Well, it’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for – the results of the first Allagents awards.
We’re assured by the customer review site that the small matter of whether an agent is ‘transparent’ or not did not enter into it, and indeed, Romans which is not ‘transparent’ wins title of Best UK Agent although (rather confusingly) CJ Hole is declared the absolute winner.
The number of ratings cast, as well as the actual ratings, were also a factor, which explains why there were no awards in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland but (as EAT sort of predicted on Monday) several million in London.
Countrywide, as we also forecast, does not feature anywhere in the lists, and indeed the large chain awards leave out all the usual suspects.
However, CJ Hole – part of Xperience – blazed a trail for franchisee agents.
Anyway, the link below will take you to the estate agent winners, and tomorrow, we’ll have the letting agent winners on Letting Agent Today.
https://www.allagents.co.uk/201
.png)
Comments
Before I comment, I'm not an estate agent, but I couldn't help but notice that an estate agent I dealt with previously won an award. They were absolutely shocking in my experience.
I congratulate each winner and don't want to take their achievements away from them. I do, however, have real reservations about allagents. It just seems so flawed. It's very easy for agents to upload faux positive reviews (or get their mates to) and allagents ignore reports of this happening, despite them claiming to take these complaints seriously.
I suppose I just find it a bit frustrating. It makes me nauseous to think of the estate agent I dealt with patting themselves on the back and telling prospective customers that they've won this award.
I go away for 1 weeks holiday and miss out on all the fun!
Fair play to Allagents, its not all their "transparent agent" members that have picked up awards.
I initially had a disliking to this site as i felt i was forced into using it, however to be fair it does have a lot going for it and one of my valuers has won a few instructions from it.
Im not sure about them Kicking Rightmove into touch, but they have certainly kicked "the estas" awards into touch.
'Interesting':
"Could this be the website that kicks Rightmove into touch?"
Erm... you obviously haven't visited the site.
Thanks for giving me the laughing fit of the year, though! ;o)
Firstly, congratulations to every winner.
I was under the impression that allagents was a review site, however it appears to be an award and portal site as well, which is very smart indeed.
Could this be the website that kicks Rightmove into touch?
None are worthy winners , they just worked out how to beat the site or did they? They are bigger chains who will give the site publicity as they have "won" something, they will have been chosen for PR, bit naive to believe otherwise, but then you are agents of very little brain! That’s also why they have 2 winners, wake up, are you guys Dave the Japan fool!
How many franchise chains, are any good, I rest my case, CJ Hole indeed!
'Wake up it's Evolution':
You may well think that TA is the corgi's cojones, and wouldn't dream of booking up a weekend in Cleethorpes withour studying every word said in total belief - but had you watched the Channel 4 documentary you would realise that the world is full of eejits who simply like stirring merde with a big stick if they feel badly done to in any way, shape or form. A missed crumb on a floor to most would not provoke five hundred words of damnation over the filthy conditions they had to endure and risk of being eaten alive by the inevitable rat infestation creeping up on them unawares - but to the eejits it is a door open to a portal of self-pleasure.
But this is not a weekend in Cleethorpes we are discussing here. This is whether or not sites SUCH AS the one in the subject story...as there are many cropping up... actually provide those that care to visit them genuine feedback that will allow them to make an informed decision as to how to best market their biggest most valuable asset; and whether these sites can be, and are, simply ways of either knocking the competition or 'bigging yourself up' in order to falsely attain a competitive advantage. This being the case, then they are doing no favours for the 'end-users' (quite the contrary, in fact...) - which surely is their whole raison d'etre.
Subject to absolute proof being forthcoming that the playing field is level, I also congratulate the winners.
Somehow, however, I feel that this 'proof' will be a long time in the production stage...
And, for the record, I AM NOT an Agent. As a frequent Agent 'customer', these sites should be my first stop. They are not - and will not be, as long as I bury my head in the past, take the risk on my own head and choose my Agents manually.
I happen to like it that way.
I can remember "experts" from within the Hotel industry venting similar vitreol at a "upstart" customer feedback website called "Trip-advisor" that dared to allow customers the opportunity to share their experiences - good or bad - on their website back in the early naughties.
It would be rediculous to say that this website hasn't helped standards within that industry to improve and we should all be grateful for it.
Those posters decrying the principal of what Allagents are doing are either ignorant or in denial or both! - It's happening everywhere not just in agency - wake up and embrace it - like those others already leading the way. Use it as an inspiration to help change the way you do business and as I suspect the Allagents winners are already seeing your business will flourish. Ignore it, bury your head and maybe not immediately or even tangibly at first but over time you'll gradually lose more and more market share to those in the industry that are prepared to welcome change and evolve.
So my congratulations to the Winners!
Paul, @paul
Wrath is cruel and anger overwhelming but who can stand before envy
proverbs 27.4
Paul, we won best door handle and carpet too.
Just found out we did win something,
Best Carpet and Door handle.
Uploading to site now, then getting ready for the phone to ring.
CJ Hole - great name....
@ POTW
" The envious die not once but as oft as the envied win applause"
So many awards,? clever!! The agents that "win" will push this unknown site into the public, then moan when folk use it! The majority of winners will be multiple office for this very reason, more publicity.
Allagents are I am afraid, are ahead of agents.
Is Paramount Properties a secret partner in the ALLAgents site? Seems odd to win so many, he must have loads of friends and family. I would steer aways as a punter if i 'stumbled' on the site as it looks rigged.
Very easy to manipulate very very !!!
Paul: 'Honestly, you guys are believing this toss, the award really is for the agents who have called their friends and family and told them to upload a review.'
Surely not! Next you'll be suggesting that directors of estate agents do things like putting boards up outside their own homes to increase their apparent share of the market. I'd find that sort of thing very difficult to believe, unless, of course, people have been nicked for it, as it were.
@Paul on 2012-10-03 09:09:40
Tend to agree with you.
Looks as if it could be open to abuse if the actual names of those who submit 'reviews' are not recorded? Are they?.
@se agent
Next thing you will be wanting a rosette or something, god, did you win nothing as a child?
@paul
If you don't/can't win an award, then fine. But play fair and accept that. Don't spit the dummy out and accuse the winners of all cheating.
Is it not CJ Hole that took top prize? From looking at the results, there are some well deserved winners there
We did not win an award, we have loads of happy customers and 30 years experience, should we consider closing down our branches?
Honestly, you guys are believing this toss, the award really is for the agents who have called their friends and family and told them to upload a review.
What countrywide not winning a single award?? But I thought their must important awards where from their customers http://www.countrywide.co.uk/about/awards.aspx
It just goes to show that when money is not changing hands and agents have to win awardsbon their own merit, the independents can beat the corporates hands down
If I did not use EstateAgentToday I would honestly not even know about AllAgents.
Congratulations to Romans for being crowned once again the UKs top estate agent. If 2 awards schemes are declaring this status, then you have to start believing that there must be some truth in it