. If I believe in something, I will give it 120 per cent.

What are the key features in maintaining healthy relationships with landlords and tenants?

Confident and effective communication is paramount to maintaining positive relationships. Also the ability to be firm and assertive without being aggressive is vital. Secondly, provide full disclosure to all parties.

Honesty is always the best policy; there’s no point in hiding anything. It will just

few occasions for my family these last few years. Showing the boys countries and cultures beyond our own opens their minds to life beyond our four walls and our lucky country. I love the simplicity of Asian culture and their life philosophies. If only it were that simple here – I think they are far richer in some respects than us. I also dream of visiting the Greek islands one day.

What changes do you see happening in property management in the next year?

I see the industry moving towards more electronic communications and greater use of technology and outsourcing for administrative functions. But none of these can replace the lowest common denominator which is human communication, and this is the area we excel in as an agency.

What’s next for you – do you have any goals or plans for this year?

Training staff to the level required is a huge issue.

Too many people enter the industry without adequate training. I’ve identified this area as lacking and this is something I’m progressing into … watch this space!

What advice would you give someone starting out in property management?

The advice I would give to someone starting out is to hang in there. You have to work through the hard times; the better times will come.

Property management is challenging but rewarding.

In due course you’ll develop a number of people and communication skills that you can apply to every aspect of your life. Remember: when the going gets tough, the tough get going! Don’t ever give up.

Esther Nilson will be speaking at LPMA this year. To book your tickets visit lpma2016. com.au.

epm.eliteagent.com.au 25

BEST PRACTICE

The art of personal

COMMUNICATION

Although the list of available technology continually grows in property management as we automate to get more productive, it should not replace human communication. Here are some tips on what you should say and when you should say it from Amy Sanderson.

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wo-dimensional communications, such as text and email, are especially open to misunderstanding as they are essentially impersonal.

Where there is a limited personal relationship there is also limited loyalty.

Thanks to modern technology, we can create more time for ourselves and our clients by automating many of our processes. This makes it possible to become a ‘relationship manager’.

You can’t always rely on the spoken word and documented evidence is critical; so to get the best of both worlds you should still build your business using technology to assist you to record information and use your words to execute actions and create rapport.

Seventy per cent of adults who know how to read and write don’t comprehend what they read and write. If someone does not understand what you communicate, the problem is yours, not theirs. It needs to make sense to them.

The purpose of this article is to give you some pointers and scripts on improving your communication to achieve greater loyalty in your customer base.

TONALITY AND BODY LANGUAGE Sometimes a meeting or a phone call is beneficial to support your written message, confirming it is understood.

• Consider how you say things – do you sound welcoming?

• Consider your body language – is it open?

• How is the other person receiving your information?

A little saying from our mums: ‘You have two ears and one mouth – use them in that ratio.’ We need to make a conscious effort to listen to what our clients want and need and deliver on that.

PROSPECTIVE CLIENTS Do you ask clients how and when they would like you to communicate with them? What do they expect from you?

Everyone is different and how they want you to communicate varies from person to person. Listen to them!

RENTAL ARREARS Before discussing rental arrears, check first whether the tenant has paid. Give them the benefit of the doubt. You could say, ‘We haven’t received your rent; are you able to confirm whether you paid it or not, please?’

26 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • APR-MAY 2016

If there seems to be a problem, you can add something like, ‘You can download your rental ledger from our website. Let’s compare what payments have been made and what has been received.’

You may need to explain the ledger to them and point out the importance of meeting their payments each month. ‘Not paying your rent on time could impact your housing situation now and later.’

RENTAL REVIEWS AND LEASE RENEWALS Discuss the points below with owners first, before you email: • Return on investment and security of tenure • Keep rents at or just below market value • Some insurance policies are void once a lease goes periodic • Confirm instructions in writing • Discuss with tenants • Avoid implied leases • Lease renewal offers need an expiration date.

PROPERTY INSPECTIONS Are you delivering the number you promise on your management authorities If not, catch up fast – this is a big liability risk. Here are the conversations you should be having: Advise • Tenants on what you are looking at and why • Access details • Owners might want to attend with you.

Check with them, perhaps once a year.

