Having spent so much time in the real estate game, there are a few things I've learned. A lot of them I am putting out into cyberspace via this blog in the hopes it helps other real estate agents, and those interested in property. One of the things I've learned about running a real estate business is that to succeed, you need to involve your employees in your business. This applies for every business of course, not just real estate, and I think that many business owners think that they involve their employees more than they actually do.
I've mentioned before that although Century 21 franchisees work as part of the greater Century 21 family and network, all of our offices are independently owned. This means every franchisee is running their own small business whilst simultaneously being part of something greater. Employees are there to do the work on the business and with the right direction and environment, they assist in making the business great as it expands. The best way to get the best out of your employees and your business is to involve them in important decisions. People often say they don't like change, but it's usually more a fear of the unknown. If employees are involved with the change, chances are they will feel more positive about it, and will work harder to make it work.
One of the biggest ways to involve real estate employees in changes to a business to ask them about improvements in customer service. The majority of real estate employees work at the coal face and interact with customers and potential customers daily. These are the people dealing directly with customers and it's highly likely they'll provide you with the best feedback in this regard.
Some business owners are afraid of asking their employees' opinions but doing so is actually a benefit to your business. The majority of people work better with their own ideas than the ideas of someone else that have been thrust upon them.
Involving employees in your real estate business is not only likely to produce great ideas, but it will also help move your business forward and help you run it better.