COMMENT
opportunities are being missed. Would better quality staff have missed them? To follow the second principle, managers
need to work hard to establish and maintain high standards of service. Problems occur here because these service standards are not sufficiently clarified and, consequently, not drilled into staff. Too much latitude is allowed. So how do managers want their staff
to behave and how well do managers articulate those standards to their staff? Where businesses suffer high staff turnover, this lack of clarity becomes a major problem as staff are always changing and the culture of the business is diluted.
‘Service standards are not sufficiently clarified and, consequently, not drilled into staff.’
The third and fourth principles are at the
heart of developing a sound business. ‘Tell me how I am doing’ and ‘Help me when I need it’. Many property businesses pay scant attention to this aspect of managing their staff and see no need to waste time in meetings that take time away from front line duties. This attitude definitely supports the culture of seeing staff as a cost and not an asset. When developing managers I ask them how they manage their own time and try to get them to see that time at work can be seen in two parts; maintaining the business and progressing their business. Dealing with the third and fourth
principles means that managers should put time aside to ‘manage’ the business, moving it forward. To manage the business, managers must spend time with staff to let them know how they are doing and helping them to do better. Monthly business reviews should be held to identify the positives of the business and, at the same time, identify ways business can be improved. This should be followed up mid month with planned development activities, such as, observed viewings or
market appraisals. Running a business by ‘maintaining’ things on a daily basis can often overtake any plans to progress the it. If this continually happens can we truly say that the business is being managed? Surely, if progress is made then this has
to be put down to positive market conditions. In today’s market, can any manager afford to not progress their people or business? As the secret shoppers showed business opportunities are missed and the company suffers as a result. My final point has to be that we work in
a fast moving customer facing industry and this is not going to change. So in a tight market who will prosper; a business with loyal competent and skilful staff or one with staff who are looking to move on as they are not being developed or helped? It makes common sense to treat your staff as assets of your business and that both can develop together.
www.bowdentms.com
Any views you’d like to express on this?
www.propertydrum.com/articles/staffapril
The Guild of Letting & Management ...your partner in business
Join us at our annual seminar: Thursday 5th May 10 - 4.30 at the Emirates Stadium London N7 7AJ. Book online now!
The Guild of Letting & Management is a professional membership organisation for all lettings and management firms. There are many membership benefits and full professional support including:
Advice line – quarterly reports provided for multiple offices (terms and conditions apply) Discounted courses and workshops through the Letting Training Centre Competitively priced EPCs through PSG Energy Insurance review service to ensure that you and your clients are protected by BJIC Ltd.
Join us today:
www.guild-let.co.uk Tel: 01992 479949 50 APRIL 2011 PROPERTYdrum
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68