Consider • Checklist • Repair form • Feedback to owners and tenants – written or by phone Check • Keys • Repairs and maintenance – past and current • Lease terms/rent review • Property compliance

REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE Once a tenant tells you (or reception, or anyone in the office) about any repairs or maintenance issues, it is deemed you have been advised, whether it’s in writing or not. Then you need to act on the situation.

Considerations: • Emergency – do it • Speak to the owner/refer to the authority • Is it a risk to the tenant if you don’t act?

• Qualified tradespeople/get estimates in writing • Advise owner/tenant once arranged • Follow up until complete and keep all parties informed • If no action is to be taken, advise the tenant – call them and send written explanation too.

VACATES Think about the following conversations around vacates: • Pre-vacating preparation/ expectations/wear and tear/damage • Offer both parties the opportunity to inspect and compare to the ingoing • Discuss results with owner/tenant • Opportunity to rectify • Discuss claim with all parties • Make claim for what has been discussed or discuss again • Use local tribunal should you not come to an agreement.

And now for some scripts to help you on your way!

COMPLIANCE: MINIMISE RISK Conversations you should have around the non-negotiables, think of the ‘what ifs’ and how you would manage the situation if it happened: • What if a tenant abandons a property and leaves damage?

• What if a property burns down and the smoke alarm didn’t go off?

• What if a toddler drowns and the pool fencing wasn’t compliant?

• What if there is a flood?

Script: ‘Mr/s Investor, there are certain items that need to be addressed within a rental home to ensure it is compliant. We need to discuss items such as insurance, fire alarms, blind cords, safety switches, pools, and so on. These are areas where we need to work with qualified people to ensure everything is up to standard. If we don’t use a qualified professional and something goes wrong at the property, you and your tenant could be exposed

to unnecessary risk and litigation. We also need to discuss the possibility of additional tax deductions for you.’

This is an opening to talk about the different companies with whom you have a relationship.

Script: ‘While we can’t recommend anyone in particular, many other clients have used XYZ and have been very happy. Here are their contact details, but you should also make your own enquiries.’

Sometimes a client refuses to consider the use of qualified professionals for compliance items, or repairs for that matter.

Script: ‘Unfortunately we can’t test or install these items as we are not qualified. Again, if something was to go wrong we all could be held liable. Speak to your current insurer and ask them about the potential risk of not having these items addressed by a qualified professional and see what they say.’ In order to have a loan approved you must have building insurance at least, so the client always has an insurance company they can check with.

IF SOMEONE DOES NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU COMMUNICATE, THE PROBLEM IS YOURS, NOT THEIRS. IT NEEDS TO MAKE SENSE TO THEM. You should also have a conversation with your tenants about contents insurance. It would be best practice to include this in your lease’s additional terms.

Script: ‘The tenant’s personal effects are not covered by any insurance policy of the landlord or of the strata plan. It is strongly advised that you ensure you have adequate insurance cover for your belongings.’

WOW: MAXIMISE RETURN Wow your clients with calls that can make them money, not cost them.

Script: ‘Tax time is coming up – have you had a quantity surveyor complete a report on your property? They are qualified to depreciate items your accountant isn’t and have saved some of our other clients thousands; may we arrange it for you?’

Script: ‘Have you had someone discuss your mortgage with you recently? May

WHAT ARE THE AREAS IN PM WHERE COMMUNICATION IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT? New managements • What do they expect of you during a tenancy?

• What’s expected of them during a tenancy?

• What’s expected of a tenant during a tenancy?

• Discuss property compliance and presentation.

• Explain when they can expect their money, and how.

Vacancies Consider your processes and discussions around: • Property presentation • Property pricing • Marketing • Communication during vacancy • Tenant selection • Application turnaround • Lease terms New tenants • Lease terms, insurance, compliance • Initial money owing: how and why • Bond and inspection reports • How rent is to be paid, affordability, arrears • Emergencies • Repairs • Vacating • Rent reviews and renewals

we introduce you to someone who has saved other clients on their current mortgage and worked on financing them into another property?’

WHAT CAN YOU DO TODAY? Be polite and listen. Hear what people are saying to you and confirm your understanding.

When you agree to act, do as you say.

