FEATURE
Virtual innovation during COVID-19 Treena Drinnan, Chief Agency Officer, Ray White
As a fourth-generation family owned business, we have been through recessions, depressions and world wars. The depth of experience gained during historic economic uncertainty strengthened our position and we wanted to be proud of how we navigated this crisis and more importantly, supported our customers.
In the silence of the lockdown small amounts of almost hidden real estate activity were being seeded. The outcomes were in continuance and results of success were heard to a lessening crowd. All transactions and activities relating to the listing and selling of property were to become remote. There was uncertainty around how a transaction was going to take shape, if at all. There were different opinions on what was to be legislated and not even did the 12th hour bell decide the outcome. The real estate and housing predictions became more vocal as times of uncertainty unfolded, and even a degree of desperation, took hold. We needed to remain agile, and react and respond quickly to an ever-changing landscape in uncharted waters. We needed to ensure we were positioned to carry out real estate agency work in the safest way possible, not only for our members but for our clients/customers and the wider communities. These were unique times; and not only did we have a responsibility to be vigilant around hygiene and protection; we needed to be able to safely transact real estate. The Ray White Group has always proudly been at the forefront of technology and now, in unprecedented times we were faced with revolutionising appraisals, inspections, open homes and auctions, whilst ensuring
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The Real Estate Institute of New Zealand
the safety of our valued customers and our own members was the utmost priority. Our clients and customers have always, and will always deserve the best possible service, despite external factors out of our control, such as a pandemic. It was up to us to be smart and savvy, use all the tools at our disposal and innovate to ensure potential buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants felt confident in our process as much as us in our own delivery. Offices across the nation embraced new virtual auction methods quickly with skill, with the number one goal in building this platform to provide a system where we kept the emotional connection between auctioneer and bidder, while maintaining physical distancing. Auctioneers and offices were required to adapt to technology which allowed them to thrive in a new environment. The Ray White Group, in what is believed to be a ‘world first’, was the first to complete an international online auction with the auctioneer in isolation in Brisbane, some 2,288kms away from the picture-perfect property in Auckland, with vendors and buyers in lockdown in their own homes in Auckland and across New Zealand to achieve a successful sale. Conducting auctions across the digital divide became the new norm and remains a current practice today.
