ELITE PM Issue 12 Jun Jul 2017

TURNING OBJECTIONS INTO OPPORTUNITIES LEADERSHIP MADE SIMPLE LEARN FROM THE BEST #12 JUN-JUL 2017

BIRDS OF A FEATHER HOW TO NETWORK SUCCESSFULLY

WHAT IT TAKES TO BE AN ADMINISTRATION SUPERSTAR

GROWTH LEADER ASHLEA MERLO

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ISSUE 12 JUNE-JULY 2017 | epm.eliteagent.com.au SARAH BELL Editor sarah@eliteagent.com.au SAMANTHA MCLEAN Managing Editor - Elite Agent samantha@eliteagent.com.au

SHANTELLE ISAAKS Marketing Assistant | Producer shantelle@eliteagent.com.au

CHORUS DESIGN MARK EDWARDS Publisher | Commercial Partnerships Art Direction | Design marc@chorusdesign.com mark@eliteagent.com.au JILL BONIFACE Sub-Editor jill@eliteagent.com.au

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Carla Martin | Topsnap FEATURE WRITERS Sarah Bell, Shantelle Isaaks

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Postal Address: Suite 904, 121 Walker Street North Sydney NSW 2060 Telephone +61 2 8854 6123 Registered by Australia Post/Print Post 100020180 EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS The publisher welcomes editorial submissions from individuals and organisations within the real estate profession. The publisher reserves the right to edit, modify, reject or contribute to the content of the material provided.

EDITORIAL DISCLAIMER: Some opinions expressed in EPM Magazine are not necessarily those of its staff or contributing editors. Those opinions are reproduced with no guarantee of accuracy although EPM Magazine endeavours to ensure those opinions and comments are factual.

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Contents Regulars 006 EDITOR’S NOTE Sarah Bell 008 WATERCOOLER Catch up on what you may have missed 010 READER PROFILE Morgan Walker

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012 BD MASTERY Tara Bradbury 014 PM MENTOR Natalie Hastings 016 REALTY BYTES Alister Maple-Brown 018 GAME CHANGER Jo-Anne Oliveri 036 PM Q+A Adam Hicks, Hodges Ascot Vale 040 THE LAST WORD Fiona Blayney

Everyone’s talking about 020 CONSOLE CLOUD HAS ARRIVED

Cover Story 022 GROWTH LEADER Ashlea Merlo

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Features 026 LEADERSHIP MADE SIMPLE Brock Fisher 028 ONE SMALL DOG Sharon Fox-Slater 030 PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PERFORMER Maria Page, Barry Plant Mitchell Shire 032 WAR! WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR? Sarah Bell 034 DIRECT CONNECT CASE STUDY Moving made easy 038 W HAT IT TAKES TO BE AN ADMINISTRATION SUPERSTAR Heidi Walkinshaw

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06 SARAH BELL EDITOR OF EPM, FEATURES WRITER ELITE AGENT MAGAZINE Where are you from originally and where do you call home now?

After a year of travelling and working in the eastern capitals, I’m back in Brisbane and I don’t miss the traffic.

Who or what inspires you at the moment?

I’m blessed to count some extraordinary people in my immediate circle – my husband, a superb agent and auctioneer, but also my friends in the industry who are all driving excellence in their own way… got to keep up.

What’s the most important project you are working on right now?

I’m doing some support work for the Jet Xavier Wellness and Wellbeing in Real Estate project. I care deeply about the people in this business and this is such an admirable initiative from Jet. Trend to watch in the industry?

The applications of artificial intelligence in the real estate business are fascinating and we are starting to see some very smart people building the tools and platforms to incorporate AI into how we work.

Favourite quote or words to live by?

“As much is given, much is required.” It’s about gratitude and using your gifts and talents in the service of others. It’s also about balancing generosity with selfcare and self-development so that you build capacity to give on a bigger scale.

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SHARON FOX-SLATER EXECUTIVE GENERAL MANAGER, EBM Where are you from originally and where do you call home now?

I was born in Croyde, Devon, UK; I grew up in Perth and home is now Melbourne. I’ve been here for 20 years – in fact, it’s our Melbourne office’s 20th anniversary this month.

Who or what inspires you at the moment?

Watching my team develop and succeed – they are really quite amazing. Plus seeing the wonderful work that our

CONTRIBUTORS SCOTT DOWNING HEAD OF CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, ROCKEND Where are you from originally and where do you call home now?

I was born in Nottingham in the UK and moved to Sydney 10 years ago.

That’s now definitely home, as it’s where my partner and two cocker spaniels are.

Who or what inspires you at the moment?

My work inspires me. I have the opportunity to work with great people and really change the way that we’re working and helping our customers.

What’s the most important project you are working on right now?

Our Customer Experience and Advocacy Strategy. I’m working with my team to build an entire new way of working. How we serve our customers, lead our teams, and drive insight and improvement to ensure that we have real customer insights in our decision-making.

Trend to watch in the industry?

Social media. The landscape is becoming increasingly digital and agile, with huge shifts in

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customers demanding information real time about their main asset or investment: their property.

Favourite quote or words to live by?

“You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing and by falling over” (Richard Branson). I’m a big believer that getting into the work, being close to your customers and teams is the only way to be a great leader.

Failing is learning.

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property managers and principals do inspires us to provide the best service we possibly can to help their businesses thrive.

What’s the most important project you are working on right now?

I’m working on a project that will further connect my team to our vision and strategy. I am excited about this as our vision is to be recognised and respected as the industry best, and this project is the first of its kind in our business. I can’t say too much as my team don’t know about it yet!

SHANTELLE ISAAKS MARKETING ASSISTANT, ELITE AGENT Where are you from originally and where do you call home now?

I was born and bred in Marayong, Western Sydney.

My school teachers said that ‘Marayong’ comes from an Aboriginal word meaning, ‘where emus roamed’. No, I had no emus as pets!

Who or what inspires you at the moment?

As part of the Transform challenge, our #Supersix had to perform random acts of kindness and showcase these in video format. All of them have left an incredible impression on me. Choose kindness – it’s something you won’t regret!

What’s the most important project you are working on right now?

I’m working on wrapping up the Transform program, finalising the magazine you are currently reading and preparing for AREC17. Following that, I’m looking forward to producing more video content – contributor interviews, tips of the week and any extra surprises along the way.

Trend to watch in the industry?

I’m reluctant to say meth labs – there’s still little public awareness about the seriousness of the situation.

Plus pets in rental properties; it’s going to be very interesting to watch how this plays out in the marketplace.

Favourite quote or words to live by?

“There are no problems, only challenges.” It’s our challenges and obstacles that give us layers of depth and make us interesting.

Want an ‘all access’ pass to extended Transform 2017 coaching?

Here’s one for you… and some for your friends too.

36 Trend to watch in the industry?

The increase in personalisation and transparency is more valuable to me than doing things systematically and by the book, especially in brand representation.

Prioritising these values will transform client and employee relationships.

Favourite quote or words to live by?

Neil deGrasse Tyson said, “There is no greater education than one that is self-driven.”

Constantly be learning, and be curious.

Extended coaching episodes from Transform 2017 are now available in an immersive 3D environment* like you have never seen before.

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epm.eliteagent.com.au 5

EDITOR’S NOTE SARAH BELL

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AFTER HAVING been allowed to play along at home for over a year, Samantha McLean has invited me to reside in the EPM Editor’s chair on a permanent basis. Not a difficult decision to make; it is a chance to join a small yet extraordinary team.

The chance to continue learning from Sam was irresistible – she is a triple-threat creative talent, thought-leader and publishing genius, also arguably Australia’s leading authority on penguin GIFs and other very cool grown-up things.

The platform she has created for agents and property managers to communicate their shared experience and knowledge is testimony to the ‘giving’ nature of the woman, the team and the vision for this publication.

Also irresistible was the opportunity to work with the extended team and network

of contributors who bring the EPM vision to life. Leading technology, marketing, communication and design experts combine with the tactical day-to-day operational experience of Australia’s best property managers to create EPM and make it the relevant, helpful and forward-focused positive news channel that it is known to be. It is my aim to always live up to the trust that I have been given to achieve such an important mission.

As I reflect on the state of property management and its context within the property industry, words like uncertain and unclear make me feel uneasy as we move forward into the unknown.

The fog of constant change

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AS I REFLECT ON THE STATE OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AND ITS CONTEXT WITHIN THE PROPERTY INDUSTRY, WORDS LIKE UNCERTAIN AND UNCLEAR MAKE ME FEEL UNEASY AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO THE UNKNOWN. to how we do business is met with a cry for stability. A cry that won’t be answered as the momentum of ‘now’ drives advancement and pushes consumer expectations to greater depths – at greater speeds. We can’t really plan our way through this fog, nor can we rely on the things we know… the terrain is uncharted and we are pioneers

of a business environment unknown to anyone.

Amidst the fog, we want to be able to harness new knowledge and interpret it so that change or progress is less foggy and instead full of promise and shared lessons. I love Fiona Blayney’s sentiment of ‘breaking’ property management, and as we move to the future I think that is what we will all be doing: bit by bit exploring new areas of business and revolutionising existing ones.

Agile. Responsive. Velcro.

This issue’s cover story with Ashlea Merlo of Clarke & Humel Property in Sydney’s affluent suburbs surrounding Manly is an example of a leader who is charging through the fog.

By remaining adaptive and responsive to the clients who comprise the Clarke & Humel portfolio, Ashlea carves out a place for herself in this industry as a beacon guiding the way to true service excellence.

As the new Editor (sounds

good, no?), I want to invite everyone to the EPM platform as a place of sharing and storytelling, a place of news, a place of interpretation and understanding, a place of learning, a place where diverse opinions and the rich knowledge of all our partners and readers can help us to solve problems. Solving problems, or as Chris Hanley says “just putting one foot in front of the other”, is the only way to make it through the fog.

Standing on the crest of the next wave of technological implementations – think bots, AI and big data – a lot of what we learned that property management ‘is’ is no longer and the shift from activities to relationships is a critical path for PMs. The Elite Property Managers are those who make a deliberate choice to be pioneers: to be future-focused, customer-centric and driven to find new ways to be valuable – to be relevant.