Confirm it in writing and follow it up until complete.

And best of all, remember to smile. I was once told you can hear a smile on the phone; I have tested this theory and found it to be correct! ■ AMY SANDERSON, with 20 years’ experience in the real estate industry, is the Network Performance Manager – Property Investment Management for LJ Hooker.

epm.eliteagent.com.au 27

BEST PRACTICE - POWERED BY

A matter of trust JESS KINDT, HEAD OF

Property Management Operations for Boutique Group Place Estate Agents in QLD, is heavily focused on the professional and personal development of their Staff. Fiona McEachran of Console met up with Jess this month to discuss trust accounting.

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not just accounting. It’s important for that particular person to have a good understanding of the property management business as a whole and not just the accounting side, because ultimately, yes, we’re dealing with numbers and money, but we’re also dealing with people and people’s incomes.

FIONA: What do you think are the priorities for trust accounting?

Jess: I think that you definitely need someone experienced in trust accounting,

FIONA: Do you see trust accounting at the heart of a property management business?

Jess: The heart of a business is really the property managers. What trust accounting allows us to do, if it’s done well, is enable our property management staff to work at their very highest performance and provide exceptional customer service. If we can get those things right, you’re going to have fewer clients questioning statements and fewer tenants questioning their ledgers. It

hroughout her 10-plus years in the property industry, Jess has managed large residential, commercial and industrial properties, sold both residential and commercial, directed rental departments, assisted in project marketing and leasing, and played a major part in trust accounting and business administration.

Over the years, she has gained a wealth of knowledge and experience; so when it came time to sit down and chat with someone in the know about the importance of trust accounting best practice, Jess was the perfect fit.

28 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • APR-MAY 2016

allows them to just get on and do their job without worrying about that.

FIONA: What legislation exists at the moment that is a priority for property managers?

Jess: Obviously, as property managers, we are governed by a range of legislation with everything we do on a daily basis.

Specifically, with property management trust accounting, we refer to the Agent’s Financial Administration Act 2014 that governs the way we receive rents, how we disburse them, how we hold them, how we receipt them, and all the obligations around all of those practices with our trust account.

is managing the account has experience, and I think it’s important to have a good combination of accounting experience and property management experience.

One very important key thing is to go with a property management software provider who works well and communicates with your

FIONA: What key tools do you think are necessary to manage a trust account?

Jess: You need to ensure that the person who

IT’S LIKE MURPHY’S LAW WITH TRUST ACCOUNTING. WHAT CAN GO WRONG WILL USUALLY GO WRONG, SO IT’S IMPORTANT THAT YOU’VE GOT A GOOD PLATFORM WITH GOOD SUPPORT.

IT systems. It’s like Murphy’s Law with trust accounting. What can go wrong will usually go wrong, so it’s important that you’ve got a good platform with good support so you can call and have immediate attention given to resolving that issue as a matter of urgency.

FIONA: Can you tell me what are the biggest mistakes you’ve seen made with trust accounting?

Jess: One of the biggest mistakes I see is inexperienced staff reversing and journaling funds and disbursing; they do all of these things, and they don’t really have the professional experience to know what the consequences will be.

That’s where the overlap comes from property management versus trust accounting, ensuring the trust account manager is communicating well with your property management team. It’s about making sure clients aren’t given unrealistic expectations and that everything’s in line with our trust account processes and procedures. It’s also about minimising errors by having more attention to detail. All of these are human errors, so if we can be more aware of that risk we can try and minimise them as much as possible. ■

* CPD Points are approved by RTO 21687 BPG Training Pty Ltd

12 points online for NSW Agents (with courses just for PM’s!) from just $89 epm.eliteagent.com.au 29

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Seven fundamental ‘screaming’ realities of customer service QUALITY SERVICE, EXCELLENCE,

benchmarking and best practice have become the fundamental rules of business today. Your customers are more demanding than ever and your service standards may make or break. Colin Pearce explains the realities of what it takes to keep them happy.

1

CUSTOMER SERVICE MANNERS ARE A PRIORITY You know as well as I that getting it right for our customers is vital.

Think of a few companies that are all the rage in the news at the moment for their profitability and leadership, and you’ll find that they are also being heralded as benchmarkers in service and sales. And when you call them you’ll find there are real people who get it right on the phone.

