A big worry for agents around this time is, what happens to the enquiries from interested applicants and leads that might come in over Christmas? With a lot of free time on people’s hands, your agency is likely to receive a ton of them. In fact, Boxing Day is said to be the busiest day for people searching for listed properties. If these enquiries aren’t dealt with quickly and appropriately, your agency could be missing out on valuable sales and instructions - two things agents rely on to start the new year off strong.

However, there is a solution that means you and your colleagues can enjoy a much-needed break, but also return to plenty of hot leads when the office opens again in 2022. The secret is investing in smart tech over the upcoming season. This will ensure consumers can still book in for viewings, instruct your agency, confirm and manage appointments and more - all while your team is enjoying the Yuletide.

As for the rest of 2022, smart tech will empower your team to achieve more yet do less and give them more time to deliver an unforgettable consumer experience, without having to double the headcount. It’s not wizardry; continue reading to find out  how you can achieve it.

Allow consumers to book straight into your diary

Prevent your agency from losing leads when the office is closed or operating on skeleton staff with instant online appointment bookings. Put simply, this modern  service will secure any potential leads and ensure they don’t lose interest from having to wait for a response.

The best CRMs allow agencies to pre-approve appointment slots, so you maintain complete control over your diary. That means an applicant won’t book an appointment when you’re not open over the festive period or double book your agents that are attending other appointments.

And after the festive period is over and you’ve got your entire workforce back in branch, your team will gain back hours of their time which was once spent handing viewing enquiries and chasing vendors for a confirmation.

Forget about sending confirmation messages

So, you’ve got applicants booking in viewings whilst you’re enjoying mulled wine and mince pies… but that’s no good if the vendor isn’t informed!

Luckily, next-generation CRM systems like Street.co.uk take care of the communication even when your office isn’t open - meaning the entire process of booking, relaying and confirming appointments is handled automatically. Without having to lift a finger, you'll be keeping everyone in the loop and doing everything possible to guarantee applicants convert into clients.

Give clients access to information on-demand

You don’t want your clients to get frustrated by the lack of communication over the festive period... that could minimise your chance of receiving personal recommendations and growing a loyal client base.

There is a way to stop any of this: an online client portal. This functionality allows clients to self-serve by viewing any outstanding paperwork, completing any required actions relating to their move, and accessing important information on-demand. In turn this would reduce demand on your agents (who are likely to be unavailable over the holidays ) and keep the ball moving on your clients' moves.

Automatically guide clients on sales progression

A live sales tracker gives clients total transparency over what is likely to be the largest financial transaction of their lives. It informs buyers and sellers of the next steps in the sales process and even explains the action that’s required. Not only will a CRM feature like this help to speed up transaction times and reduce fall throughs, it’ll help to reduce the need for agents to chase clients and answer questions about what comes next - especially great for when staffing is reduced over  Christmas.

Smart CRMs like Street.co.uk will keep your agency running itself over Christmas, so your team will return refreshed and ready for the new year with a strong pipeline of leads. By automating admin processes, allowing clients to self-serve online, and letting consumers book appointments online, you can keep sales progressing nicely, secure more instructions and ensure clients remain satisfied - all while enjoying the Christmas holidays. Sounds like the perfect solution, doesn't it?