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The onus is on business owners to identify how they could use artificial intelligence to ramp up efficiencies in their agencies, according to a network’s operations director.
Josh Davoren, operations director at RE/MAX Australia, has oversight of multiple departments across his network, including its marketing, training and technology offering.
As such, he views it as his duty to keep abreast of the latest technological solutions, engage with proptech leaders, and partner with providers who offer the most impactful software and platforms to RE/MAX.
Davoren insisted that all network and business owners and corporate staff could help their business streamline efficiencies.
In a recent episode of Secrets of the Top 100 Agents, he urged business owners to challenge themselves by identifying weaknesses in their agencies and consider how AI could execute back end and other tasks more consistently to strengthen operations.
For example, while agencies already use chatbots, the next evolution could be voicebots as audio technology moves at a rapid pace.
“First and foremost, I think that will evolve maybe not around outbound prospecting calls (which is what a lot of agents want a perfect solution for) but for inbound calls,” Davoren said.
“[This includes] enquiries both from the rental and sales sides. If you’ve got the right database of information behind it, that could probably address 80 per cent of enquiries that come in. The standard sales enquiries that we get from our listings and the standard rental enquiries that we get from our tenants could probably all be addressed pretty easily by some really neat technology.”
Davoren underscored that agents should enable voicebot users to opt in to speak to a team member at any point in the enquiry process, should they wish it.
Alongside this, he said he has also dabbled in the use of video generation and translation tools.
“I’m trying to immerse myself in as many pieces of the tech as possible so I can have informed discussions with the group,” Davoren said.
Change mindset to catapult agencies
Davoren eagerly embraces technology and AI, highlighting in a recent REB article that agents who wish to remain successful in the business of real estate must be prepared to “adopt big blue sky innovative thinking” as part of their strategic planning.
Further, he argued that if implementing AI leads agents to improve client connections and interactions and facilitate data-driven insights, it could only benefit them and the wider industry.
Davoren told in the Secrets of the Top 100 Agents podcast that using technology and adopting a mindset of being open to evolution could result in new opportunities for “buttoned down” real estate professionals.
“When I say buttoned down, I mean those that are able to adapt and evolve and introduce new processes,” he explained.
“I also think the agent that sells 50 properties in a year needs to now think of 100 as their new yardstick of what success will be. In short, what I think is that teams will need to be processing more volume to be successful. You’re going to see better agents and better teams get more of their share of the business.
“Ultimately, you can look at that as a threat, or you can say that’s an opportunity for me to be part of that group that’s getting that lion’s share.”
Daveron encouraged agents to stay informed about emerging technologies by exploring content that offers opinions on AI and form their own educated views on emerging technologies, and exercise caution when determining which tools to use in their business.
He concluded: “Curiosity is key. Being open to new ideas and acknowledging mistakes allows businesses to adapt quickly. Empowering team members to make decisions fosters a culture of innovation. Ultimately, staying curious and adaptable will be crucial as we navigate the changes ahead.”
To listen to the full episode of Secrets of the Top 100 Agents with Josh Davoren, click here.
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