Of course customer service is important, and telephone charisma is at the centre.

There’s an old Chinese proverb that says, ‘He who cannot smile should not keep shop.’ In the same spirit I say ‘He who cannot answer the telephone properly should not keep shop either.’

COMMIT TO THIS: Manners, charm and loving service on the telephone are important—a blood oath commitment from the heart of your organisation.

30 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • APR-MAY 2016

2

YOUR EXECUTIVES AND SENIOR PEOPLE MUST SET THE EXAMPLE It’s not unusual for me to be hired by a company to fix their telephone service.

They pay gobs of money to have me run programs and speak at conferences, and if I say so myself I do a good job.

But I tell you this: It works best, in fact it almost propels itself, when Mr Shiny Pants or Ms Toplady all agree and say, ‘All right, I’ve got a couple of weaknesses. Maybe I’m a bit casual. I do lose my way a bit too much on the phone. Maybe I’m impatient.

Maybe I’ve got a bit rusty. Put the wire brush on me and get rid of the rusty spots.’

Where the executives model good telephone techniques they sweep through the organisation like brush fire. Get this installed through the whole team, from top to bottom and from east to west.

COMMIT TO THIS: Good customer service is not just for the team members on the lower rungs of the corporate ladder. It’s not one set of rules for the lords and ladies, and another for the peasants.

industry and people will still do business with him in spite of his own ineptitude – for now. But have no doubts about this: the day will come when a competitor will arrive who really understands business and they will eat him.

Today’s customers are more aware than at any other time in history that they have buyer’s rights. Little wonder that ordinary folks expect their rights not to be violated when they do business with you and me.

They are aware. They work for franchise companies who reward outstanding service; they see small business awards on TV; they have flown on classy airlines and bought flashy cars and stayed in fine resorts.

And know that, like you, 100 per cent of your customers are only interested in themselves. They’ll very quickly work out whether or not you and your people share the same interest.

COMMIT TO THIS: Resolve now to be alert to the fact that your customers are only interested in themselves.

YOUR PEOPLE NEED TO BE TRAINED You can’t expect that new people will pick up great telephone ideas out of the woodwork and run with them.

Star teams get that way, not just from excellent recruiting, but from excellent training. There is not a professional sports team or sports star, opera singer, band or orchestra in the world that does not train day in and day out.

Why is it that if they are the most talented and brilliant in their field they still train daily?

Simple!

In the real world the universe and everything in it is wearing out and selfdestructing. If you leave even the most brilliant people to their own judgement they will lose their skills and taper off.

Top companies and organisations train their people regularly and effectively.

COMMIT TO THIS: Set up a schedule and make sure you install what I am saying.

It might mean that you have to bring somebody in to help you.

IT TAKES TIME. SOMETIMES IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME. We have to make time to get this right. It is urgent and important to install this kind of philosophy into our

3

4

WE ARE DEALING TODAY WITH AN INFORMED MARKET. YOUR CALLERS EXPECT PROFESSIONAL TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES AND GOOD TELEPHONE MANNERS FROM YOU. You’ve probably met one of those lucky individuals who have got the only game in town. He can have the worst customer service and the ugliest manners in the

5

do it for you. Are the words and attitudes right? You have to know.

I have a policy whereby I make mystery shopping dead easy. We want people to be caught in the act of doing it right, so they are encouraged and grow with the experience rather than feeling foolish.

Here’s what slaps my liver: a whole ton of people are so dedicated to being useless on the telephone they still get it wrong, even when the mystery shopper call is straight out of the textbook! You have to keep at it.

COMMIT TO THIS: Resolve now to call your phones, by one means or another, three times a week and develop a system where you can give feedback on the results.

7

GETTING THE TELEPHONE RIGHT TAKES EFFORT AND IT WILL PRODUCE TEMPORARY INCONVENIENCE AND PAIN Whether it’s teaching your sports team a new system of ‘plays’ or getting a new inventory management system online, there are learning curves and crashes. In the end, though, this will prove to be far less painful than anything else you’ve had to change.

