It Takes a ‘Vyllage’ to Foster a Culture of Success WHY VYLLA HOME BELIEVES IN THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING A CULTURE THAT INSPIRES, RECOGNIZES AND SUPPORTS ITS AGENTS
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By Caysey Welton
here are several attributes that make real estate agents successful. Experience, talent, brand affiliation and a commitment to quality service are certainly among them, but Vylla Home also places a great deal of emphasis on providing the right support system and environment for agents to coalesce their best attributes and maximize their success. In simpler terms, Vylla believes that culture is what brings out the very best in agents, and is what is needed to succeed in today’s complex real estate industry. “It’s important to agents because they tell us this,” says Chad Ruggles, senior vice president and head of Vylla Home.
agents, or Vyllagers, as they are known within the company, this breaks down to a 60-1 broker/ agent relationship across its markets. Ruggles says Support That Starts at he plans to call every the Top Vyllager on the phone Vylla’s brokerage size is this year to check in and Ruggles advantageous to fostering have a real, person-tothe type of culture Ruggles wants for person conversation. What’s more, his agents. Home to just under 1,200 every Vyllager has Ruggles’ cellphone 48 June 2022 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE
number and email address. It’s a true open-door policy, regardless of geographic distance. “The nature of an agent’s role creates challenges,” says Ruggles. “It can feel lonely at times. I want agents to stick with us through thick and thin, so I am constantly asking myself how. That’s not the same at some of the larger firms, where they see it as the manager or team leader’s responsibility. I look at it differently: It’s my responsibility.” This top-down approach doesn’t begin and end with just Ruggles, though. In fact, he tells RISMedia that Vylla’s entire senior leadership team makes themselves available to the Vyllagers. “One of the requirements to work on our management team is to be a servant leader,” he says. “The client for us is the agent. That’s the kind of support we give our agents.” In addition to a supportive team of leaders, the company also boasts its “epic back-office support.” This support includes an operations team made up of REO experts, transaction coordinators and a marketing team that ensures every Vyllager has access to branded materials.
