Despite uncertainty over Brexit, house prices rose by 1.4% in 2019 and many industry professionals are predicting that people who held off selling or buying in 2018 and 2019, will make their move in 2020. The desire to own a home remains strong in the UK, with 89 per cent of millennials ambitious to achieve this goal, regardless of the challenges they may face.
The growing housing market is great news for property developers who should see continued — and possibly increasing — demand for their services. However, growing demand means that property professionals must plan their time with care to ensure high standards of customer service are maintained and opportunities are not missed.
Property developers have a wide range of tasks and responsibilities to juggle from liaising with customers and suppliers to ensuring that processes comply with relevant regulations and legislation. In addition, there are plenty of daily tasks that do not require their expertise but must be completed reliably and consistently. A virtual personal assistant (virtual PA) can be left to manage essential day-to-day tasks allowing property professionals to focus on managing and growing their property portfolio.
We’ve put together our list of the top eight tasks property developers should delegate to a virtual PA to help them effectively manage their workload and consistently meet targets. Imagine a workday where all of this was taken care of for you — think of what you could achieve!
Diary Management
Effective diary management is at the heart of successful property development. A virtual PA can schedule appointments, arrange viewings and set up meetings to fit with your existing diary commitments. Never miss an important business meeting or lose out on an opportunity because you were unavailable to book an appointment.
Order Processing
Provide your virtual PA with a list of required resources — be that construction materials or office supplies — and leave them to manage the ordering process. This can be an invaluable service for property developers who are “on the road”. If a need is identified on-site or in a meeting, you can avoid the hassle of ordering while away from the office — and reduce the risk of forgetting to place an order — by sending the details direct to your PA. They can also monitor the progress of orders and resolve any issues, delays or errors.
Identify New Opportunities
Task your PA with researching new trade shows, events and potential properties. This research can be a time-consuming task and one a virtual PA is capable and qualified to complete on your behalf. They can create a list of potential opportunities with all the key information detailed ready for you to consider and progress with.
Sales
According to the “rule of 7”, a prospect needs to interact with a company seven times before they can be considered a warm lead. A virtual PA can follow up with prospects and nurture them until they are ready to book a meeting or schedule a call with the property developer. They can turn leads into customers and help build a network of contacts necessary for business success.
Payment Processing
Effective management of finances is crucial to the success of any business. A virtual PA can be trusted to process payments and maintain the necessary records. They can also pursue overdue payments and resolve any other issues as they arise, saving you the headache!
Data Management
As technology has advanced, data has become “the new gold” in the property industry. Collecting the right data and correctly interpreting it can allow property developers to spot new trends and growth opportunities quickly. A virtual PA will enter, organise, protect and analyse data. They can also ensure the business complies with regulations relating to data security and protection.
Customer Support
A virtual PA can provide valuable customer support when other staff members are unavailable. They may not be able to resolve every issue immediately. Still, they are well-qualified to signpost relevant sources of help, schedule follow-up calls or meetings and calm clients who may be frustrated or upset. The importance of responding quickly to customers cannot be overstated. A virtual PA can help to maintain the highest standards of customer service even during peak times.
Market Research
Market research is becoming increasingly important in the property sector. If you want to dominate a particular niche, a virtual PA can conduct a data outreach campaign to elicit all the statistics required to give your business a strong case. They can also research potential new markets and their viability.
2020 looks set to be a healthy year for the property sector, with increasing stability and consumer confidence growing after several years of political and economic uncertainty. A virtual personal assistant is a cost-effective solution that can help property developers to effectively manage their workload, allowing them to focus on business growth and success.