People are used to doing things a certain way and they’re particularly used to using

THERE’S AN OLD CHINESE PROVERB THAT SAYS, ‘HE WHO CANNOT SMILE SHOULD NOT KEEP SHOP.’ IN THE SAME SPIRIT I SAY ‘HE WHO CANNOT ANSWER THE TELEPHONE PROPERLY SHOULD NOT KEEP SHOP EITHER.’ organisation and make sure that everybody follows the principles. Don’t lose another day before you plan a meeting where you drill telephone manners.

There is no set rule how to do it. Large organisations find it as difficult as you to pull people out during the day or to run after-hours meetings. You have to work out something that’s appropriate for you.

COMMIT TO THIS: You have to train your people. But you have to train them with the truth, not your own half-baked prejudices.

6

YOU MUST INSPECT WHAT YOU EXPECT Following through on the training is important too. That’s right: ‘Inspect what you Expect’. You’ve got to ring your own office and each department at least three times a week.

Maybe you could ask mystery shoppers to

certain phrases which are native to them.

I’ve heard people say, ‘Oh, it’s just so different.’ ‘I couldn’t say that!’ ‘If I said that I’d sound like a robot.’ ‘Oh, I’m not used to saying this’ and ‘I’m quite happy with what I say, you know.’

That’s just the trouble. It’s Rafferty’s rules out there.

I have a system called Great Phone Skills that will get all your ducks lined up. It’s fully described at www.greatphoneskills.com. ■

COLIN PEARCE, inducted into the Australian Speakers Hall of Fame in 2007, tours the USA, Asia, and Australasia to speak at major conferences, including LPMA 2016.

To book your tickets visit lpma2016.com. au. For more information on Colin, visit colinpearce.com.

epm.eliteagent.com.au 31

The Last Word

Fiona Blayney

THE ‘GABBY EFFECT’ Fiona Blayney had her hands full when a moment of stress led to a domestic mishap.

Saved by the kindness of a stranger, she points out how everything we do impacts on other people – and why we should all pay kindness forward.

I

had a knock on the door this week. Turns out it was a pretty important knock on the door; just the thought of the drama that would have ensued if that knock had not occurred sends chills. Let me paint you the picture.

It was Saturday lunchtime; I had just returned home from the shops. It was my youngest daughter’s second birthday the next day and I had been frantically preparing for the Wiggles Party of the century. With two children under four, the three-year-old unable to walk due to a full leg cast (altercation with a trampoline), the need to buy groceries for 40 people with the only receptacle for said groceries being the pram, doubling up as a wheelchair and trolley, and a two-yearold whose energy levels were reflective of someone who thought the entire Wiggles crew were heading to our house the next day... Let’s just say I was that woman, you know: the one that as a mother you look over at and give that knowing ‘It’s going to be okay’ look to.

So you’ll also perhaps appreciate that I forgot all normal process and, after paying the check-out operator, I placed my wallet in the easiest place rather than its normal safe spot. I just wanted to get the hell out of there.

Finally at the car, loaded up, off we went and headed back

to the safe zone – home. Calm would soon be restored.

Turns out the easiest place wasn’t the best place. That knock at the door was my guardian angel named Gabby, who found my wallet on the car park floor! Instead of fleecing it of its cash and tossing it in the bin, or leaving it with centre management on the hope that it would find its way back, Gabby decided to take matters into her own hands and deliver my wallet direct to me.

After what had been the most intense month of my entire business life (we’ve just rebranded and expanded, in case you didn’t notice), and things being just as eventful on the personal front (throw a house move and renovation on top of all of this), I was reminded yet again of how amazing people can be. How we each have the ability to make the most amazing impact on someone’s day, from a small thing like returning a wallet, to letting a stranger in front in the traffic, right through to the incredible round-the-clock support I have had from my rebrand crew. Life is all about People.

Really, everything you do, everything you touch, every conversation, every moment, everything, it’s about people.

Your every move impacts someone, somewhere, somehow. Every moment of your day is an addition to the

32 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • APR-MAY 2016

LET’S JUST SAY I WAS THAT WOMAN, YOU KNOW: THE ONE THAT AS A MOTHER YOU LOOK OVER AT AND GIVE THAT KNOWING ‘IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY’ LOOK TO. development of a life.

