Big Real Estate Misses the Mark ~ AGAIN!
I can see that “Big†real estate still doesn’t get it, as evidenced by the latest commercial from Century 21.
In this latest round of “your a dumb ass consumer messagingâ€, as I like to call it. A middle aged Asian agent tells us why she is better than a computer at helping people find a home. What is so unbelievable is that all of the points she makes are ridiculous.
1. A computer can’t tell you about the neighborhood or the market.
This statement is so stupid that it borders on insane– You can get market reports with crime, school and even sex offender data are commonplace now. In fact you can map all of the businesses, schools and trends in the neighbor in very little time. Where the hell is she going to get that information anyway? From a computer….
2. A computer can’t read your face to tell if you like this house.
WHAT? this one of the most ridiculous statements I’ve ever heard. Why would that matter? I know I like the property, I’ll tell my wife I like it, and I’ll tell my agent if I like it, who cares if she can read it on my face? And if she does? What value can she add based on that knowledge, can she predict earthquakes and stock picks?
Now… I’m not saying that these things aren’t important customer service issues, but in an age when the industry is under attack from all sides, we need to communicate the true and accurate value we bring to the transaction. Real estate professionals provide property marketing and risk mitigation services, it’s that simple. We market properties and we provide consulting to make sure our clients stay out of hot water. That is the MOST IMPORTANT work we do, and this is what consumers should know about us.
You’re comments on this video are spot on. The ad agency should be fired. The execs in NJ need to get a grip on something other than own inflated egos.
The computer has already replaced agents who are now essentially glorified janitors of the industry cleaning up all the fringe transactional work like driving people around, pointing out where the kitchen is, meeting with home inspectors and filing paper. Stuff my 16-year kid can do.
As for looking into my eyes and knowing my feelings…well first apply that to looking at our mouths and hearing what we’re saying when we you show us one type of home when we clearly defined something entirely different.
You know what a great commercial would be? Hi, I’m a Realtor. Like you I think computers are amazing. They serve all our best interest. They are the vehicle by which you can search for homes, study communities, analyze schools (something we ethically can’t do) and compare home values. When you’ve done all that preliminary work, let us know. Our job is help you make sense of it all. Protect your interests so that house you fell in love with can become your home. That’s what we do.
How cool would that be?
Comment by Marc Davison — June 6, 2007 @ 6:30 pm