Why do agents give up so much control of their business?

One of the most disturbing trends I've seen in estate agency in recent times is a belief that agents cannot leave a certain supplier, portal or software provider, because of the potentially negative affects it may have on their business.

Yet naturally, these negative influences are entirely born in the mind of the agent themselves, and often hold no truth in reality.

Put bluntly, any agent who feels that a third-party software provider, especially one that they pay a small fortune to every month, has more control over their business, than they themselves do as the business owner, has more problems in their business than this perceived abusive relationship.

Where is the trust in themselves?

Where is the confidence in the service levels they're offering?

Where is the ability to deliver excellence and customer satisfaction no matter what CRM system, agency software, or other portal they may choose to use in their business?

Frankly, I don't see this as anything short of a scarcity mentality in their business and whilst this might be the bitter pill of a hard truth to swallow, the realisation of this fact can be the key to unlocking the mental chains that bind them to these one-sided relationships, or which keep them tethered to a supplier who does not have their best interests at heart.

Who's In Control?

Because here's the thing; most likely you started your own agency for a number of reasons:

You wanted the freedom to make your own decisions.

You wanted the autonomy to be able to go wherever you wanted to go and do whatever you wanted to do whenever it suited you.

Most importantly, you wanted the freedom to serve clients at a level which you feel is higher than the previous agency you worked for.

And yet, over time, many agents have seen their businesses fall into the clutches of self-serving suppliers, who may only be interested in boosting shareholder profits, rather than improving their service offering or offering incredible value for money for agents, or indeed, helping them to generate much-needed leads for their business.

So, in order to unshackle the chains from these relationships, it's important to ask yourself the question which supplier or suppliers do you have relationships with that often leave you frustrated, out-of-pocket, or even downright angry?

Once you have a list of the relevant suppliers, the next question to ask yourself is what are the alternatives to the product or service this particular supplier provides you with?

This could be just a sheer belief in your own abilities that you'll succeed no matter what, even if all the suppliers you currently use left your business, you would still be in a position to offer customer excellence to your clients, because you've vowed with your very last breath to never be beaten. To me, this is the true spirit of entrepreneurship, and the whole reason why people get involved in building their own businesses.

Taking it a step further, it's then time to decide which suppliers you're going to remove from your business altogether or replace with alternative suppliers in the marketplace who offer similar services. And this is where a lot of agents get frightened, and instead of taking decisive action, sit on their hands before conjuring up all sorts of mental gymnastics as to why they should or shouldn't leave.

Paralysis by Over-Analysis…

But what if a competitor uses this against me…? But what if I have to learn another software system…? But what if…? But what if…? But what if…?

And nothing changes…

At least for the agent who fails to make the long-overdue change…

Because it's often a fear of change that becomes so debilitating - often only serving to strengthen the links in the chain that binds you into relationships that no longer serve you.

To use an analogy, it's a bit like being in a marriage which is falling apart and yet, so many people often decide they've invested so many years into it, they're better off staying rather than leaving so both parties can start a new life.

Take Action

So the final step in making change is to take action. Explore free trials with other providers. Check out all the worthy advisors in the PropTech world who'll be able to point you to essentially different suppliers or spend some time on Google looking around to see who may be able to offer you a better alternative, which is not only significantly better value for money, but offers more tools and efficiencies than you ever thought were possible.

As another analogy, with some suppliers, it's a bit like using a Nokia 3310 in today's world of smart phones and touchscreen technology. There's no comparison, but for some reason a lot of people tend to stick with the devil they know.

And their bottom line reflects this resistance to change…

So for those agents who are looking for an alternative to the current portals they're spending a fortune on, why not check in for a demo of WiggyWam? It's difficult to believe what lies behind the scenes at www.wiggywam.co.uk but the feedback we've been receiving from agents and other property professionals has been glowing to say the least.

In fact, one fellow professional described it as "the closest thing to the perfect solution, agents are looking for in their business."

So what are you waiting for? Do you like dishing out thousands to ungrateful suppliers, or do you want something more? If so, you can book a demo right now by visiting www.wiggywam.co.uk and clicking the Book Demo button to select a time that's best for you. We promise your future self will thank you for it. 

We'd love to hear your experience, thoughts and insights on this. Please post in the comments section below.