 As the real estate market in Alberta started rebounding from COVID-19, some proactive agencies are already ahead of the game. Bridge Realty Group a proactive real estate business in Edmonton was incorporated by Travis Bannert, in 2019, after a long and successful career in sales and in real estate specifically within the last five years. Travis declares “I really enjoyed the process of helping people out with selling and buying home.” Which was the genesis of his real estate career, in addition to having an entrepreneurial spirit and inclination to be his own boss. Travis goes above and beyond the call of duty when dealing with people and potential customers. In some cases where the person might be facing financial hardship or have bad credit and does not know what to do or may have received some bad advice and was facing bankruptcy or foreclosure, Travis would step in and helps them with good advice or directs them to a good mortgage broker or a lawyer who help them get their financial affairs in order and save them from financial ruin sometimes. He does that without asking for anything in return, regardless of whether they will eventually enlist his services or not. In many cases, when people do get out of trouble, due to his help, they appreciate his selfless help and end up buying a house from him. That is how good deeds pay you back in buckets. This kind of great customer service has led to his real estate agency to grow by almost 40% every year. So much in fact, that even during the pandemic downturn, business is growing. In fact he is currently interviewing people to hire in his agency. Hoping to have an additional two full time positions by the middle of 2021. His biggest challenge is “trying to make sure that we're not wasting time on tasks that don't help the client and ourselves as well.” Travis puts it succinctly. Cleverly, instead of cutting costs like most realters did, Travis invested more in marketing his business, which helps keep him on top of people’s minds, so when life returns to normal after COVID-19, whatever that normal might be, people will remember him mostly and choose him for their next house. True enough, his plan is now paying big dividends. That is the winners’ way. Some time ago a survey was conducted asking people their opinions on how their experience was when working with realtors. The number one complaint of people with realtors in Canada was that they didn't get Back to them in time. People valued most a prompt response from realtors they worked with. This survey had a big impact on Travis. He vowed never to do that when he became a realtor. True enough, he honoured his vow and has always been honest and gave people the right advice. This is what put him ahead of the curve and gave him his greatest competitive advantage. Travis’s sage advice to other entrepreneurs is: “If you are starting a new business, it will be your #1-time consumer. You need to be available seven days a week otherwise you need to figure out an alternative. Maybe get a partner that can take on some of the load.”  |