While the future of property

management and the 21stcentury business environment may be foggy, my role as Editor of EPM is clear. It is a magnificent responsibility that I take seriously: to engage with our thought-leaders, our network of experts and the Elite Property Managers at the coal face of the industry, and to amplify what works.

I want to sign off with one of my favourite quotes from Walt Disney, which speaks to the tomorrow-land of property management too. “Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious… and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”

I think we’re going to have a lot of fun exploring new paths.

Until next issue, stay curious!

THE ELITE PROPERTY MANAGERS ARE THOSE WHO MAKE A DELIBERATE CHOICE TO BE PIONEERS: TO BE FUTURE-FOCUSED, CUSTOMERCENTRIC AND DRIVEN TO FIND NEW WAYS TO BE VALUABLE.

epm.eliteagent.com.au 7

THE WATER COOLER

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Our daily newsletter #THEBRIEF brings you the latest real estate news, tech and marketing tips straight up every day.

In case you’ve missed anything, here are some of this month’s trending stories. Subscribe to #THEBRIEF eliteagent.com.au/subscribe.

MOVINGHUB – THE WHITE-LABEL MOVING SOLUTION When CEO Michael Dornan founded Movinghub, he had one purpose in mind: to streamline the moving process for the customer. “What confused me is why as an agent you would send one of your customers onto a third party if you didn’t have to.

I thought it would be much better to narrow the gap so that you could provide a better and more streamlined moving experience for the customer.”

He therefore created Movinghub as a white-label utilities platform that agents can use to extend their customer offering and brand value, which can include a cloud-based CRM to manage the entire customer journey themselves rather than handing them off.

“This solution is suitable for all types of companies with clients that move home or are looking to switch providers,” says Dornan. “Clients can complete applications online, or be referred through to a Movinghub MovologistTM using our entry point technology. We can create a truly integrated process that your clients will love.”

For more information about Movinghub visit movinghub.com.au.

Welcome to a better level of landlord insurance cover with EBM EBM RentCover is excited to announce a host of new policy features being introduced to RentCover products. Here are some additional ways to help protect your landlords.

• Pet Damage: up to $65,000 – additionally, pets do not need to be named on the lease.

• Flood: up to sum insured • Accidental Damage: limit of two excesses and policy limit has been increased to $65,000.

• Malicious Damage: no depreciation, ‘new for old’ replacement with an increased limit of $65,000 and only one excess applicable.

• Drug Lab Cleanup: policy limit has been increased to $65,000 and includes resulting contamination For more information visit rentcover.com.au.

8 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • JUN-JUL 2017

KEEPING PROPERTY MANAGERS SAFE AND SETTING A NEW STANDARD FOR PROPERTY INSPECTIONS InspectSafe is the latest cloud-based inspection management solution transforming the way residential property inspections are managed across Australia and New Zealand. InspectSafe captures key information from all trust systems and covers all types of inspections, including entry, exit and routine inspections, to streamline the inspection process and reduce the time spent on inspections and reporting.

Sign up today by calling 1300 155 888 or visit inspectsafe.com for more information.

FEELING STRESSED? Jet Xavier’s Wellness and Wellbeing in Real Estate Project is set to put issues of balance and health on the agenda. The first step of the project is to gain an

understanding of the extent of the issue on a national level and to identify priorities for the industry to attack.

“We have constructed a national survey and we are urging all agents, property managers and principals/directors to take five to ten minutes to add their experience to the results, so that we can get a good understanding of how the issues are impacting the people of this industry,” says Jet. The survey is completely anonymous and is aiming to collect a sample of 1,000 responses from across the country, and throughout the various sectors and roles of the industry.

You can access the survey via eliteagent.com.au/stresssurvey.

VISIT ELITEAGENT.COM.AU/CATCHUP FOR FULL VERSIONS OF THESE WATERCOOLER STORIES

Rentvesting – a triple play for agencies Working with your buyers can be a triple win if they are following a Rentvesting approach. Your buyer becomes your landlord and, if your service is invaluable to them, they may just become your tenant too.

Rentvesting refers to the choice of some Australians to purchase property in an area they can afford in order to generate rental

income and enter the property market, whilst simultaneously renting a property in an area where they want to live.

“There are many advantages rentvesting offers, including living in your favoured suburb, flexibility to live closer to work or to move when your circumstances or property needs change. However, tax depreciation may be an underestimated advantage of this strategy,” says Bradley Beer, BMT Tax Depreciation.

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Track keys & more Email & SMS alerts Reservation feature Dedicated barcoding

The Agency’s Strategic Agenda for PM On stepping up to the top spot as CEO of The Agency, Matt Lahood laid out his strategic agenda for property management.

1. RENT ROLL GROWTH: “We are going to have a robust property management business behind us with a significant rent roll; our target is 10,000 properties nationally under management over the next three years,” says Matt.

2. BEING TENANTCENTRIC: “Tenants will be a big part of The Agency landscape and operational focus,” says Matt. This is likely where The Agency’s strong card of being owned by Ausnet Financial Services comes into play. “There is a synergy that occurs between professional services linked through ownership and housed in one brand at the coal face of customer interaction,” he adds.

3. INTEGRATED VALUE CHAIN: “Currently in Perth we offer The Agency real

Cloud-based storage Unlimited users & logins Anytime & any device

estate services, Mortgage & Finance Solutions, Landmark Settlements, Ausnet Insurance, Ausnet Financial Planning and Ausnet Property Management Strategies.

We’ll be rolling these services out nationally to become a complete onestop shop,” says Matt.

4. LEADING WITH PROPERTY MANAGEMENT: Matt says: “The Agency will be implementing a ‘client for life’ strategy. We want to create an environment that educates our tenants on how to improve their position and get off the rental wheel onto a path to building wealth. I feel passionate about this strategy.”

epm.eliteagent.com.au 9

READER PROFILE

FOURTH TIME LUCKY MORGAN WALKER, @HOME PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, LAUNCESTON TAS

Former hairdresser Morgan Walker was drawn to real estate by a love of property and people, but was rejected three times before being hired as an assisting portfolio manager. Promoted within six months, she now has over 130 managements and a team of support staff. Morgan was recently awarded the @home Service and Culture Award for the March quarter – an achievement that means a lot to her because, as she explains, it is at the core of what she strives to achieve every day.

How many years have you been in real estate?

I started out in property management with no prior experience in the industry at all.

I joined the team at @home Property Management in August 2015 in an assisting role where I was able to learn about the industry and the

daily tasks and routine of a portfolio manager. The support role within @home is designed to allow new team members to learn without the pressure of diving into the management of a portfolio from day one.

I believe this training was critical as an introduction to the industry.

What motivated you to get into real estate?

It was never property management in particular that I was drawn to because I didn’t know a lot about it. I just love property and dealing with people, so the real estate industry seemed to fit for me.

I enjoy reading the local sales guides, watching the market and checking out the stunning homes Tasmania has to offer.

I’ve certainly found a love for property management now that I’ve discovered the diversity and personal challenge that the career offers.

Who or what inspires you?

Our office has a team culture that encourages support whenever it’s needed. If I was to pick one person who inspires me, I would say my director; after a much-needed career change, Michelle took me under her wing and she has encouraged me to set some big goals, many of which I have already ticked off.

I love learning and I believe if you surround yourself with like-minded people you can do great things together.

In your ‘briefcase’ right now is…

All the essentials – phone, wallet, lipstick, blue pens, sunglasses and a mini Stanley measuring tape! It’s all about going the extra mile and measuring that fridge space for your new customers. It’s the extra one per cent effort that makes 100 per cent difference.

What apps do you use most at the moment on your iPhone or iPad? For business purposes I have the REST app and Inspection Manager; these allow us to work

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remotely and provide real-time updates to clients. Naturally my generation is pretty into social media – Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. I really enjoy interior design and property renovation pages. My partner and I are renovating at the moment, so I enjoy taking ideas from these. And, like every good property manager, I enjoy the food, wine and travel blogs too!

Something (or someone) you couldn’t live without?

My family and friends are certainly a big part of my life, but I would also say I couldn’t live without happiness and fulfilment. I think that everything we want in life boils down to those two things. It requires a lot of patience and empathy to work in this industry effectively and I believe that keeping my mind and body healthy allows me to deal with the daily challenges.

What do you enjoy most about Elite Agent/EPM Magazine?

I personally love the ‘real’ stories, the success of everyday people who love what they do.

The articles are always easy to read and current. For someone who hasn’t been in the industry for all that long, I take something away from each issue. I really do look forward to it landing on my desk!

Any words to live by?

Shy kids miss out! If you don’t ask questions you’ll never know the answer. I’m the kind of person that won’t take no for an answer if I really want something – that’s how I came to join the team at @home.

Michelle (my director) was a client of mine as a hairdresser for over seven years. Each time I noticed a position within her team I enquired what the position involved. When I decided I wanted to be there Michelle politely rejected me three times! The fourth time I managed to convince her that I was the person she was looking for, and the rest is history. ■

Business Development Mastery

Tara Bradbury

OVERCOMING OBJECTIONS Too many salespeople see sales objections as an indication that the customer is not going to sign up. However, says Tara Bradbury, it’s actually quite the opposite.

B

usiness development managers, it’s time to realise that it’s actually a good thing when prospects raise an objection, especially around fees.

If your prospective landlord raises an objection, that’s actually a good sign. By talking out their concerns it means they’re giving you the opportunity to provide a solution, rather than just nodding in silence throughout your presentation.

EXPLORE THE OBJECTION I find the first objections aren’t usually the prospective landlord’s real concern. Many landlords don’t want to admit that they don’t have enough money to use your service, so they’ll raise other issues instead. Before answering the objection, ask a series of questions, like: What was your past experience with real estate agents?

Have you had trouble with property managers in the past? What has been your previous experience with this investment property?

These questions allow you to draw more information out of the prospective landlord.

LET THEM BE HEARD When you’re 100 per cent confident the prospect is done talking, show them you understand by repeating their objection back to them. This shows you were listening and gives the prospective landlord a chance to clarify. It also

demonstrates your ability to listen to them and builds trust.

