As the spring selling season heats up, Australian real estate agencies face an influx of enquiries – including phone calls from prospective sellers wanting market appraisals – making it essential to avoid missed calls.
A virtual receptionist service can be the key to handling this demand efficiently, preventing missed opportunities that often result from unanswered calls.
Outsourcing call answering to OfficeHQ means every caller speaks to a human, whenever they call – a friendly, professional receptionist working remotely. No more frustration at having to leave a voicemail or having the phone ring out!
OfficeHQ’s team of receptionists can take messages, transfer calls or even book appointments. All without taking up a desk in your office and for a fraction of the cost of a full-time wage.
Here’s several ways our virtual reception services can support your real estate agency during spring – and beyond.
24/7 availability
Real estate never sleeps, especially in the fast-paced spring market, when buyers are at their most active and sellers are keen to get their homes onto the market quickly to secure the best possible price.
Virtual receptionists ensure your agency remains accessible around the clock, not just during office hours. Whether it’s handling urgent enquiries from potential new clients, ensuring existing clients never get frustrated by constantly going to voicemail or booking viewings for high-interest properties, having a 24/7 service means you’re always ready for any opportunity.
After hours leads are also captured, without you having to be a slave to your phone. No more interruptions when you’re with family or enjoying some much-needed R&R. Work hard, play hard … but also switch off occasionally to avoid burnout. And still be a success!
24/7 call answering helps avoid the risks of missed calls, which often lead to lost leads, lower profits and less business.
Improved client experience
The quality of customer interaction can make or break a deal, particularly in real estate.
Virtual receptionists create a professional first impression, ensuring callers feel heard and valued. By using custom scripts, they offer tailored responses to queries, helping build rapport with clients from the very first interaction.
Positive experiences can significantly influence the likelihood of closing a sale, especially when your clients are making one of the largest investments of their lives.
Consider the experience of always being able to speak to an actual person compared to regularly getting your voicemail. They’re polar opposites.
Call overflow management
During peak seasons like spring, even the most well-staffed real estate offices can struggle to handle the volume of incoming calls.
A virtual receptionist service can step in to manage call overflow, by answering only those calls your team can’t get to. This ensures every call is answered, even when your team is busy. This prevents frustrated potential clients from turning to your competitors and keeps the lines of communication open at all times.
Cost efficiency
Hiring full-time in-house staff to cover reception duties 24/7 can be expensive. By outsourcing to a virtual receptionist service, real estate agencies can enjoy the benefits of professional call management without the overhead costs associated with additional employees.
This not only reduces operating expenses, but also offers flexibility, as you pay only for the services you use.
Increased lead conversion
Timely follow-up is crucial in real estate, especially during busy selling seasons. Virtual receptionists ensure all messages are promptly relayed to your team via email or SMS, allowing agents to respond quickly and convert enquiries into appointments.
This swift action can be the difference between securing a client and losing them to a competitor.
We can also integrate call answering with tools such as CRMs or online calendars. This can allow virtual receptionists to:
- Submit leads directly to team managers/members
- Schedule appraisals and other meetings into available timeslots
Pre-screening and lead qualification
Virtual receptionists can pre-screen callers by collecting key information and identifying serious leads before transferring calls to agents. When a caller is identified as a new qualified lead, your virtual receptionist can attempt to transfer to the next available sales agent or take a message for a return call.
This enables your sales team to focus on high-priority clients without being bogged down by routine enquiries or irrelevant calls.
Appointment scheduling and diary management
With the added pressure of managing viewings, appraising properties and client meetings, some real estate agents struggle to keep their calendars organised.
A virtual receptionist can also assist with diary management. They can book, reschedule or cancel appointments, ensuring your agents’ schedules are always up-to-date and avoiding any overlap or confusion.
Mitigating the cost of missed calls
Missed calls during a busy season like spring can be very costly. Studies have shown that missed calls not only affect immediate revenue, but can also have hidden costs. This includes damaging client relationships and losing repeat business.
A virtual receptionist service helps mitigate these risks by preventing missed calls, keeping your pipeline full and your clients satisfied.
Is it time your real estate agency used an answering service?
In summary, virtual receptionist services offer Australian real estate agencies an efficient, cost-effective way to maintain excellent customer service during the bustling spring selling season and beyond.
By improving lead capture, enhancing client satisfaction, and ensuring 24/7 availability, these services can significantly boost your agency’s productivity and profitability when it matters most.
OfficeHQ has in-depth experience in providing real estate agencies with reliable virtual reception services. And we also offer a 7-day free trial, so you can put us to the test before you commit. Plus there’s no lock-in contract, so you can scale up or down as you need, or cancel any time should your circumstances change, making our services ideal for both long-term and short-term use.
Black Friday special
For a limited time, new customers can save 30% on our standard call answering subscriptions for 3 months.
* Conditions apply.
Black Friday special
For a limited time, new customers can save 30% on our standard call answering subscriptions for 3 months.
* Conditions apply.
Black Friday special
For a limited time, new customers can save 30% on our standard call answering subscriptions for 3 months.
* Conditions apply.
