Q&A with Moneypenny Receptionist Josh Tanton

13 November 2017 14809 Views

What does your role involve?

By answering my estate agent clients’ telephone calls, I assist in their day-to-day office needs.  An agency branch is a busy environment, and so often they really do need help. Handling their clients’ calls gives agents more time to deal with viewings, and therefore helps the business grow.

How does your estate agent experience help your clients?

I worked in an estate agency for over three years, so I know exactly what is going through a person’s mind when I speak to them; whether they are elated to be buying or stressed out by the process. This is the moment they really need an empathic ear. Common sense goes a long way too; a false emergency or a situation more serious than the caller is suggesting are easier to pick up on with an estate agency background.

Why do you think good telephone answering is important to estate agents?

A person selling their home will most likely get a few valuations, and not necessarily go with the cheapest agent. So getting the caller to instantly warm to you certainly helps. I worked for an estate agent who used an internal answering service. We often received messages with place names spelled phonetically, where the call handler hadn’t bothered to check details. When this happens you think ‘if we’re receiving a poor quality message, what has the quality of the call been like?’ I don’t think you can underestimate the power of a well-handled call.

How do you think Live Chat can help estate agents?

It gives the impression that a person is always in the office, ready to help. If an agent is too busy to speak to a potential client, there is a big risk that they’ll try somewhere else. Having a way of getting information whenever they want it is very attractive to clients.

What customer service advice would you give an estate agent?

Keep in constant contact with clients. Vendors on the books want their agent to work with them, and look at ways of getting people to view their home. Also, don’t send any old properties for a client to look at. Listen to what they ask for and act accordingly. And always make sure message details are taken properly.