BE THE ANSWER Once you have a clear understanding of the objection, it is time to answer it. When a prospective landlord raises an objection, they’re generally expressing fear from past experience. Your mission is to alleviate their concerns. If you have some great examples,

have any other questions and then start closing the deal.

One of the best ways to improve your sales pitch and become more confident in overcoming objections is to practise your scripts. Take a look at my responses to some common objections BDMs often have to overcome on a daily basis.

Block out at least 30 minutes per week reading through

your capital growth in all of our management processes.

Did (INSERT AGENT’S NAME) highlight how they can reduce your risk when discussing their fee structures with you?”

OPTION 3 “(INSERT NAME), another important consideration when choosing an agent is they seemed quick to negotiate on their management fees to

SOMETIMES THE BEST CLUES COME FROM LISTENING TO THE PROSPECT’S PAST EXPERIENCE AND CONCERNS WITH ANOTHER AGENCY. such as a story from a current landlord or a few statistics, make sure you present it.

CONFIRM AGAIN Many BDMs avoid asking certain questions for fear of sounding silly, but when you’ve come this far with the objection don’t miss the opportunity.

Ask the prospective landlord if you’ve answered their concern or whether they need to clarify something.

Once the objection is resolved, get the prospective landlord back on track. If you were part-way through your listing presentation when you stopped to address the objection, simply summarise what you talked about before you move on. Or, if you’ve finished your listing presentation, check if they

12 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • JUN-JUL 2017

the list and practising your responses so you’re armed and ready whenever you’re faced with a prospective landlord’s objection.

OPTION 1 “(INSERT NAME), before I answer that question, would you mind if I asked what you have been offered for that management fee? In my experience, we find that agents who are offering a discounted fee are often providing a discounted service…”

OPTION 2 “(INSERT NAME), in comparing our fees, you need to take into consideration that we don’t just look after your property. We are focused and dedicated to maximising your income and optimising

secure your business. If they are open to discounting on their management fees, aren’t you concerned they may discount on the rent with a tenant to secure the new lease?”

Remember, use scripts as a guide, focus on the questions and then develop your own natural responses. Don’t let fear hold you back; be proud of who you are and what you have to offer as an agency and go for it. ■

TARA BRADBURY is the Director of the BDM Academy, sharing her business development ideas and strategies with property management BDMs and principals. For more information visit bdmacademy.com.au.

Property Management Mentor

Natalie Hastings

BIRDS OF A FEATHER Networking is the way of the future for all businesses, and incredibly important in real estate. It’s also something that many agents are afraid of, reverting instead to a ‘loose lips sink ships’ mentality where it’s every agent for themselves. Natalie Hastings explains why networking should be a priority for every agent, every month.

R

eader, you’ve got one very special edition of Elite Agent in your hands: it’s the glowing, annual bumper-issue, filled with inspiration and real talk to improve the health and happiness of your real estate practice.

I hope that you’re reading this article in a quiet break between exciting AREC speakers, your head abuzz with fresh strategies to amplify your market influence, and your phone full of new industry contacts to network with long after you’ve returned to your office.

OLD IDEAS, OLD RESULTS Do you know an estate agent who’s a curmudgeon? They might be old or young – but they’re grumpy and the opposite of a team player.

They’re not at AREC, that’s for sure. They tend to be dismissive of coaching and training, thinking that they know it all. For them, networking with other estate agents is tantamount to giving away their secrets to the enemy. Their focus on the bottom line comes at a cost to their business: isolated and siloed, they’re starved of fresh ideas and disconnected from the industry.

PROBLEMS HALVED A problem shared is a problem halved – and no one knows the trials and tribulations of

a life in the property market quite like another estate agent.

Networking with other agents is critical to your growth as a real estate leader, giving you the opportunity to ‘compare notes’ with colleagues. If you’re worried about sharing IP with your immediate competition, try reaching out to agents from across the city, or interstate.

You might start a Breakfast Club to mull over client and business structure conundrums, or arrange to attend conferences as a collective.

ONLINE NETWORKING MATTERS Unable to get away for physical networking events? Owning the market in a regional area?

Online networking with real estate colleagues is the solution for you.

Word to the wise: not all Facebook groups and online communities are made equal. Some are downright irresponsible, filled with liable and unprofessional conduct. When networking online, ensure you behave politely as you might in public; whilst you might sense your online networking group is a confidential, collegiate environment, social media is in the public gaze. Ask questions, brainstorm and learn – but be sure not to share inappropriate details about your business or your clients.

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TRAINING FOR THE FUTURE How do you feel after listening to that last AREC speaker?

Do you recall the energy you enjoyed after recently undertaking real estate training that connected with your needs? Networking and training go hand in hand, providing the philosophical fuel agents require to keep improving and growing in their practice.

If you’re a business owner, prioritise training your team by bringing them to real estate conferences both locally and nationally, exposing them to the ideas kicking goals in markets different to your own.

LOOK BEYOND REAL ESTATE Don’t limit yourself to only real estate networking either. Get out and about in your own community and make some mates! Real estate businesses are the ultimate local business, with expertise in a particular geographical area.

You’ll benefit from networking in your community in a multitude of ways, with increased referrals, local recognition and the flurry of opportunities that arrive when you give back.

If you like structured, formal networking, look up your local BNI Chapter and see if they’ve a space for a property manager or real estate agent.

Join groups that connect with your own interests, be they

NO ONE KNOWS THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF A LIFE IN THE PROPERTY MARKET QUITE LIKE ANOTHER AGENT.

Hi!

Hello.

women in business, property investment and development or local footy and netball clubs. People are people, and they’ve all got nuggets of knowledge to share with you.

With the sound of Australia’s best operators ringing in your ears post-AREC, I hope you return to your real estate business buzzing with energy, ready to switch things up and take a risk on new ways of prospecting.

Don’t forget to put networking into the mix! ■

NATALIE HASTINGS is the Managing Director of hastings + co. For more information, visit hastingsandco.com.au.

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Go-live with our first client has already happened, with more clients on the Console Cloud platform in the coming months.

Help us shape the future of property management.

Register at console.com.au/newconsole

Realty Bytes

Alister Maple-Brown, CEO, Rockend

VIRTUAL REALITY: ARE WE NEARING THE TIPPING POINT? Pokémon Go gave us a sneak peek into augmented reality, but the technology still has a long way to go before it will be adopted on a large scale, says Alister Maple-Brown.

T

hanks to Pokémon Go, 2016 was the year the world paid attention to augmented reality. Men, women and children rushed to download it to their smartphones and started energetically chasing Pokémons down streets, through parks, into shopping centres and across a myriad of other locations at all times of the day and night.

Using geo-location data, Pokémon Go created an augmented reality for users.

By delivering virtual elements as an overlay to the real world, players were able to interact with the game in a more meaningful way – and it was easily accessible from a device we all carry around

with us every day.

But beyond catching Pokémons, what’s its use? How does it apply to real estate?

Augmented reality is definitely starting to come of age as consumers look for more efficient and visually exciting ways to access information about properties.

Whether on a smartphone or a tablet, augmented reality allows real estate professionals to showcase properties from a 3D perspective. With the touch of a button, people can visualise changes to a property by modifying the colour of a wall or adding a piece of furniture.

And then there’s virtual reality. Whereas augmented reality uses our current mobile

devices to change how the real world and digital images interact, virtual reality is usually delivered to the user through a head-mounted device.

We’ve all seen them, those clunky headsets, and for the most part they’ve been viewed as a bit nerdy and geeky.

But consider what they do.

They enable users to connect to a virtual reality – a digital recreation of a real-life setting – and allow them to control and navigate their actions in an environment meant to simulate the real world.

There’s been buzz in the real estate industry about virtual reality for what seems like years. It’s the

WITH THE TOUCH OF A BUTTON, PEOPLE CAN VISUALISE CHANGES TO A PROPERTY BY MODIFYING THE COLOUR OF A WALL OR ADDING A PIECE OF FURNITURE. next ‘big thing’. It’s going to revolutionise the inspection process. It’s a ‘must have’ for every integrated marketing campaign.

But despite all the hype, virtual reality is yet to be adopted on a large scale.

While we’ve already started to see a definite uptake of augmented reality technology in our industry, when it comes to virtual reality technology, not so much – yet.

16 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • JUN-JUL 2017

Predicting when consumers will adopt a new technology en masse is incredibly difficult. It’s not enough to build something new or cool.

To reach a tipping point, the new technology must be definitively better than existing choices – and it must be user-friendly and readily accessible.

One of the main challenges of taking virtual reality mainstream lies in the difficulty of describing what exactly the experience is like. Put simply, virtual reality must be experienced; and while the price of virtual reality devices has come down in recent times, it’s still not penetrated the consumer market in a meaningful way.

But remember, while we all carry one today, smartphones took almost a decade to fully enter the marketplace and become completely integrated with our everyday lives. And with companies like Apple, Google and Facebook investing heavily in virtual reality and driving development, there’s little doubt the technology will become mainstream. It’s just a matter of time. ■

ALISTER MAPLE-BROWN is the CEO of Rockend.

For more information visit rockend.com.au.

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Game Changer

Jo-Anne Oliveri

TOP 5 TAKEAWAYS FROM ALPPPS 2017

Back for a third year, ireviloution’s Annual Leadership of Principals and Property Professionals Summit (ALPPPS) as usual helped its attendees ‘move mountains’.

Conference Founder Jo-Anne Oliveri shares her top five takeaways.

1

PINNACLE OF SUCCESS To reach the pinnacle of success, you must be prepared for the climb. Start by getting a ‘prognosis’ done on your property management business to assess its current state and determine how you can improve its overall health.

Next, you must map your course – identify where you want your business to go in the next three to five years. This helps determine additional training you and your team must undertake to fill knowledge and skill gaps.

Mentors should also accompany you on your journey. These are the ones who keep you motivated and moving despite the challenges. Reaching the pinnacle of success in your property management business is about preparation, perseverance and persistence.

