Newsletter - Autumn Edition 2007
Online or on foot?
16 October 2007
With shopping, banking and now property making the transition towards online services, the role of high street vendors is changing. Estate Agents in particular are increasingly focusing their efforts towards the development of efficient and ergonomically friendly online services such as movewithus’ Online Office.
How can high street vendors compete in this evolving market?
According to a movewithus consumer group, there is still a great desire to use high street Agents. Consumers still want the ‘personal touch’ which can only be gained from face to face contact. However, there is a general opinion of Estate Agents as being ‘commission driven and not giving a level of service concurrent with the fees they charge’. movewithus research shows that 96% of Agents themselves recognise that the industry needs to raise its standards.
movewithus Director Robin King noted, “Agents have traditionally rationed information - this is set to change. Additional information like schools and amenities in the surrounding area which had previously only been available from Agents with local expertise are now being provided by online search portals.”
It seems that there is still a place for high street Estate Agents in the property market but with more competition from online Agents than ever, especially in areas previously exclusive to high street Agents, it may be time to start focusing on the customer and not the commission.
