High Tech Or Low Tech? THAT Is The Question!

There's a debate going on in the real estate world right now with respect to the effectiveness and importance of technology as it relates to real estate services to the consumer. 

In this dynamic and evolving world of instant, quick, immediate, and 24/7 access that is fueled by technological genius, it's difficult to distinguish between which are necessary, useful tools and those that — although very cool and amusing — are a waste of everyone's time. I think that statement applies to both real estate professionals and to consumers alike.

I can't tell you how many "agent-to-agent" social media conversations, forums, and blog posts I've participated in that have debated what kind of services the consumer wants and expects an agent to provide.

I have always found the thought amusing that we, as real estate agents, have the authority or the right to speak for the consumer based on analysis of chosen data and statistics, and then spit out the results to prove something that we WANT to be true. Consequently, we spend a lot of time talking about, predicting and promoting this "engineered truth." (After all, if you're a decent researcher, you can prove almost any point of view, can't you?)

What do agents want to be true, you ask? Well, in my 10-plus-year experience as a real estate professional, what I've noticed to be a rather widespread truth is this:  real estate agents prefer to communicate with clients and potential clients indirectly rather than directly ... period. Now, admittedly, that's my measurement and opinion of the "truth!"

How does that intimate observation fit into the question posed as the title of this article today? My question to you, the consumer, is: Are we real estate agents on the right track by spending so much time, energy, and resources providing a competitively "high tech" experience to you (the consumer), or are we focusing our efforts, self-centeredly, in that direction because technology tools make it easier to "dodge" real, face-to-face discussions and interactions with our clients and prospects? Would you prefer that we give more attention to education, developing our "tactile" communication skills, working on our systems for "follow up," and using a more "low tech, high touch" approach to improving relationships and, therefore, the real estate experience for our clients and prospects?

I know that there are a lot of agents, besides myself, out there who would LOVE to hear your voice. Please take a minute and click the link below to a very short poll (two questions). The secret to providing the best service, for any business, is to listen to the people who will be buying the product or using the service. Your collective involvement in this discussion is crucial for directing our efforts where they should be focused — on YOUR priorities. Without it ... the debate rages on.

We're listening!

Click here to participate:  What area of Real Estate Services Would You Like Your Real Estate Agent to Focus Their Time, Energy, & Resources on?

I will share the results of this poll in my article for next week.