January 2016
Quality over quantity was a recurring theme in a panel discussion among the leaders of RE/MAX, Better Homes & Gardens and Keller Williams at Inman Connect this morning.
“When am I going to hear the franchise executives say ‘We have the best agents, not the most agents’? host Brad Inman asked to start the 20-minute session at his annual January conference in New York City. “Isn’t that what we should be trying to achieve?”
The RE/MAX model attracted experienced, quality agents from the very beginning, said CEO, Chairman and Co-Founder Dave Liniger, who was joined on the panel by BH&G CEO Sherry Chris and KW CEO Chris Heller.
image-20240102-034052
“Our people average about eight years experience when they join,” Liniger said. “The system’s worked very well for us.”
In describing BH&G’s “consumer-centric” philosophy, Chris credited Liniger with putting the focus on agents, which was revolutionary at the time.
“When RE/MAX launched over 40 years ago, this gentleman had a vision about making agents important,” Chris said of Liniger. “He did a brilliant job of executing on that, and continues to.”
Liniger said that philosophy remains in place today.
“We’re totally agent-centric,” Liniger said, explaining that quality agents create quality experiences for buyers and sellers, ultimately building a brand’s reputation. “If you hire the best agents, you don’t have to worry about customer service. (If you) take care of your agents better than anyone else, you’ll have the best agents and the best customer service.”
In addition to experienced veterans, the RE/MAX network appeals to aspirational Millennial agents who might be newer to the business, Liniger added.
“(Many) Millennials consider themselves entrepreneurial,” he said. “And you can’t get any more entrepreneurial than RE/MAX.”
Written by George White
