Engel & Vรถlkers Vancouver Shop Culture Guide
Engel & Völkers Vancouver Shop Culture Guide OUR CORE VALUES
THE E&V VALUES
Our core values of Competence, Passion and Exclusivity are at the heart of every decision we make, every word we say and every action we take. If you don’t know what to do, ask yourself: “How do I best demonstrate competence, exclusivity and passion?” “Is this elegant, stylish, innovative, authentic, professional and premium?” “Does this communicate that I am reputable, reliable, driven, independent and well-connected?”
reputable
reliable
elegant
stylish
professional
premium
wellconnected
independent
driven
authentic
innovative
COMPETENCE Being a professional who is well respected in our industry is a pillar of our company. We will work well with others, respect our industry partners and represent ourselves in a way that stands out in the real estate industry. Continuing to educate, learn and work with one another to share ideas that make us better is crucial to our shop culture. As an advisor at Engel & VĂślkers Vancouver, we strive to be leaders and exhibit professionalism, ethics, morals and collaboration. The negative actions of one member can have significant impact on the company and all other advisors in our shop and should not be tolerated.
EXCLUSIVITY We want the right people. We want people with the same vision, people we are proud to work beside, people we feel share similar values and ideals, people we know are representing each other in a professional, respectful and enthusiastic manner as leaders in the real estate industry.
PASSION We are committed to creating a work environment that makes us proud and enthusiastic to come to work each day. We are passionate about real estate and helping our clients find their dream home. Loving real estate and the process of helping clients achieve their goals is something that will naturally make you successful in our industry. Being passionate about real estate and the brand will reflect in your business. Passion isn’t just about your work environment it also includes your family, community and charitable outreach. We are here to support your passions, but passion starts with you.
DRESS CODE & BEHAVIOUR The life of a real estate advisor is 24/7. In Vancouver, every time you go to a social event, sporting event, fitness class, community event etc. you will always be asked for opinion on the market. For this reason, how you present yourself at all times is important. • Always dress appropriately and come to the shop in professional attire. • If you are stopping into the shop to pick something up in a more casual dress be aware your colleagues may be hosting clients and your appearance could affect their impression of the company. • Social media is a large part of our industry and reflects on who you are. Any inappropriate posting will not be tolerated, even on personal pages. 1. Avoid being too political. 2. Do not post any pictures doing illegal or inappropriate acts. 3. Be aware you are a social figure in our industry but can be watched through this media so pictures that are too risky can bring attention to yourself and perhaps could attract the wrong followers which could lead to stalking. Remember you are in a profession that encourages interactions so this can be dangerous and should be taken seriously. 4. We encourage interacting with the Engel & Völkers pages but please do not tag the company if you believe your topics could be contentious. Remember we all represent each other and one person’s opinion may not be shared amongst every one else. • Our shops encourage an open concept. Please watch your language and volume when talking in the shop. • If you notice questionnable or innappropriate behaviour by anyone in the shop, please notify management immediately.
SHOP POLICIES We pride ourselves in having beautiful workspaces. You are encouraged to bring clients to our shops. For this reason, the way we conduct ourselves in the shop is very important. We also have an amazing culture of trust. We do not need locks on doors and no one should ever have the fear of their business space being violated. This is a part of our culture that is amazing. Trust, collaboration and support are the pillars of our shop polices. • Keep your work space clean and presentable at all times. • Clean up after yourself. After using board rooms, equipment, kitchen facilities or hosting events please make sure everything is put away and ready for the next person. • Please reserve shop meetings or functions with reception. A shop-wide email should be sent out to avoid any conflicts. • The shop will support community events and charities; and we encourage our advisors to work with one another support each other’s causes.
THE LITTLE THINGS How we do anything is how we do everything. In order to always maintain a professional appearance that inspires confidence in our professional abilities, please consider the following: • Show up for every meeting prepared, on time and give every meeting your full attention. Put your phone and laptop away if they are not needed for the meeting. Make eye contact. If you must take a call, apologize, step out and be very brief. • Your car is an extension of your business and and is a reflection on you. Your car should be clean and well maintained at all times. • Don’t take client calls with other people in the car. • Avoid inappropriate language. Communicate in a calm and business-like manner at all times. • Respect your colleagues space.