2

INTERNET OF THINGS The Internet of Things (IoT) will change the way we work in property management, and the industry should see this as an opportunity. IoT will enable anything in a property to be monitored, controlled and monetised. As a result, it provides new ways for property managers to enhance revenue yields from their clients’ investment properties.

IoT will also improve the

landlord’s experience, reduce customer service requests, cut capital expenditure, enhance investment property revenue and give tenants a lifestyle unencumbered by maintenance issues. This technological advancement should be embraced by principals and property managers if they want to remain relevant and viable in this changing economy.

3

AI AND CHATBOTS Artificial Intelligence (AI) and chatbots could soon help property managers be more productive and principals more profitable.

These messaging capabilities could replace tasks such as customer service response, lease renewals, maintenance procedures, work orders, revenue protection, collections and administration, insurance claim preparation and advertising. If these tasks were done by a robotic agent, the cost of providing these services to landlords and tenants would be near zero marginal cost, with scale.

As such, these technologies are an opportunity for principals to take their property management business to the next level.

Alongside property managers, AI and chatbots could help improve the service experience, deal with more

18 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • JUN-JUL 2017

clients, improve yields, provide more services and create more types of property revenue.

4

MAXIMISING LEADERSHIP If industry leaders define their expectations for success, they can overcome any obstacles and turn challenges into opportunities.

Knowing what you want your property management business to achieve, including growth, profit and team, allows you to focus on accomplishing it.

Business consultant Steve Rodgers demonstrated this in his ‘Lead to Gold’ formula

THE INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT) WILL ENABLE ANYTHING IN A PROPERTY TO BE MONITORED, CONTROLLED AND MONETISED. for maximising leadership and success. The threestep formula begins with Transition – committing to change, Transform – designing and implementing systems allowing change to happen, and finally Evolve – achieving your desired changes.

5

MOVING MOUNTAINS The greatest challenge for principals aiming to move mountains in their property management business is overcoming the unexpected landslides a growing business naturally creates. To overcome these challenges, principals must slow down to speed up. This means designing a plan for growth and making sure you execute it fully.

Since change is a process, you should set expectations with your team about the steps, time and energy involved. This helps determine where you currently are in the process, and which steps you need to take next. Slowly but surely, this process will move mountains in your property management business.

This year’s ALPPPS inspired industry leaders to accomplish spectacular results using peak leadership, business and technology strategies and tools. Make this the year you #movemountains in your property management business or career. ■ JO-ANNE OLIVERI, CIPS, TRC, is the Founder and Managing Director of PM business solutions company ireviloution intelligence.

For more information visit ireviloution.com.

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EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT… Ted and Sheryl van Fleet, Mayfair Residences

CONSOLE CLOUD HAS ARRIVED IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS Console has

gone from concept to first client in the cloud. In February we spoke to Console Group CEO Tim Molloy about the new beginning for Console and the goal of having their first Tim Molloy client on the new platform by 31 March. Having successfully achieved this milestone, we caught up with Tim again recently to find out what exciting things we can expect from Console in the coming months.

With the first significant milestone achieved, the question everyone is now asking is – When can I get onto Console Cloud too?

Our first client went live exactly as we said they would and they’ve been very, very happy. We’re learning along the way, adjusting what is delivered next and that’s exactly why we chose to go

out to market the way we’re doing. The uptime and performance has been 100 per cent during the first five weeks of operation and the client is transacting a real property management operation on that platform today.

The next few phases in the Console Cloud journey will involve progressively migrating existing Console Gateway

20 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • JUN-JUL 2017

clients onto the platform by invitation only. This quarter our focus is on delivering additional capabilities in the platform to support clients with fewer than 100 properties under management. New capability is now being added to the Console Cloud platform every few days.

In the third and fourth quarters this year we will be looking to start bringing on medium-sized agencies, with capability to support larger agencies from early 2018.

Again, we have intentionally taken a phased approach to enable us to identify clients that match specific criteria. It’s an exciting process and we have a very strong bias to action which is delivering tangible results for us and our Console clients.

Cloud-based solutions are certainly not a new concept and there are, of course, a number of competitor products already on the market. What is it about Console Cloud that makes it different to the solutions that are already available?

One thing we want our existing and prospective clients to understand is that we have not just lifted the features from our existing server-based solution and put them on a cloud platform. Sure, our clients will find all the usual capability around trust accounting, rental receipting, and so on. But we’re solving for a very different business environment for today’s property managers than the environment Console solved for back in 1992.

We started from scratch with the development of our cloud solution. We’re partnering with our clients at every stage of the development process to search for and understand the problems, figure out the outcome they need for their business and then build a software solution that meets those needs.

Agency principals and property managers are always looking for ways to build and manage bigger, more profitable rent rolls.

What role do you see Console playing in helping them achieve that result?

everyone has a better quality experience and every transaction is effortless.

Software that seamlessly integrates with best practice business processes is how Console will deliver this to market.

What do you see as the biggest opportunity in the property management market at present?

Australians have a long-term love affair with property. For the post-war generation the great Australian dream was to own property. Thanks to the economic growth and prosperity the new great

“THE TRANSITION FROM GATEWAY TO [CONSOLE] CLOUD HAS BEEN EXTREMELY WELL MANAGED. CLOUD IS VERY INTUITIVE, EASY TO USE AND HAS STREAMLINED OUR CURRENT BUSINESS PROCESSES TOO.” TED AND SHERYL VAN FLEET, MAYFAIR RESIDENCES BRISBANE. We are building a platform for today’s complex property management world and ensuring the platform is capable of adjusting to meet their needs in the future.

There are a number of core drivers in the real estate industry that make it somewhat unique.

Some of those drivers are: • The trust account – which every agency needs to function • The rent roll – which many start-ups use to get going and every principal needs to be profitable to fund their retirement or next phase in business • The software solution that manages both the rent roll and the trust account • A property management world populated by digital natives who expect to be serviced on their device By virtue of this relationship and the interdependencies of all of these drivers, Console is at the core of every real estate agency business. Rather than having three, six and nine-month conversations with our clients, we’re engaging in three, six and nineyear conversations that focus on partnering for business growth and profitability.

We want to see more properties under management with greater efficiency and service provision to every player in the property management mix – principals, property managers, landlords, tenants and suppliers. Our focus is on reducing the friction points in every part of the property management interaction process so

Australian dream is to own your own property portfolio.

Add to that the high volume of new stock hitting the market and we are entering a time in Australia’s economic history where there will be more properties under management than ever before, and the agencies that can provide property investors with certainty and value for money will take the majority market share.

Property investors want certainty on their rental return, certainty on their rental income payments, certainty that their investment is being looked after, and certainty that they are paying the best price for the best suppliers to keep their investment well maintained. Much of the process to deliver this certainly relies heavily on the property manager being efficient, organised, proactive and as shrewd as the investor themselves when managing their property. The Console platform will enable property managers to do an even better job, more effectively, in less time by taking out a lot of the current manual processes and replacing them with automated software capability - freeing them up to do what really matters - which is get the best result for the landlord.

Disruption is a real buzzword across many business sectors. How do see the real estate industry being ‘disrupted’ and what do you think could change this sector in the next few years?

Property management is still a heavily paper based industry due to the trust accounting mechanism and the compliance requirements that go with that.

Compared with other industries that also have a compliance element like insurance, banking, and transport - the property management industry is still way behind in terms of integrating technology into the day to day business practices to deliver greater efficiencies.

We are a mobile society. We use our mobile device to do things on the go all the time - more importantly at a time that is convenient to us. In the banking industry it started with ATMs and now you can do everything via an app and even use a mobile device to pay at point of sale - you don’t need a card any more.

In the property industry, we often still fill out paper based forms to set up a tenancy agreement and in a lot of cases the only way we can set up direct debit rental repayments is through your bank, not your real estate agency.

The biggest opportunity we see for our industry is the integration of customercentric interfaces that are fully integrated and span across devices, with an intelligence that knows who the individual is, remembers their preferences and facilitates transactions that makes their life easier.

The rental property sector of the real estate industry currently doesn’t make it easy for people to transact in the property ecosystem. As we saw with Uber, if you can provide the customer with a better, easier, more enjoyable experience and value for money they will embrace that better way of working.

We’re now seeing a bunch of new players entering the real estate market in Australia – companies like Hello Real Estate – who are looking to exploit the ‘happy dissatisfaction’ that people feel when they pay a sales agent to sell their home for them but don’t feel like they get good value for money. Likewise in the rental side of the industry, Console is looking to improve the value perception that a landlord has of the property manager who manages their investment for them.

Our job is to make life easy for our clients – property managers - so that they can make life easier for their clients. ■

Register at console.com.au/newconsole to receive progress updates, take part in our user group forums or submit your request to become an early adopter.

eliteagent.com.au 21

COVER STORY

GROWTH LEADER

ASHLEA MERLO WORKED extensively across

property management businesses in Australia, driving growth as trainer and consultant, before seizing the opportunity to apply her knowledge and talent as Head of Property Management in one of Australia’s most exciting growth businesses, Clarke & Humel in Manly, NSW.

“I

’M A TRUE BELIEVER IN personal development and investing in yourself. I’m

constantly learning and growing in the industry and as a leader. I’m not the best that I can be right now. In five years’ time I’m not going to be the best that I can be; but every single day I’m going to chip away at growing a part of myself and learning to do something better,” says Ashlea Merlo of the mindset that has propelled her to leadership.

Ashlea’s growth game is strong – and she is a leader who draws on experience, meaning and purpose to drive action and growth in the business and the people she is leading. From a background in the corporate world of real estate, driving property management excellence across a national network, Ashlea’s decision to put down roots at Clarke & Humel was born from feeling at home, surrounded by those driven to achieve in the same way.

“I’m about bringing out the best in people,” says Ashlea. “I do take ownership of it. I treat this department like it was my own business, where I build capability by supporting and challenging individuals to be their best to bring stability for growth.”

“ULTIMATELY, The opportunity to work locally and intensively with one team has allowed UNLESS WE UP-SKILL Ashlea to find reward in the growth OURSELVES AND OUR of others, parallel to the growth of the KNOWLEDGE BASE, department. “It’s amazing watching your team go from strength to strength, THERE’LL BE WEBlistening to the conversations that they’re BASED PROPERTY having with people and ultimately helping MANAGERS REMOVING them develop their skill set and knowledge base,” she says.

