By Steve Roulstone
Franchise News: Renting on the web.
Earlier this year, I posted a Blog about the importance of web presence. ‘Wrapped in the web’ I stand behind what I said in that post, but I have noticed just lately, that it is being suggested that it is possible to open new Letting Agencies solely using the web. This, in my opinion is not correct – not yet and certainly not for the majority of current Landlords.
Current Trends
As Franchisor when discussing possibilities with new Franchisees, I would not recommend starting a new business, in what has become and will continue to be driven as a professional market over the last and probably the next ten years as well. It is my role to ensure that all new offices are given every opportunity to succeed and that includes the need for visibility from a business address, preferably in the centre of any operation. Even five years ago, this was not the case, but at present it definitely is!
Personal contact
I believe that there are two main reasons for this, firstly, as a people we still prefer the ability to have ‘meetings’. The internet has not yet provided a way of assessing us technically, enabling Landlords to employ Agents without meeting. As a Landlord, distant or not, I would still wish to get a feeling for somebody through meeting them, a point which was summed up only today, by one of our Franchisees, who stated in an e-mail, ‘meeting is the professional way to do it’ well I know we would wish to stay professional!
No office to call home
Secondly, we are a conservative nation at heart, and like our traditional methods. For Landlords, that means a Letting Agent should preferably have an office, whether it be retail or serviced, it is where we are expected to work from. I have experienced all forms of working locations in my time as a Franchisee and I know the difference it made once we had a ‘presence’ in our town. We have never looked back! So do I believe in the web, absolutely unequivocally, yes! it is just as important to have a ‘presence’ on the web, but look at it like this would you expect a legal Company who provides a service for the public which encompasses the lives of other people as well to work from an invisible address? Now tell me if I was describing a Solicitors office or a Letting Agent – they both provide the same style of service after all!
Crystal ball time
But in the future, no doubt this will be true, as new technology spreads, we already have the ability to hold meetings across the net, no doubt soon we will have the technology to sign agreements via the net as well, but not until all of our Customers have the ability, equipment and understanding of such procedures will a true Internet based agency be supportable. For Tenants, no doubt web based is perfect, although viewings still have to be held of course, but at the moment Tenants are not our Customers, Landlords are. In the meantime, we continue to give Tenants the information they require through the web, whilst respecting the need to give the type of servcie our Landlords expect.
Interesting post Steve. Although the web does make searching out potential properties easier in my view, when I think about making a decision, I’d want to talk to someone face to face which just indicates the need for bricks and mortar prime office locations. It will be interesting to see what affect the web has on future generations however. The internet has already revolutionised the way many people shop for goods but how much this filters down to other services such as renting property remains to be seen.
Joel