MINDSET & ATTITUDE The Engel & VĂślkers advisor has a positive mindset and is solution-focused. All advisors and employees are expected to foster a spirit of positivity and cooperation within the shop. If you have a complaint please voice your concerns. If you do have a complaint, if possible, accompany it with a viable solution. We have a one-and-done policy when it comes to offenses, office gossip and unethical behaviour. You get one warning. After that, you will be asked to leave the brokerage immediately. Be a positive problem solver. Engel & VĂślkers Vancouver is a collective of like-minded positive advisors. This is what makes us a respected and consistent brand in the industry. The actions of one can affect the attitude of many others. We want to foster an environment that is supportive of one another. We are here to help solve problems and be a supportive place to discuss frustrations and challenges. However, lets focus on solutions and problem solving. We are leaders in the industry and how we act in a business environment will be inspire others in the industry.
SHOP CONDUCT The shop is a place for us to put our clients first. Please be respectful of the open and collaborative nature of our shop and take great care not to disturb your colleagues. If you bring friends, family members, children or pets to the office, please respect the working environment. No one other than advisors and employees may attend sales meetings, productivity meetings, classes or other events that aren’t expressly social in nature. If you know someone who could contribute to a specific meeting, please discuss with management first before inviting them to a session.
When on the phone, we encourage the use of headsets and discourage the use of speakerphones unless you are having a conversation where you need a witness. In those cases, please take the call behind closed doors. Keep your phone voice as low and discreet as possible so you do not disrupt others in our collaborative workspace. If you are eating at your desk please avoid food that could be considered high odour. Please clean up after yourself and put items away when using the kitchen. Collaborative shop spaces must be completely cleared of all personal items when you leave for the day. Private offices must be kept clean and organized. Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink. If you run the dishwasher, empty it. If you use the conference room, clean it up, clear it out and wipe the table down when you are done.
OUR SUPPORT STAFF Please remember that our staff is here to support us and they deserve to be treated with respect at all times. Also, please consider that the support staff is not only providing a service to you but to all other Advisors as well. With this in mind, please remember to: • Be organized and precise when submitting documents • Hand in required documents in a timely manner • Give the staff enough time to complete requests • Avoid last minute requests, especially at busy times • Plan ahead for any marketing services required • When possible, try to set up appointments with the staff members in order to avoid interruptions with unannounced visits to their desks If you have any issues with members of the Support Staff, please come to Management first so we can come up with a solution.
HOW WE DO BUSINESS We want our clients to be excited about working with us, but we also want other agents from other brokerages to look forward to working transactions with us. That’s good for us and good for our clients. Some pointers: MEETINGS, CLASSES AND OTHER GATHERINGS Advisors should make attendance at sales meetings, production meetings, coaching and accountability sessions and planning retreats a priority. Absences should be rare and not without good reason and should be discussed beforehand with the managing broker. LEGAL MATTERS If we require legal counsel to address an advisor-specific concern, the advisor is responsible for paying the legal fees incurred in obtaining the opinion. However, we are here to provide guidance when required. If you find yourself embroiled in an issue, it is important we get ahead of the problem and make the Real Estate Council aware of the complaint or concern as soon as possible. MARKETING Advisors may not mislead the public as to their production. For example, advisors may not use shop production data and claim it as their own. Team leaders may not take credit in the MLS for listings and buyers that were generated by team members and not the team leader. If a team leader generated the lead source and shared the business with a team member, the team leader may claim the sale in the MLS. All members are required to follow the rules and regulations set forth by the Real Estate Council of BC as well as their local board.
SOCIAL MEDIA Employees and Advisors are encouraged to take E&V Academy’s Social Media class as soon as possible after joining E&V and adhere to its guidelines. Discussions with our social media department prior to any marketing campaigns are encouraged. In general, care should be taken not to offend or alienate current and potential clients. Therefore it is recommended that advisors and employees avoid: • Statements, comments or posts that are divisive or political in nature, even if you’re “just sharing” someone else’s post.
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Depictions of violence, sadness, cruelty, etc.. including reposts. ‘Rants’ of any kind. Depictions of nudity, sexuality, etc… Over-sharing of personal problems, medical issues, etc..