THE PERSONAL Growth in business is about redefining CONNECTION.” the standard of excellence and pushing those boundaries to reach levels of high performance and high growth. They

22 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • JUN-JUL 2017

cannot be maintained or meaningful, however, unless those within a business are committed.

With a belief that great culture stems from great leadership, it is evident that Ashlea’s individual success, and that of everyone in her department, is connected to the success of the business and its core values.

“Our clients know that no one will work harder than us,” says Ashlea. “I’ll give you a leasing example. We aren’t restricted to Wednesday through Saturday open homes.

We will show properties whenever we need to in order to get a property leased.

Our clients, from that perspective, know that we will go above and beyond for them to make sure that we’re getting them the absolute best price and the best quality tenant, resulting in the best return on their investment. We wouldn’t want to limit their pool of getting the best tenant if they are unable to make it during those scheduled times.

“We know that we’ll never be outcompeted by hard work and enthusiasm.”

When it comes to leading a team engaged in the unrelenting pursuit of excellence, Ashlea never loses sight of what people will ultimately need from a leader.

“I believe that you need to be human.

The reason I say that is, as a leader, you have the ability to make someone feel a certain way. You know you have to have some hard conversations as a leader.

Sometimes delivering that hard message could leave someone feeling incredibly deflated. Just understanding it from their

epm.eliteagent.com.au 23

COVER STORY perspective, like how would that make you feel as a person? Ultimately, crafting your conversation in a way that still delivers your message but has someone walking away from that conversation with a spring in their step.”

From a young age, Ashlea learned the power of positivity, and she counts two significant women as her leaders and mentors.

“There is my mum, who’s probably one of my biggest motivators and drivers. She had me at 17 years of age, incredibly young, and basically she gave up everything to have me. She’s an incredible woman. She’s been a single mum, and she’s bought and sold around eight properties by herself. She’s not a career woman or anything like that. She’s just a really inspirational and positive lady.”

“Cherie [Humel, Principal of Clarke & Humel] is the main reason why I wanted to work at Clarke & Humel … because of her values. She’s an incredibly inspiring and talented woman. I think it’s important to have great leaders and mentors around you as women that empower women,” says Ashlea.

And the respect is mutual. “Ashlea had a broad understanding of PM businesses and a fantastic depth of knowledge of property management, in which she was essentially

“WE KNOW THAT WE’LL NEVER BE OUT-COMPETED

BY HARD WORK AND ENTHUSIASM.” helicoptered into and out of businesses across Australia, consulting on efficiencies in systems and processes to make them world class,” says Cherie.

“Now that Ash is with C & H, she has applied that huge depth of knowledge to implement world-class systems and processes and lead the PM team, focusing on exceptional service with a priority on growth and retention. She’s had to learn, and ultimately thrived in business development and securing high-end rentals, and led a team to manage the properties that have been secured. She’s also developed the grit to see problems through with both clients and staff development.”

Solving problems is the currency of the property manager. However, Ashlea’s example of excellence operates on a level that is connected to the decision-making of landlords and tenants. Connecting activities to a purpose builds trust, creates value and generates the type of loyalty that Ashlea enjoys from her position as trusted advisor to clients.

“I believe that really understanding why

people invest in property and ultimately wealth creation, how you can help them leverage their investment portfolio, is going to give you a completely different competitive edge,” she says.

“Being able to give guidance and advice.

‘Have you thought about the market’s growth? You’d have a fair bit of equity in your investment since purchasing a few years ago. Have you considered about possibly investing further? We’ve got this property on the market for sale at the moment with the expected rental return...’

The ability to have high-level conversations with clients then ultimately adds value in what we do [as property managers].”

Ashlea believes by providing value in this way, and by growing to find new avenues of value to clients, property management can limit the threat of technology, defend the proposition of professional management and demonstrate the value of an investment in a premium service.

“I think there are still elements of the industry that are incredibly complacent and outdated. Ultimately, unless we up-skill

24 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • JUN-JUL 2017

ourselves and our knowledge base, there’ll be web-based property managers removing the personal connection. Landlords pay a one or two per cent fee, and they’re just doing the basic activities in line with legislation. You lose the relationship component.

“I also think, typically, the old-school property manager is all about just nurture, nurture, nurture. That skill is incredibly important. It’s important to get those fundamentals right. One thing we’ve done a lot with my team is understanding the sales and negotiation side of what we do and being able to articulate to a client why we do things to leverage the investment,” says Ashlea.

“It’s not just about calling an owner because they have a leaking toilet and they need to get a plumber. Understanding ultimately how we can maximise that client’s income and then minimise their exposure to risk; that helps us show clients why we do things and why we’re worth that one or two per cent higher fee than our local competition.”

Ashlea is the archetype of a property manager who is operating and leading in excellence. Excellence is dynamic; it changes. The goalposts to excellence always move, and you’ve got to move with them.

“If you’re not going forwards, you’re going backwards,” says Ashlea. ■ SARAH BELL

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LEADERSHIP

LEADERSHIP MADE SIMPLE

REGARDLESS OF THEIR TITLE, everyone in a team

can demonstrate leadership. The more people who show it, the less it matters whose title is what.

But ultimately there will be a manager who is accountable for the performance of the team, and the way that person goes about their work is a critical element of success or failure. Brock Fisher explains.

L

IKE MOST people, the way I lead today is shaped by the positive and negative experiences I have had throughout my working years. Identifying and applying ‘the good bits’ while dodging the elements that drove me crazy seemed a pretty good place to start.

So when I was asked recently if I could offer any thoughts on leading a successful team, I replied without hesitation, ‘Keep it light, keep it fun and always be the calmest person in the room’.

KEEP IT LIGHT I am a firm believer that respect is earned in all roles and should never be expected or assumed because of title. I also believe you can have respect without hierarchy, and professionalism without formality. In teams I lead, no one is more important or less important than anyone else, because the part everyone plays in achieving a collective goal is equally important.

The added benefit of a ‘flat’ approach versus a hierarchical approach is mutual accountability, and I expect all members of my team to hold me to account for my performance, just as I hold them to account for theirs.

Personally, I also prefer a more conversational approach with my team and with my clients. It’s worth noting this is never to the detriment of professionalism, but the verbal or written communication doesn’t need to be delivered with all the seriousness and heavy tone of a High Court judgement.

26 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • JUN-JUL 2017

KEEP IT FUN If you aren’t having fun doing it, then really what is the point? People generally spend at least half their waking hours at work, and it’s just so important that time is enjoyable and fun!

The property management role is heavily laden with conflict resolution and emotionally charged clients, which can be quite draining. Negativity has a very real snowballing effect on individuals and the general team vibe and, if left unchecked, before you know it you can have a death spiral of darkness on your hands.

But luckily, positivity works in that very same way! Fun is contagious and really makes the difference between loving what you do and just turning up to a workplace for a pay cheque. Having a good clown around with the team is a great stress reliever for all and is the antidote to a toxic client experience.

Everyone around you absorbs your

mood by osmosis, and as the leader you set the tone. So if you aren’t having fun, no one will be!

ALWAYS BE THE CALMEST PERSON IN THE ROOM Have you ever noticed that it is practically impossible to remain angry with a calm person? Have you also noticed that it is so much easier to tell someone some bad news if you are confident they aren’t going to completely freak out about it, or chastise you about what you have to tell them? Always be that calm person!

Whether you are dealing with an agitated client and diffusing the

VERBAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION DOESN’T NEED TO BE DELIVERED WITH ALL THE SERIOUSNESS AND HEAVY TONE OF A HIGH COURT JUDGEMENT.

situation, or someone in your team has messed something up and needs to tell you about it, the single greatest strategy is to remain calm.

Promoting an open and honest team environment, where your team can tell you anything and know you won’t erupt like a volcano, is vital to the overall success and results of the team. The only way you become that approachable person is if they feel absolutely comfortable with how you will react, even when they think something they have done is the absolute worst. People feel bad enough if something has gone wrong without the added feeling of that compounding when they tell you about it.

I’ve often heard department managers comment that by the time a problem gets to them it is too far gone, and they wished they had got to it earlier. If that is the case, have a think about how approachable you really are to your team. Is it possible they might actually fear coming to you, and therefore try to deal with things themselves without guidance?

As a final point, when running a team ‘management by walking around’ is my

favoured style, because it gives a constant supply of opportunities to apply all three of the above leadership principles.

Get out of your office and get among your team; experience what they are experiencing right there at the coal face in real time. Coach and guide them through it. Catch them doing something right so you can praise them for the fine work they are doing.

These key points have always worked for me when leading teams. The ideas themselves are simple, but when executed well they are extraordinarily powerful. ■

BROCK FISHER’s experience in property management spans almost two decades, having started his career in the 90s as a property manager in regional NSW. With Little Real Estate’s acquisition of Rental Express, Brock is now the National Manager, Customer Support for Australia’s largest property management company, managing approximately 23,000 investment properties across Australia.

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BEST PRACTICE

ONE SMALL DOG

DON’T LET ALL THAT TAIL wagging and cute fluffiness

fool you! ‘One small dog’ is sometimes all it takes to strike fear into the hearts and minds of landlords and property owners everywhere.

“W

HAT ON earth do you think that one small dog is going to do – trash the house?” That was the response I gave my husband when he asked what the risk management and contingency plan was for the imminent arrival of our puppy.

For two years I had been asking my husband to let us have a dog. Finally he gave the tick of approval and we were awaiting the arrival of one small Maltese terrier when he surprised me with his question.

Did he think that between naps our little poochie would have nothing better to do than ruthlessly plan and systematically destroy our property? I doubted that our little terrier would bring with her a reign of terror, yet his trepidation echoed that of so many landlords I have met over the years.

The general thinking is that the property will be ruined if a landlord allows pets, but evidence doesn’t support that view.

While so many landlords are quick to assume that allowing a pet into a rental will surely result in noise, fleas, odours and damage, the reality is that human occupants are the main culprits when it comes to property damage.

