August: The Ferrari training solution geared towards accelerating your real estate career

Kevin Matheson: August is the dedicated training and consultancy division of the Rex Software family. August was formed to offer clients working with the company’s suite of products an opportunity to engage high-quality professional services that assist them in getting the absolute most out of their investment.
 
August not only teaches customers how to use the products effectively, but also offers best-practice advice, process improvement guidance and time-saving skills. In short, we work hard to help people truly raise their game and become the best real estate professionals they can be by leveraging tech.

REB: Why is continuous learning so important?

KM: As the old saying goes, “the only constant is change” — and real estate is no different. Currently, our industry is smack bang in the middle of an incredible disruption to the old way of doing things.
 
Technology is advancing at an ever-increasing rate and, on top of that, the socially accepted norm of what it means to communicate as well as gather information has shifted completely. That means good old-fashioned ideas and practices (“The Basics” as we sometimes call them in real estate) MUST be updated to take into account this new reality. Now, I’m not saying that we need to throw everything out and start again, but rather that each of us needs to take advantage of these new tools and methods to improve our efficiency and effectiveness. To thrive in this environment of change, every one of us must keep learning and adjusting — and companies must support that.

Speaking of companies, there are a lot of indirect benefits that come from investing in the upskilling of staff. Not only are staff more likely to be higher performers, and for longer, they’ll also be more inclined to stick around. For me, personally, working for a number of companies where cross-training or encouragement to learn new skills is seen as key to the success of not only the person, but the company as a whole has helped me become a more productive employee, and broadened my skill set.

REB: What is the relationship between training and ROI on tech investments?

KM: Change may be constant, but it’s still something all companies seem to struggle with. New systems, new practices and new norms invariably represent a time of immense inefficiency and dramatic productivity loss — meaning time and money is wasted. Training shortens that teething period.

I’ve seen companies choose not to incorporate training programs into new system launches, and the results are always the same across the board. Extended adjustment periods and longer times to realise any return on their initial investment resulted in not only increased losses but also unhappiness for all parties involved. In fact, more than one of those companies realised that the lack of an initial training component was a significant failure and ended up implementing one later, which cost them much more than what they would have paid initially.

REB: What about employers who think they don't have time (or money) for additional training?

KM: As I mentioned previously, the benefits of a comprehensive and effective training program far outweigh any costs associated with it. Too many times, I have seen training be the first on the chopping block when it comes to a company trying to initiate some sort of cost management. And nearly every time, I have watched that same company experience a downward spiral stemming from that decision. Employee dissatisfaction, customer unhappiness, productivity loss, staff turnover and a host of other factors all become standard. If companies were to see their training as just another investment that will bring about real benefits, the mindset might change.

REB: What three things should be top of mind regarding training?

KM: First, respond to changing conditions. In nearly every company I have worked with, there is an accepted environment of preserving the status quo. One of the most common comments I get after a training session is, “I had no idea that the system could do that.” That says to me that it is far too easy for people to get into ruts instead of continually look for new or better ways to do things.

Second, set clear goals and responsibilities. Everyone needs to understand exactly what their requirements are when it comes to using systems or processes. Training must include specific guides on what the company needs from them, not just how to do the work. Too many times, I’ve seen standards fall because people don’t know what is actually expected of them. Yes, they know how to use the system, but not when/why/where/etc. This has the effect of a downward spiral in system effectiveness and data quality and, in the end, the investment no longer pays for itself — which should be everyone’s end goal.

Third, don’t let problems lie. When something doesn’t work, act on it. Another frequent challenge is when someone identifies an issue, it suddenly becomes the norm. For example, “Oh, that function/feature/process doesn’t work the way I want, so I just won’t use it at all.” Often these are simply situations where the user was unaware of the correct action, and this can be easily rectified by training. Unfortunately, however, the problem is often left to simmer and more dissatisfaction ensues.

REB: Should ongoing training be mandatory in companies?

KM: Okay, I may have a bias, but if I had my way, it would be mandatory for all companies. As discussed previously, an ongoing investment in employee capability has almost no downside. If you don’t agree, look at the number of organisations/professions around the globe that require their members to demonstrate a level of continuous education or improvement in order to remain current. 

REB: Do you have any case studies to share?

KM: In lieu of discussing any specific clients, I can share that I have been lucky enough to work with many different organisations throughout the course of my time with August. For me, the most rewarding thing is that the vast majority of my customers have let me know that their work with August has improved their office and their team in a number of ways. Overall, increased (and more efficient) system usage has led to higher satisfaction levels among the team as well as their customers. Dramatic levels of time savings have helped users own their time more effectively. Best-practice advice has improved their business relationships, streamlined their processes and generally raised their level in their profession. All of this comes as a result of the desire of each person to continue to learn and improve.