Developing an Exceptional Customer Experience Strategy for SLA
Suburban Land Agency (SLA) is responsible for delivering the ACT Government's suburban development program through building people-focussed residential estates and urban projects in Canberra.
SLA is a highly regulated government agency that had always outsourced its sales team. Some twelve months prior, Property Republic was engaged to review current sales models, explore what sales models other similar government and private developers are utilising, provide recommendations on the pros and cons of an in-house sales model, and options for selling built form and affordable housing products. The recommendation was to internalise the sales team for Whitlam.
To do this, they re-engaged Property Republic to create a customised training program for the SLA Sales and Customer Relations team, focussing the customer experience, the required sales skills, and documenting best practice.
Another goal of the workshop was to help SLA form the basis of a handbook for their in-house sales team. The handbook serves as the sales team’s first point of reference, and they are expected to work within the guidelines they set out.
The Approach
Spearheaded by Judi Carr, Property Republic’s director, the three-day series of workshops and training was conducted with chosen members of the SLA team.
Because the workshop participants came from different levels of the organisation with different lengths of experience, there was a challenge to structure the workshops in a way that would help them identify and agree on best practices.
To make the workshop as comprehensive as possible, Property Republic broke the three-day workshop down into chunks, with one agenda being tackled each day.
Day One
The first day started out with an overview of the workshop objective and protocols. This was when the marketing strategy was introduced, discussing important aspects such as the current state of the property sales and marketing, customer experience and its importance in property, the role of content and social media, and the decisions that could affect the marketing and sales strategy, plan, and budget, among others. The team then collaboratively developed the target market value proposition and delved into understanding and developing of the customer lifecycle.
Day Two
On day two, the main focus was on the development of the sales process and techniques. The objective was to effectively and efficiently process a customer from enquiry through to contract execution. During this part of the workshop, participants were encouraged to present a model of sales process and techniques, and analyse these as a group. Everyone was then allowed to provide their feedback. The workshop also covered the different aspects of sales techniques, including theory and practise. Lastly, the workshop led to the development of client communications.
Day Three
On the last day of the workshop, the team addressed the performance environment practise. A builder from the display village was invited to speak. The next discussion was geared towards partnership strategy with the aim of developing a strategic approach to partnerships with a network of builders, legal agents, commercial and residential agents and other stakeholders. Day three’s agenda also included discussing the customer touchpoints and understanding data.
The Results
There were a number of outcomes and outputs completed by the Property Republic team after the 3-day workshop:
A report highlighting the workshop’s key outcomes
Streamlined recommendations for prioritised tasks
A roadmap for market-leading customer service
Development of customer touchpoints
A Sales Handbook to coach the Sales Team
Property Republic drafted a report on the workshop outcomes, ensuring that all the initiatives and strategies can be tied back to SLA values and strategic objectives. Part of the recommendation was to prioritise what needs to be actioned and create a ‘micro’ project for each element of change. To ensure a successful roll-out, the project would be broken down into 90-day blocks with an appointed champion and a range of team members working together to get the job done within the agreed timeframe.
Throughout the workshop, a number of strategies were worked on. Most of these were not required immediately but, when implemented, will put SLA in a great stead to drive sales when the market softens. A roadmap for a market-leading customer experience was developed, encompassing first home buyers, upgraders, investors, and interstate residential buyers.
Another outcome of the workshop was the development of customer touchpoints, from auto-response on a website enquiry to a settlement gift. A sales handbook was also created to guide the in-house sales team and maximise their sales performance. The handbook was designed to ensure that each team member is supported and coached to effectively contribute to the Key Performance Indicators.
The Feedback
“Suburban Land Agency (SLA) engaged Property Republic to assist with a range of strategy development initiatives due to their extensive property marketing expertise and their collaborative and well-researched approach.
Our team has benefitted greatly from Property Republic’s in-depth workshops, which have provided us with clear vision, innovative concepts and expert insights into our industry. The result of Property Republic’s collaboration with SLA is the development of a well-defined and targeted strategy for our future. SLA will continue to engage the Property Republic team due to their excellent service and the great results they’ve helped us obtain so far.
I would highly recommend Property Republic to organisations seeking experience in all aspect of property marketing and assistance in developing a clear and efficient pathway for success.”
Kathy Torcasio
Director Sales and Client Relations, Suburban Land Agency