How many horror stories have you heard or seen of tenants trashing homes? Or worse still, using the premises as a clan lab – the damage bills for drug lab clean-ups can reach well into the tens of thousands.

All malicious damage and the majority of accidental damage to rentals is caused by people, not pets. Even most general wear and tear lies at the feet of the twolegged occupants.

Far from shying away from offering petfriendly rentals, I believe more landlords should consider allowing pets.

We’re a nation of pet lovers and there are many benefits in sharing your life with a furry companion. It can provide comfort, alleviate loneliness, give purpose to people’s lives, increase fitness and social interaction, provide a sense of protection and simply bring joy when you get home and are greeted by a wagging tail, a chirp – or just the fleeting acknowledgement of your existence from the cat.

The RSPCA estimates that 63 per cent of households have pets, which equates to

about 25 million furry, feathered or scaly family members. While around 30 per cent of adults rent, the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ figures reveal that just 2.16 million renting families have pets.

Going by the statistics, there’s a good probability that a landlord will have a pet themselves, yet will deny the same to their tenants. So it would seem that most landlords don’t think their pets will damage their homes, but their tenant’s pets are another story.

Allowing pets in a rental is usually at the discretion of the owner, except in strata properties where the by-laws may prohibit pets or where denial breaches antidiscrimination laws, such as not allowing assistance dogs.

Despite most landlords being able to allow pets, the number who actually do is minimal and renters who want to have pets find their options limited. Data from REA Group revealed that ‘pets’ was the second most sought-after feature by prospective tenants in 2016, with searches continually on the increase.

The shortage of pet-friendly rentals was also highlighted by a survey by rent.com. au, which revealed 42 per cent of renters found it ‘extremely difficult’ to find a place to rent that would allow their pets and just 25 per cent of listings on the website specified ‘pets allowed’.

The gulf between people looking for petfriendly homes and landlords offering such properties presents a great opportunity.

By offering a property as pet-friendly, the potential tenant pool immediately increases. Great demand and wider appeal has the flow-on effect of very short vacancy periods and tenants who stay longer.

FAR FROM BEING PROBLEM TENANTS, THOSE WITH PETS OFTEN PROVE TO BE THE BEST. People with pets understand that securing a rental is more difficult when they have their furry family in tow, so they are often willing to comply with a few extra conditions and even pay more.

And far from being problem tenants, those with pets often prove to be the best.

In speaking with the agents we work with, we have it on good authority that people with pets in rentals are sometimes better tenants. They tend to look after the home better, keep it cleaner and even go above and beyond to provide a safe and happy home for their pets; that often means paying for improvements to the

28 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • JUN-JUL 2017

property out of their own pockets, which benefits the landlord.

For landlords and property managers concerned allowing pets will result in damage, here are a few practical tips.

First, consider the type of property and what kind of pets may be suitable. If it’s a small apartment a huge, boisterous dog may be a recipe for trouble, but a little dog, cat, bird or other small animal would probably be suitable. Landlords concerned about the interior of a larger home – for example, carpets getting stained or polished wooden floors being scratched – could specify that

Next, protect the landlord’s financial interests. Unless you are in WA you can’t ask for a pet bond, but you can draw up an addendum to the rental agreement that details how the tenant and their pet will respect the property, what to do if there is a problem with a pet, what happens if the

LANDLORDS COULD TAP INTO A HUGE POTENTIAL RENTAL POOL BY OFFERING THEIR PROPERTY AS ‘PET-FRIENDLY’ AND REAP THE REWARDS. the pet must be kept outside.

Just as you would do a thorough reference check on the human occupant, you should do the same for the prospective four-legged tenant – so speak with former landlords and property managers about the owner and their pet.

pet damages the property and so on. You may also be able to require the home to be professionally cleaned or fumigated after the tenant and fluffy housemate move out.

For an added level of comfort, I recommend that landlords take out comprehensive and specialist insurance

cover. Although most tenants take responsibility for their pets and would make good on any damage, landlords can further safeguard their financial interests with insurance – the right insurance.

It’s important to make sure that the policy purchased provides cover for pet damage; so many landlord covers exclude this type of claim, have onerous conditions attached to being able to make a claim, such as requiring the pet to be named on the lease, or only offer minimal financial cover.

With a bit of extra due diligence, consideration and protection, landlords could tap into a huge potential rental pool by offering their property as pet-friendly and reap the rewards. ■

SHARON FOX-SLATER is the Executive General Manager of EBM’s RentCover, which insures 120,000 investment properties around Australia and creates covers specifically for the property industry. Sharon was also the first woman to become a Fellow of the National Insurance Brokers Association.

For more information, visit rentcover. com.au.

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epm.eliteagent.com.au 29

PROFILE

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PERFORMER

30 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • JUN-JUL 2017

REAL ESTATE MAY SEEM a world away from amateur

theatre, but not for Maria Page, the Rental Department Manager at Barry Plant Mitchell Shire.

Here she explains to Scott Downing how the confidence she gained during her time on stage stands her in good stead as a property manager.

A

FTER 15 YEARS as a property manager, Maria has certainly seen it all – and one thing she knows for sure is how important it is to have a thick skin.

“I’m a classically trained singer and have been involved in a local amateur theatre company for more than 30 years,” Maria explains.

“In the theatre, you put yourself out there. You need to have a certain type of confidence, because with every performance you’re opening yourself up.

Yes, there are the accolades. But there’s also the chance you’ll cop some criticism.

“Property management, in many ways, is not so different. You need the confidence to deliver a message – a performance – to your clients. And you need to be prepared in case some criticism comes your way.

“What we do can be quite confrontational. There’s often a lot of emotion involved. You definitely need to have the right temperament!”

Maria made the move to property management after spending the early part of her career working in banking and finance.

“Even though I come from a family of real estate agents, it wasn’t what I saw myself doing – at least not initially,” she says. “When I left school, I felt I needed to get out, see the world and try a few things.

I needed some life experience. To be a great property manager you really do need to have a decent amount of life experience behind you.

“But there came a time when I was ready to make the leap. My second child had just started school when Simon Best, the Director here at Barry Plant Mitchell Shire, offered me a job.

“That was in 2002 – and I haven’t looked back. It’s a great job and every day is different.”

DELIVERING EXCELLENCE Heading up a team of six, Maria has structured her department in a way that allows them to deliver on the Barry Plant promise to “deliver excellence together”.

“We have landlord managers and tenant managers. Because we’re spread out over three offices, we’ve found this works better for us than a traditional portfolio management model,” Maria explains.

“We stuck with portfolio management for quite a long time, but it got to a point where it just wasn’t working. It was far too time consuming for one person to completely manage their own portfolio.

“It took me a while to create the model we now use and be sure it was going to work for us. But then we took the plunge and it’s the best thing we’ve ever done.

remotely accessing the server in the main office,” Maria explains. “It was causing us problems. There were certain times of the day when access was far too slow and it was having a definite impact on our work.

“We knew we needed a cloud-based solution to overcome the issue.

“The change to PropertyTree has made such a difference. It’s given us so much more flexibility. We don’t need to be in the office to get things done. We can all be out and about, and still access the data we need to do our job. All we need to do is pick up our iPad or iPhone and everything is at our fingertips. It’s made things much more efficient.”

Maria points to PropertyTree’s Landlord and Tenant Portal as one of the features the team has found most beneficial.

“The fact that our clients can access the information they need 24 hours a day is fantastic,” she says. “Sometimes our clients aren’t able to contact us during working hours. Now with PropertyTree, they can simply log into the portal and find the

“WE STUCK WITH PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT FOR QUITE A LONG TIME, BUT IT GOT TO A POINT WHERE IT JUST WASN’T WORKING. IT WAS FAR TOO TIME CONSUMING FOR ONE PERSON TO COMPLETELY MANAGE THEIR OWN PORTFOLIO.” It’s far easier and more efficient for our property managers to deal with just one side of the equation. Nothing falls through the cracks. Everyone knows what they need to do.”

TECH SAVVY Property management never sleeps and Maria points to organisation as one of the key skills every property manager must master to be successful – and technology is her godsend to maintain efficiency.

“I’m a bit of an Apple girl. I have it all – an iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch, and everything syncs,” Maria says.

“It doesn’t matter where I am – at my desk, in the car or doing an inspection – I know exactly what’s happening, where I need to be and can easily action tasks with a minimum of fuss.”

Using cloud-based software also plays an important role in keeping everything on track. A long-time user of Rockend’s REST Professional, Barry Plant Mitchell Shire made the move to PropertyTree in May 2015.

“We have three offices and the team was

information they need.

“We even use access to the portal as a selling point when we meet with prospective landlords.”

GEARED FOR GROWTH So what’s on the horizon for Maria in the next 12 months? Growth.

“We’re in an area where there’s quite a lot of competition and more than just standing our ground, we want to grow our business,” she says.

“I’m responsible for bringing in new business and I have my finger on the pulse at all times. I know everything that comes in and goes out of this department.

I always know what’s going on with every client’s property, so they can rest easy that everything is taken care of. I’m confident we can provide the best level of service to our clients.” ■ SCOTT DOWNING is the Head of Customer Experience at Rockend.

For more information visit rockend.com.au.

epm.eliteagent.com.au 31

BEST PRACTICE

!

!

WAR!

WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR? THE ISSUES IN A PROPERTY management

conflict are rarely overly difficult, but the people experiencing those issues certainly can be. EPM Editor Sarah Bell has some advice for understanding and managing conflict between all parties: tenants, landlords and you.

32 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • JUN-JUL 2017

W

ITH ALL THE contextual and cultural baggage that people bring with them, it really is no wonder that property managers face such intensity and distress when working with parties in conflict.

Understanding how we react in conflict, as well as how others react, helps us to create an optimal environment for parties to communicate. It will help you adapt your words and actions towards

assisting parties to resolve their issues and to restore the relationships involved.

The way that we frame and perceive conflict in our nominal Australian culture is pretty unhelpful. As we ingest the wonderful world of Disney as kids, we learn some binary concepts about conflict that help simple stories make sense but don’t necessarily serve us so well through maturity and complexity. The goodies win, the baddies lose. Winning happens to the righteous and losing is shameful.

