Friday, August 25, 2017

Why Your Employees Need A Real Estate Policies And Procedures Manual And Management Guides

By Sarah King


The most successful companies have standard set rules and regulations for employees and managers that clearly outline exactly what is expected of them. When new people are hired into the company, they should receive packages with the information and be instructed to read them thoroughly. If you own a realty business, and don't have set rules and regulations for salespeople and staff, you can purchase a suggested real estate policies and procedures manual and management guides that are readily available online.

These packages have been vetted by professionals in order to make sure everything is covered. You certainly can, and should, personalize the contents to meet your needs and business situation however. This is especially true when you are in the realty business and have a combination of paid employees and independent contractors who are commissioned salespeople.

In order to make the manuals as user friendly as possible, most are packaged as loose leaf binders, so each business owner can add and remove pages. The most effective manuals are written with brief bullet points and numbered lists to make reading them easier than those written in paragraph style. Tabs make it easy to find individual topics.

For realty businesses, it is very important that everyone who works for the company clearly understands the meaning of antitrust laws. Company policy regarding this subject should be at the front of your manual. If anyone in the company implies in any way that your commission structures meet area standards, or that they are charging the standard commission set by area companies, severe penalties and fines could result.

The principle Broker makes decisions when it comes to the percentage the company charges clients. Everyone needs to understand what the policy is and know they are not allowed to deviate from that without the express permission of the Broker. Some companies reduce commissions when a sale price reaches a certain level. Some offer lower commissions on commercial properties and higher ones on residential properties.

If you choose to enforce a dress code for your office and for your salespeople when they are out in the community, you need to put it in writing. Young employees may not have enough experience to know what constitutes appropriate office apparel, and your independent contractor salespeople may think the rules do not apply to them. All of your employees represent your company, and their appearance is part of that.

Most salespeople hate to make cold calls or service calls to their current clients. If it is your policy that salespeople keep in regular contact with the clients whose property they have listed, your manual should say so. Managers who require salespeople to set aside a certain amount of time on the phone with potential clients should specify the particulars in writing.

It is good policy to let employees and independent contractors know what you expect of them. There is less chance of misunderstanding if you put those rules in a manual available to everyone. You will more successful if you and your employees are on the same page.




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