Don't sell it, find it...

Basically staff employed by estate agents in the UK are trained to operate in one of 2 ways when dealing with prospective buyers (applicants).

1. Pressure Selling
2. Question Based Selling

Pressure Selling
The vast majority of negotiators are trained and encouraged to use crude techniques to 'pressurise' applicants in to agreeing to see certain properties and then further 'pressure' is applied to persuade the applicant to commit to a given property; regardless of whether or not this happens to be the right property for him or her.
These Pressure Selling Techniques were developed in the United States, decades ago, by companies such as Rank Zerox and IBM and were used to considerable effect.

However, buyers in the UK have in recent years become far more sophisticated and understandably do not respond well to being 'pushed' this way and that, at the whim of the sales negotiator.  He might as well be holding up a large banner which proclaims to the world... 'I couldn't care less whether this property is what you are looking for, just so long as you commit to buying it.

Question Based Selling
This system employs the truly remarkable strategy of actually asking the applicant a series of carefully constructed questions, designed to ascertain their likes and dislikes, features that are 'must haves' as opposed to preferences, reasons for moving etc.

We then actually 'listen' to your answers which enables us to build up a comprehensive picture of just the type of Bungalow which would best suit your needs and desires. We will then use our intimate knowledge of our current register of bungalows to find a 'match' with the 'details' of your ideal bungalow.   In most cases this results in a 'match' of 2 or 3 bungalows, which we can then arrange for you to see.

Surely this more sophisticated but straightforward approach is vastly preferable to the 'scatter gun' approach adopted by most estate agents eg just keep showing the applicant as many properties as possible and perhaps eventually we might trip over one that she likes. Hardly a professional approach is it?

Comments

[John Nixon]

Good on you, James. How can we as estate agents find the right property for you if we cannot be bothered to ask you the appropriate questions regarding your buying criteria... and then actually listen to your answers!

[James Crabtree]

I found this article helpful, and would certainly prefer to be asked questions which will help my agent select the most suitable property for me.