The labels of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ that are laid over the concepts of winning and losing make it difficult for parties to work together and compromise. Our first reactions to conflict are still primal (fight or flight), and when someone feels threatened and is in a hyper-aroused fight-flight response it can be extremely challenging to make them see sense.

There are six main reactions to conflict: Fight, flight, surrender, blame, negotiate and innovate.

FLIGHT is one of our most sacred human urges. If you are facing a predator that is about to eat you, running away from it if you can is the smartest move to stay alive and conserve energy. In modern conflicts about, say, the speed at which a hot water system needs to be repaired, the flight response is not so helpful. It avoids the issue and the parties’ positions remain in conflict; in the absence of a solution the intensity and costs involved can only increase. Neither side can gain anything, so it is a lose-lose approach.

As it is based on fear, flight in this case is an irrational response. It is best to highlight the increased costs of delay and that having a resolution will allow the parties to move forward.

FIGHT is our other primal response.

If we can’t run away from the predator, we must fight. In this context the goal is survival, and that means winning at all costs. This takes an aggressive or defensive position, which can manifest in a determination to ‘conquer’ the other party – perhaps by demanding the full cost of replacement for a ten year old carpet. In this example, conceding that the carpet had depreciated in value and accepting a contribution towards a new carpet means ‘losing’ the fight. It is an irrational response and can be difficult to get a client past the desire for a win alllose all outcome.

It is best to highlight that the Tribunals are designed to award fairness, not righteousness or justice. By proceeding to Tribunal a party certainly loses its ability to control the outcome and they run the

IT IS BEST TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE TRIBUNALS ARE DESIGNED TO AWARD FAIRNESS, NOT RIGHTEOUSNESS OR JUSTICE. risk of losing more than has been offered in private negotiations.

SURRENDER is another form of avoidance and is essentially giving up. We have all been there – too tired or time-poor to fight – and so the other party wins all, simply because the cost of losing is less than the cost of fighting.

Be aware that a surrender is not the same as an agreed outcome and the issue itself remains unresolved. For example, if a landlord is prepared to let vacating tenants walk on their cleaning responsibilities at the end of a tenancy and not fight the vacate, the incoming tenants may take issue with the cleanliness of the property and bring cause against the landlord, setting him or her up for more conflict – only this one will need to be resolved in the new tenants’ interest, not the landlord’s. Thus the issue isn’t dealt with and may come up later, reactively, and so surrender is also an irrational response to conflict.

BLAME feels like an irrational response to conflict, but in fact it is a calculated strategy employed by litigators and insurance companies all the time. Blame, or evading responsibility, is essentially a tactical delay to see if the other party will

is coming from a rational place. You can reinforce that if the conflict does go to a Tribunal to be decided by someone else; perhaps they will lose or perhaps both parties will lose.

NEGOTIATION is a rational response where both parties are reacting in a way that we would deem reasonable; we start to look at what one party is prepared to concede in order to win on other points.

As a property manager, there are some intangible and high-impact items that you can bring to negotiations to assist in the points-winning process.

It costs around 11 cents to print off a written rental reference for tenants, yet a fear of not being approved on future properties might be something preventing tenants from letting go of an issue.

Developing and administering payment plans through written agreement and trust may help balance the landlord’s recovery of capital expenses with the tenant’s cash flow and affordability concerns. Remember, if you have a written agreement signed by all parties and one defaults, you can go to Tribunal and simply seek enforcement of the agreement – the Tribunal won’t hear arguments about the contents of the agreement at that stage.

INNOVATE requires a negotiation but, unlike the points exchange, innovation is about reaching a new solution that doesn’t require either party to back down. If a tenant wants a dog approved, they may propose to build a fence at the property. The owner has an improved asset and the tenant has their pet.

The swift resolution of conflict in tenancies assists both parties to move forward, and

INNOVATION IS ABOUT REACHING A NEW SOLUTION THAT DOESN’T REQUIRE EITHER PARTY TO BACK DOWN. surrender. In the PM context, it might be tenants refusing to pay for damage and claiming ‘fair wear and tear’, or refusing to pay for cleaning and claiming that ‘the property is cleaner now that when I moved in’ (that old chestnut!).

It is best to bring the other party back to the issue and back to record of evidence, because the ultimate card that the ‘blamer’ can play is to submit their claim to a higher authority to decide. This is full of risk because the Tribunal will also come back to the issues, the facts and the record of evidence.

Although blame can sound as aggressive as the fight response, remember that it

being able to facilitate a consensus in a dispute will save tenants and landlords both time and money. Understanding how people in conflict behave can help you to apply tact and leverage where needed to limit the aggravation or irritation that can come along with protracted conflict.

In 1965, Lennon and McCartney gave us words so wise that they were immortalised just five years later by the great Stevie Wonder, “Life is very short; and there’s no time for fussing and fighting, my friends... we can work it out”. When the great philosophers of our time speak - we should listen. Property managers, we can work it out. ■ SARAH BELL

epm.eliteagent.com.au 33

CASE STUDY

MOVING MADE EASY

WHETHER YOU ARE moving home or managing homes, time is of the essence.

Direct Connect offers a free, no-obligation service for utility connection, insurance, cleaning and even removalists. Learn how customers and agents are making moving easy by using Direct Connect.

34 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • JUN-JUL 2017

THE CUSTOMER

THE AGENT

DIRECT CONNECT

Loren Karutz, Sydney Unfortunately, I had some structural problems with a property I was renting and the lease was suddenly terminated.

We had to vacate almost immediately so the pressure was on to find a new property very quickly.

Somehow I was able to find and secure a new place all within a week. There was so much to do especially given this all happened before Easter and I was about to take off on a holiday.

It was my agent who put me on to Direct Connect. I hadn’t heard of Direct Connect

Suzie Hamilton-Flanagan, BresicWhitney Head of Property Management I was first introduced to Direct Connect through my work at Toop&Toop and then Harris Real Estate in South Australia.

Both are boutique agencies with big rent rolls, with Direct Connect being an integral part of our property management strategy. Our focus as property managers is to ensure smooth onboarding for our tenants and Direct Connect has been a really important part of that both in South Australia and now in my role with BresicWhitney in Sydney.

Penni Nicholls Head of Channels and Partnerships We know that moving is stressful. Our number one goal at Direct Connect is to alleviate that stress at a time of change.

Over our eleven years in business, we have helped more than one million tenants just like Loren move, often managing to turn requests around within 24 hours!

When a property manager recommends us we appreciate that we are representing not just our own brand but theirs too. Which is why we’ll go above and beyond to ensure we can deliver our ‘always on’ guarantee.

TO BE HONEST, IF I MOVE AGAIN I’LL GET THEM TO DO EVERYTHING.

THEY ARE PROACTIVE AND I TRUST THEM TO GET THE JOB DONE.

OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL IS TO ALLEVIATE STRESS AT A TIME OF CHANGE.

before but there was a page at the back of the lease agreement that explained the service; that it was free and could connect up my utilities. Foxtel even helps with content insurance and removalists.

I had moved before into share homes but I’d never taken a lease on my own. There was so much to do.

I gave Direct Connect a call and spoke to a really lovely girl who was friendly and was able to set everything up for me in about 10 minutes. It was just really nice to know this was one less thing I had to worry about. I felt like I was in good hands and trusted that when I moved in the electricity would be connected and working.

To be honest, if I move again I will get them to do everything.

In the last twelve months I’ve noticed there are definitely more competitors in the utility space but I’m all about relationships.

If we have an issue with a tenant or a really tight turnaround I can feel confident that the team at Direct Connect will take care of it. They are proactive and I trust them to get the job done.

I think the benefits of using Direct Connect are two-fold. They obviously provide our tenants with a stress-free service which reflects positively on our business. They also deliver a valuable service to our team – it’s simple to refer the client because they are integrated into our software REST, and their account managers share monthly data reports on our conversion rates which help us measure levels of engagement with our tenants.

We also understand that there are a number of people involved in a move: the property manager, the tenant and the landlord.

We can help with temporary connections so that open for inspections, maintenance, repairs and cleaning can all take place without interruptions. It’s that level of service and our experience that I think many agents value above all else.

I think that’s best demonstrated by agents like Suzie Hamilton-Flanagan who have taken us with them when they have moved agencies. It’s that mutual benefit and commitment to service that’s helped Direct Connect grow into the business it is today.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT AGENTS.DIRECTCONNECT.COM.AU. ■

epm.eliteagent.com.au 35

PM Q&A Adam Hicks started out in real estate working for his family business, but 12 years on is raising the bar in property management. His agency, Hodges Ascot Vale, has won several franchise awards and the business is growing in line with his passion and hard work.

Adam Hicks

Hodges Ascot Vale Tell us a bit about yourself and your agency.

Our agency is part of the Hodges Corporate network and is the first Hodges agency in the north-west of Melbourne, located in the bustling suburb of Ascot Vale.

My business partner Aaron Leask and I opened the Ascot

Vale Hodges office in January 2015. Aaron manages the sales department and I manage property management. With nine staff across both teams, we are very well established and experienced. We aim to provide the highest level of service and expertise in real estate for our local community.

With back-to-back awards for retention and new listings, our recognition is credit to our hard work and passion in real estate.

How did you get your start in real estate?

I’ve been working in the real estate industry for over 12 years. I started my career in my family business, Geoff Green Real Estate, and was very fortunate to have the

suburbs have something special and unique to offer.

We are very fortunate to have such fantastic facilities providing convenience and lifestyle, all of which are extremely desirable.

Your agency has won multiple franchise awards, including #1 Property Management Office of the Year (2016) and has been the top PM office in listings and retention. How do you maintain such high standards?

High standards are a part of our culture; they are how we go about everything we do. We are passionate about people and real estate, and our passion drives our own personal expectations of the quality of our work.

HIGH STANDARDS ARE A PART OF OUR CULTURE; THEY ARE HOW WE GO ABOUT EVERYTHING WE DO.

36 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • JUN-JUL 2017

opportunity to learn from the man himself. Geoff Green is a very well-respected, knowledgeable and successful agent and business owner in our community.