The impact you have can be local, or far-reaching. It can be monumental or minuscule.

It can determine a future or determine a moment in time.

It can make someone smile, it can make someone sad. But no matter what, it will impact on some level.

Gabby will probably never know the impact that she really had on my life on Saturday. She has no idea what led to that wallet being found, or the real value of the time she saved me by her selfless act.

But I seem to have been

surrounded by ‘Gabbys’ lately.

So now I’m pushing for the ‘Gabby Effect’ to go further.

How can we all bring a bit of Gabby to each other’s lives?

This month I’m working hard on paying it forward. It doesn’t have to be a full-on rescue but I encourage you to think about what your next random act of kindness might be. ■

FIONA BLAYNEY is the founder and director of Real+, an industry-first property management learning platform. For more info visit realplusonline.com.au.

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OUTPERFORMING THE MARKET

Macquarie Bank on why the industry needs to focus on efficiency

CUSTOMER RETENTION STRATEGIES

Easy techniques to keep your clients happy and build your rent roll

GET THE LEAD, THEN DON’T GET BEATEN! Josh Phegan on winning the listing

HOW CONSISTENT MESSAGING WILL BUILD YOUR BRAND

5 STEPS TO PROFESSIONAL MARKETING VIDEOS

TRANSPARENCY OR TRICKERY What’s really driving agent review sites?

Tips and tricks from the experts

Kate Smith

Josh Phegan on getting what you’re worth

PROPERTY LAUNCH How a new method of sale is getting vendors top dollar

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BEYOND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

THRIVING IN A TOUGH LEASING MARKET

HANNAH GILL

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH RENT.COM.AU CEO MARK WOSCHNAK

A GUIDE TO THE ULTIMATE BRAINSTORM

REAL ESTATE GEM

GEARING FOR GROWTH

Tom Panos talks Attraction Agent 3.0

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DEFENDING YOUR FEE

David Highland

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The resolutions you need to make this year

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VICTORIA’S TOP GUN

Mark Di Giulio

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LAURA LEVISOHN

5 STEPS TO DESIGNING THE IDEAL WEEK THREE QUESTIONS TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE

THE SCIENCE BEHIND FIRST IMPRESSIONS

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LESSONS LEARNT IN REALLY BIG BUSINESS

Get noticed for the right reasons

RP Data is now CoreLogic, the largest property data and analytics provider in the world.

THE MATHEMATICS OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT WITH BOB WALTERS

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How to get more productive… Fast!

SERVING A NICHE MARKET PAGE 50

IMPLEMENTING NEW TECHNOLOGY AS A TEAM

WHO’S BEHIND THAT DOOR?

MAKING INSPECTIONS EASY

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HITTING A HOMERUN PAGE 16

5 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR CONVERSION RATE PAGE 20

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WHY NO ONE LIKES A KEYBOARD WARRIOR

ARE DIGITAL PRE-LISTING KITS THE WAY OF THE FUTURE?

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THE MATHEMATICS OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT WITH BOB WALTERS

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SERVING A NICHE MARKET PAGE 50

IMPLEMENTING NEW TECHNOLOGY AS A TEAM

WHO’S BEHIND THAT DOOR?

MAKING INSPECTIONS EASY

SAFETY TIPS FOR PMs

HITTING A HOMERUN PAGE 16

5 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR CONVERSION RATE PAGE 20

THE ART OF STORYTELLING PAGE 54

LEARN FROM THE BEST #04 MAR/APR 2015 AU$9.95 + POSTAGE

PASSION FOR PEOPLE

Emmy Thies

INSID THE TOP COACHE

John McGrath • Josh Pheg Michael Sheargold • Tom Pan Caroline Bolderst

PL An exclusive w Glenn McGr

CLOSE COLLABORATION Successfully linking PM and Sales

SKIMMERS, SCEPTICS AND SOAKERS Are you covering them all?

31 May – 1 June, 2015 Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre

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Measuring property manager performance

31 May – 1 June, 2015 Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre

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with Stuart Benson

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Red Bull racing champ Matt Hall talks mindset

and the power of presence

PREPARING FOR SPRING SELLING SEASON

LEARN FROM THE BEST

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