Relationship building delivers results for New Zealands top sales agent
Wednesday 3 June 2009, 10:51AM
By Bayleys Realty Group
525 views
Despite the economic environment, media doom-and-gloom and the lowered confidence surrounding the real estate industry in 2008-2009, the just-announced Number One Salesperson for Bayleys nationwide across all sectors - Mike Fraser-Jones of Bayleys Waikato’s country team - has had an excellent year.
Mr Fraser-Jones has held the award for Bayleys Realty Group’s Top Country Salesperson five times, and has consistently been in the top echelon of salespeople across the sectors each year. Modest about taking the overall top spot for the year, he says he has always focused on getting the best result for his clients and ensuring they are armed with the right information to make an informed decision.
“My business is based on building relationships with my clients and that involves spending a good deal of time with them. They need to be able to trust me and understand that the information and advice I give them is honest, current and in their best interest,” says Mr Fraser-Jones who accepted the accolade recently.
Recognising and appreciating that clients are unsure about what’s really happening in the market is important and he says spending time with these people to give them guidance is essential.
“I am an ardent listener – God gave us two ears and one mouth for a very good reason – but I am not afraid to tell people exactly where it is at, even if they may be offended. The truth may hurt, but it is crucial to give good advice not just any advice. Sometimes as salespeople it is not easy to impart bad news, but it is imperative we keep our standards and ethics high, are honest and consistent.”
Reluctant to single out any one highlight of the last sales year, Mr Fraser-Jones says he gauges the success of his business on “happy and satisfied clients and smiling people” and adds that every deal – be it easy or tough to get together – is important to his overall business.
Generous in his praise of the team he works with saying that their skills, loyalty and commitment have contributed hugely to his award-winning ways, Mr Fraser-Jones says every part of his real estate business is about developing good relationships with people to achieve his goals.
After 14 years in the business, Mr Fraser-Jones is proud to have built up a loyal clientele and a strong personal presence in the rural real estate world. Throughout his real estate career, however, he has continued to own and operate dairy farms in the Morrinsville area and this has kept him at the coal face of the farming industry allowing him to empathise with his clients.
“As a farmer myself, I understand where the hurt is coming from. Like my clients, I have overdrafts and mortgages and in these times you have to watch your costs very carefully. With a farming operation, however, you can’t completely cut your costs but it is prudent to be cautious in the current tight economic environment,” says Mr Fraser-Jones.
“I remain very positive about the outlook for the farming sector, though, as we’ve had tight patches before and we have come through them. But in recent years we enjoyed huge highs and now it has come back to earth with a bang. There has been a sharp reversal in fortunes for product prices - through no fault of the farmers – however, this is a reality check that had to happen. I suppose we just didn’t expect it to decline so quickly,” he says.
“There is still activity in the market and there is still plenty of opportunity out there. The smart people are taking those opportunities. It would be easy just to look at the negatives in the country market – but I know the sun will still come up tomorrow morning. You just have to roll with the punches.”
National country manager for Bayleys, Richard Graham, says it is testimony to the strength of the country team throughout New Zealand that Bayleys has grown its business in the rural and lifestyle sectors and increased market share despite the trying economic times.
“We now have over 180 rural and lifestyle salespeople covering the length and breadth of New Zealand with the country sector making a significant contribution to the overall Bayleys real estate operation. The power of the Bayleys network is invaluable, especially when the market goes through an adjustment, as our national and international connections come to the fore and our extensive databases enable us to work with motivated buyers and sellers,” says Mr Graham,
“We know we can’t change the market, but Bayleys is continually innovating to ensure that we are at the forefront of the industry regardless of what the economy is doing. It’s a huge boost to the country team to have Mike Fraser-Jones take out the Top Salesperson position for Bayleys this year, following in the successful footsteps of country salesperson Geoff McBride of Bayleys Canterbury who took out the honour last year.
“With Mike’s colleagues Paul O’Sullivan and Ian Morgan - also from the Bayleys Waikato office - taking second and third place overall for Bayleys, it shows that the country sector is still in very good heart,” says Mr Graham.