During my time there I worked across all functions of the business and it has laid the foundations for my passion and success in our business today.

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

Communication, respect and trust. We are managing our clients’ most valued assets and for that we understand that they need to feel comfortable and safe with our management.

How is the market in your local area right now?

The market is hot; whether buying or selling, options and opportunity are abundant! Being so close to the Melbourne CBD, our quirky and very charming

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

I have a couple – personal and professional – who have been a great support for me throughout my life and in my career. They are the people that I respect and trust to

give me advice and challenge me to look at things from a different perspective. They challenge my way of thinking, which facilitates personal and professional growth.

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

Constant improvements to property management systems that make life easier for the portfolio manager and consumers. In turn this increases productivity for businesses, which enables property managers to manage a larger rent roll with greater ease.

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

Property management is very high pressure and fast-paced, so balance is a must! I enjoy keeping fit at the gym and spending time with my wife, son, family and

friends – all of whom drive my desire for success when I am at work.

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

Absolutely! Growth – that is what we set out to achieve every day. Our aim is to have an additional 100 properties by the end of 2017.

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

Property management is a very rewarding career.

With challenges come accomplishments and experience, all of which lay the foundation for real estate success whether in property management or sales. Put your focus on relationships, ensure a high standard of work in all that you do, and plan effectively to create success.

■ SHANTELLE ISAAKS

PUT YOUR FOCUS ON RELATIONSHIPS, ENSURE A HIGH STANDARD OF WORK IN ALL YOU DO, AND PLAN EFFECTIVELY TO CREATE SUCCESS.

Adam Hicks

Aaron Laesk

epm.eliteagent.com.au 37

BEST PRACTICE need that two per cent of people who can effectively multitask. One of the reasons for this is usually that the role requires the ability to stop and start regularly, juggling the demands of not only the clients but other team members as they require attention – often at a moment’s notice.

A top administrator will be ordered and have their day well planned, as well as having a structure around their work processes. Carving out space in your schedule for planning time at the beginning and the end of each day can assist in providing daily organisation. It allows for time to prioritise urgent tasks, as well as manage any frogs that need to be tamed. Working with a preferred week, whether it be by the traditional methods or morning/afternoon scheduling, will assist in providing order to the week and help to ensure that the required tasks are carried through to completion daily.

WHAT IT TAKES TO BE AN

ADMINISTRATION

SUPERSTAR

WHEN IT COMES TO the engine room of a real estate

business, the importance of the administrator in keeping the business running well can often be overlooked. Heidi Walkinshaw from Real+ explains the skills a good administrator needs to have across both sales and property management.

W

HILE THERE are many functions that with technology can now become automated, a personality with a strong systems focus and keen attention to detail is still required to ensure the smooth operation of a successful business.

ABILITY TO MULTITASK A strong administrator in a property management or sales department is usually

equipped with the skills to support the organisation effectively in a multitude of areas, from arranging appointments, managing accounts and dealing with repairs and maintenance, to arranging inspection times and communicating with clients. To be a superstar administrator takes a love of organisation and order, and these are the people that we will often turn to to find calm in the chaos that can sometimes reign supreme in this fast-paced industry.

In time management training, we often talk about multitasking being a myth. The area of administration is often where we

38 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • JUN-JUL 2017

ATTENTION TO DETAIL A high level of attention to detail is imperative in administration, and more so in sales and property management, as the risks associated with errors occurring can be costly not only to the client, but more importantly the business.

When we talk about attention to detail, a keen eye is required to ensure that when it comes to data entry all names, dates and details pertaining to the owner, property and tenant, or vendor and purchaser, are entered into the relevant office software to allow for efficiency when communicating with the client regarding the property.

Accurate and highly detailed data entry into the system not only benefits the team member who is entering the details, but also other members of the team who may need to pick up that file in a split second.

Getting it right the first time reduces double handling and potential liability to the business and client.

KNOWLEDGE OF COMPLIANCE MATTERS An excellent administrator needs a strong knowledge of the relevant forms that are required in sales and property management, as well as an understanding of how these documents need to be completed in full to ensure that compliance is met and that the correct management or selling of a property is carried out well. Comprehensive compliance of these documents will also aid in protecting the agency from potential fines from regulatory bodies, as well as potential embarrassment to the agency.

Checklists for these tasks are a great tool

for ensuring nothing is missed when it comes to following the system through to completion. There is the old saying when we talk about real estate processes, ‘all the i’s dotted and the t’s crossed’ which, if you are in the administrator hot seat, you have probably heard or even said more times than you can count.

COMMUNICATION Excellent communication is a skill that will assist in the success of an administrator.

This team member will often be the first point of contact when it comes to clients coming through the door, whether it be for sales or property management.

They may also find that they become the go-to person in the office for questions, especially if they have a calm demeanour and approachable personality in addition to that high level of organisation.

Remember that in this industry customer service is paramount to ensuring that the doors stay open and we have team members on seats. To achieve this, every team member from the front to the back door needs to be equipped with concise and articulate communication skills, not only verbally but also the written and

even physical abilities to communicate effectively and assist with providing the best level of customer service to everyone who walks through the door.

A STRONG NEGOTIATOR A team member in the administrative hot seat will usually be efficient in their daily tasks and excellent at negotiating, whether

THE AREA OF ADMINISTRATION IS OFTEN WHERE WE NEED THAT TWO PER CENT OF PEOPLE WHO CAN EFFECTIVELY MULTITASK. it be with clients, trades and services or even other members of the team, in some cases, to assist with achieving the best possible result for the client and the agency.

The bustling hub of a real estate office is an interesting environment, where no two days are ever the same. It is an industry that attracts a host of colourful

characters and there will always be a new situation or challenge that arises daily. Most of these challenges will often require immediate attention, quick thinking and rapid decisionmaking – all key attributes of a superstar administrator.

The administration space in our offices, while evolving, is and remains a vital function in the real estate world. The role of an effective and efficient administrator is an essential cog in the machine to ensure that the best possible service levels can be successfully delivered to our clients and that the property management and sales departments are humming along like clockwork. ■

HEIDI WALKINSHAW has been immersed in property management for over 14 years, dealing in all aspects from leasing to property management, business development and team management. She is now a coach with Real+ and is passionate about system implementation, procedures and team training. For more information visit realplus.com.au.

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epm.eliteagent.com.au 39

The Last Word

Fiona Blayney

R U OK? Don’t just ignore stress, anxiety and depression – a little question to a friend or colleague may start a vital conversation, says Fiona Blayney.

Y

ou’ll be getting the impression that a few things have my heightened attention at the moment if you’ve been reading my most recent words. I’m not sure if it has something to do with my stage of life – I’m living till I’m 120 and I entered my second trimester last year; you do the maths. Or perhaps it’s the media – social and general, or general conversation and scenarios playing out with

I’m not going to be able to tackle mental health in 700 words, I sure can use this Last Word to highlight the topic and ensure we are talking more about it.

It was over 12 months ago now when I was asked, for the first time in my training life, to tackle the matter of health, highlight stress management and discuss anxiety for a corporate organisation and their franchisees’ property management teams. The

taboo words to say, words that go unspoken and are often respectfully withheld when describing a person’s health or even death.

According to Beyondblue, suicide is the largest cause of death for persons aged 15 to 24 years of age, with an average of eight people committing suicide every day. That’s catastrophic, if you ask me. Add to this the number of people suffering from depression, which

DEPRESSION CAN STRIKE ANYONE, AT ANY TIME, EVEN WHEN THEY APPEAR TO BE AT THE TOP OF THEIR GAME. clients and teams. Whatever it is, it centres on health, physical and mental, and how we all need to talk and act more.

I’m not just suggesting we may need to put down the bowl of ice cream in exchange for the treadmill (and yes, I am eating a bowl of vanilla right now as I type) but a deeper thought about health and what we need to do for ourselves, friends, family, teams and community to ensure we all have the opportunity and support to be at our best.

I’m not going to waste valuable word count talking about that bowl of ice cream; we are all acutely aware of the need for a balanced diet and value in exercise. And whilst

aim was to give the team insights into better personal and work practices, to help them understand and manage stress and anxiety even at a most basic level. I wish everyone would do this course, and others like it.

I’ve seen firsthand what effect stress has, personally and as a coach, consultant and employer. My team aim to interweave stress reduction into everything we present.

By our assessment it’s one of the top four problems an individual cites when we meet for the first time.

Whilst some may say stress is the lesser of the evils, I really want to use the S and D words today: Suicide and Depression. They feel like

40 ELITE PROPERTY MANAGER • JUN-JUL 2017

Beyondblue cites as being three million in Australia.

If you’ve done any reading on the R U OK? organisation, you’ll know that it was founded by Gavin Larkin as a result of his own father, Barry Larkin, committing suicide in 2009. Whilst Gavin sadly lost his battle with cancer in 2011, his legacy lives on by ensuring we all realise a little question can make a big difference to people struggling in life.

Anh Do’s recent interview

with the legendary Blue Wiggle – Anthony Field – highlights how depression can strike anyone, at any time, even when they appear to be at the top of their game, at the highest of heights.

Today, as you’re reading these stats, perhaps you are confronted. If so, good! That might mean I’ve heightened your attention to what feels like a compounding scenario.

With all of us at least thinking about this more, we can start talking about it more, identifying and allowing people who need our help to let us know.

I don’t profess to be the expert in mental health but, as I’ve found in my research travels of late, there’s a lot to be said about starting conversations. I think we all have a duty to check in with each other, and I felt it was simply my duty to start a conversation here. R U OK? If you want to learn more, Beyondblue and R U OK have readily available resources.

If you are seeking personal support Beyondblue have a 24-hour support line (1300 22 4636) or you can email or live chat by visiting beyondblue. org.au ■

FIONA BLAYNEY is the Founder and Director of Real+, an industry-first property management learning platform.

For more information visit realplus.com.au.

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CPD ONLINE

Ready when you are!

Elite Agent is now delivering distance CPD and other short courses online for NSW Agents in association with MRT (RTO 41529).

Standard online courses from $89 including assessment and certificate (or contact us about having our team put together a bespoke CPD course for your office)

Visit eliteagent.academy for more information

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