Teamwork. At its best, it sparks creativity and results; at its worst, it can cause frustration, delays, and missed opportunity. The many relationships and processes that are part of the everyday in CRE demand collaboration to get the job done, but keeping teams running efficiently can be a real challenge.
The challenge can be met when basic strategies are adapted to fit the team format. When everyone is in sync, the team can manage a remarkable workload and look good doing it. It’s all about 3 big ideas.
Clarify Goals
Having clearly stated goals is a must for any enterprise, but it’s particularly crucial for a team. The interconnected mission of all team members means there must be detailed understanding of procedures and responsibilities. This has a tremendous impact on performance, because it helps everyone stay focused, but it also boosts confidence and enthusiasm for the work to know you’re on the right track.
It’s important to revisit goals regularly and to use them to inform your planning as well. Use relevant data to evaluate performance and adjust your strategy.
Communicate
Once again, here’s an obvious priority that becomes even more critical when multiple people are working closely. Regular communication, by phone, email, or via a cloud-based application is a must. All team members should prioritize staying in touch and being accessible.
In addition to facilitating individual channels for communication, it’s important to establish regular times when the whole team checks in. This doesn’t necessarily mean a traditional, face-to-face weekly meeting, although that’s not a bad option. It can be a conference call or Skype session if need be. Whatever format works best for the team, a regular meeting keeps everyone on top of developments.
Communication with clients is also a concern for real estate teams. It should be clearly established who is responsible for keeping the client informed, as well as sharing information with prospects and former clients via social media or scheduled emails. Responding promptly to client communication is key to customer satisfaction.
Embrace the Cloud
Your team may be scattered across the country or based in a single office. Either way, the nature of CRE demands that critical documents and information be available wherever we happen to be. Meeting with a potential tenant on site need not prevent our access to property details that the tenant wants to discuss. Getting a contract signed does not require a trip back to the office.
The time saved by basically having your entire office in your pocket is huge. The dynamic CRE team does not spend time chained to a desk. The opportunities are outside. Powerful CRM platforms allow teams to share documents, data, and listings around the clock and from anywhere. Updates are made in real time, so everyone has the “current version” of whatever they’re looking at.
Cloud storage is a major factor in increasing a real estate team’s efficiency and effectiveness. Our clients expect it. Our competitors use it. There’s no time like the present.