Never take unflattering or uncomplimentary photos of a listing and post them to social media. Avoid snarky comments about other people’s homes. If you have a point to make and you think you can do it without being offensive, refer to the Core Values and supplemental descriptions on page one of this guide, and maybe get a second opinion before posting. Think through every post. Is what you’re saying helpful? Is it informative? Will it help build your business? Will it foster new, healthy relationships with potential clients? Personal posts are great – show off your adorable kids, your funny pets and community involvement. You want and need people to connect with you on a personal level. Just be thoughtful with what you post and remember – your potential clients are watching, and so are any other agents out there who may seek to take those potential clients from you. Post with intention, clarity, kindness and purpose. Use office and brand hashtags effectively to gain maximum attention to your posts. Sharing of Engel & Völkers Vancouver posts, blogs and podcasts is a great way to send appropriate brand-approved content. If you have content that you believe would be helpful for others and you are willing to share please bring it to the attention of the Social Media Department. They are always happy to help.
RECOMMENDING SERVICE PROVIDERS Never send just one recommendation for any trade. Always send the client the entire PDF file of recommended service providers. Always offer more than one option whenever possible (at least three is a good standard). Recommended service providers should be thoroughly vetted and recommended by you personally from experience or from your clients. Preferred service providers can be shared with the shop and posted on the evvancouver.com website if approved by management.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST Great care should be taken to always act in your clients’ best interests. Certain situations will require diligence and care in order to make sure our actions are above reproach. Here are a few examples: BUILDER BONUSES Builders offering bonuses with home sales could give buyers the impression that they were “steered” to a particular builder so that the agent could get a larger commission. Be sure all bonuses are disclosed in writing. And be sure you educate your buyers, in writing, about other builders and other options the buyer might wish to consider in the same neighborhoods and price ranges. We sell what we know, and there is nothing wrong with recommending a builder you’ve come to know, like and trust. Just over-communicate and never let bonuses be a consideration in who or what you recommend. SERVICE PROVIDERS TO WHOM YOU ARE RELATED OR PERSONALLY CONNECTED If you are related to, or personally connected with a service provider that you wish to recommend, you must seek advice from our attorney, at your expense, before referring.
SAFETY Safety of our advisors and employees is of utmost importance. Please take care when meeting clients and showing properties. • Always inform others where you are and when you plan to return. • Ask for identification from new potential clients before meetings. • Don’t show properties without a buyer agency agreement. If it’s a customer wanting to see your listing, insist on meeting first in the office, getting their identification and leaving a copy of their ID with the managing broker before showing the property. • Verify information before listing appointments. Be sure the person who called you is on the tax records as the owner, etc. • If you are at a property and feel unsafe, call the office or your manager with your exact location. The person you are speaking with will call 911 and send the police to that address if required. • Be careful about Facebook posts regarding vacant properties. • Avoid showing homes at night. • Always knock and ring the doorbell before entering a property. • If your client has not arrived yet, don’t enter a listing by yourself.
OUR LEADERSHIP & STAFF
GREG CARROS Chief Executive Officer greg.carros@evrealestate.com 604.603.5730
ANDREW CARROS Chief Operating Officer andrew.carros@evrealestate.com 604.787.2882
JOHN DEAN Director of Operations - Kerrisdale john.dean@evrealestate.com 778.999.5656
JEFF FITZPATRICK Director of Operations - West Van jeff.fitzpatrick@evrealestate.com 604.612.6120
JAMIE MACDOUGALL Director of Operations - West Van jamie.macdougall@evrealestate.com 604.992.2282
ENRIQUE JAHN Marketing Manager enrique.jahn@evrealestate.com 778.374.3103
ROSIE ZHANG Controller rosie.zhang@evrealestate.com 778.374.3100
NELLY COKELEKOGLU Lead Conveyancer nelly.cokelekoglu@evrealestate.com 778.374.3100
NADIA MEHRVARZ MICHAELA STACHOVA MAANSI PANDYA Conveyancer Marketing Coordinator Social Media Coordinator nadia.mehrvarz@evrealestate.com michaela.stachova@evrealestate.com maansi.pandya@evrealestate.com 778.374.3100 778.374.3100 778.374.3100
CHLOE CHEN Accounting Assistant chloe.chen@evrealestate.com 778.374.3100
DORA PHANOUVONG HANNAH SCHREUDER SHERLEN CHANG Assitant to the COO Office Administrator - Yaletown Office Administrator - Kerrisdale dora.phanouvong@evrealestate.com hannah.schreuder@evrealestate.com sherlen.chang@evrealestate.com 778.374.3100 778.374.3100 778.374.3020
Yaletown Shop 130 - 1152 Mainland Street Vancouver, BC V6B 4X2
Kerrisdale Shop 2126 W. 41st Avenue Vancouver, BC V6M 1Z1
West Vancouver Shop 2475 Bellevue Avenue West Vancouver, BC V7V 1E1