Working with referrals

Expectations when it comes to working with household referrals

Initial all duration

• Suggested duration: 7 to 10 minutes for the first call with a referral.

• Helps assess current or future collaboration possibilities.
• Ask questions to gauge seriousness, realistic budget, and buying/selling intent.

Active listening

• Actively listen to the client during the call.

• Set up an appointment to show properties at the call's end.
• Text your contact information to the consumer for easy reference.
• Pause for Live Transfers Best Practices during the video for successful interactions.

First update

• Provide the first update within seven days of referral introduction.

• Accessible through the dashboard; click the green update button.
• Confirm whether you'll be working with the referral.

Follow-up recommendations

• Different leads require varying levels of follow-up.

• Aim to meet clients at their stage in the buying process, including those needing nurturing.

Nurturing leads

• Successful agents focus on nurturing leads rather than releasing.

• If releasing, select the appropriate reason, including unresponsiveness or having another agent.
• If unable to reach the client within seven days, choose "haven't reached yet" without affecting performance.

Referral fee disclosure

• Comply with Canadian regulations by reviewing and signing a referral fee disclosure form.

• Present the form early to acknowledge commission sharing with the household.
• Find provincial-specific forms in the resources section.

Dashboard organization

• Confirmed referrals appear on the Houseful agent dashboard under individual agents.

• Team members' referrals are under the team tab.
• Transfer leads within the team by selecting "assign to" in the referral profile.

Referral restrictions

• Agents outside the Houseful network can't work received referrals.

• Sharing referrals with non-Houseful agents may lead to removal from the program.

Status updates

Monthly updates

• Provide monthly updates on active referrals or when there's any activity.

• Responsive agents with up-to-date referrals are prioritized.

Milestone updates

• Referrals needing updates will display an update button.

• Provide information on listing agreements, offers, or client status accurately.

Release process 

• If unable to work with a client, select "I won't be working with this lead."

• Reserve this option for cases where assistance is impossible now or in the future. 
• Consistent follow-ups maintain relationships, releasing as a last resort.
• Responsive agents nurture clients, avoiding unnecessary releases.

Learn when to update as “no longer working with this referral” here.

Help button

• Click "help" before releasing an unresponsive lead.

• Prompt concierge team assistance to move things forward.

Concierge support

• Household concierge team aids in agent-client relationships.

• Assistance includes contacting unresponsive clients, reassigning released referrals, and more.

Performance tracking

• Track performance with agent stats in the Houseful Agent dashboard.

• Metrics play into the number of referrals offered.
• Various performance metrics include lead offer response rate, first update rate, referral status update rate, showing homes rate, making offers rate, and close rate.

Team performance

• Team stats available by clicking the team button.
• Individual and team performance data assists in improvement.

Successful agents' traits

• Responsive, effective, and customer-focused agents succeed in the Houseful Agent network.
• Consistent communication, updates, and responsiveness contribute to a positive client experience.

Tips to receive and win more leads?

Below are some activities you can do to ensure you're being prioritized in the Houseful matching process. 

• Select service areas - Make sure you have service areas selected in the Houseful Agent Dashboard. To see your service areas, log in to referrals.houseful.ca and select "Settings" in the top right corner. Then select “Account Settings”, and under "Coverage Areas”, you can make any necessary changes.
• Responding to lead offer texts - Fast response to lead offer texts is crucial to winning a lead. Make sure that you have saved a specific ringtone for our phone numbers so that you'll know when you're receiving a text from Houseful! Remember, even if you're not claiming the lead, you should still review their information and select "Decline" so that we can improve our matching process.

Providing timely updates 

Ensure a steady flow of leads by consistently updating your Houseful referrals in the Houseful Dashboard at least once a month, with weekly reviews for accuracy. Text message reminders will prompt you to update referrals nearing or surpassing the due date, so make necessary changes in your dashboard. Keeping your referrals current is vital to maintaining optimal lead volume and success over time.

Building the client relationship using the live transfer Script