Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen
You’ve heard the phrase “there are too many cooks in the kitchen” but visit any high volume restaurant and what do you see? A lot of freakin cooks in the kitchen! Have you ever wondered how so many cooks are accomplishing so much in such a tiny area? It’s because they have a strong leader – their Executive Chef. The Executive Chef is responsible for everything that comes out of the kitchen. They plan the menu, hire and train the staff, distribute responsibilities, proactively spot problems and make adjustments along the way. If you’re a real estate team leader, you my friend, are the Executive Chef.
Equip your Team with the Correct Tools
To have a successful restaurant, you first need a well equipped Kitchen. If you’re gathering leads through online lead generation, you need proper tools to work those leads. Just like you won’t see a chef chopping a salad with a spoon, you shouldn’t see your agents working online leads with paper and pen. If you’re using BoomTown, then congrats! You’ve got this one down. Not only do you have a powerful website that fosters lead registration, you have the correct tools for nurturing those leads.
Train your Staff and Assign Responsibilities
Now that you’ve got your kitchen, it’s time to hire, train and assign responsibilities. While kitchen staff members might have their own specialties, before they can start work they must prove they know kitchen basics and how the equipment works. You most likely already have training in place for new agents coaching them towards their first transaction, but don’t forget to coach them on how to use your systems! If you’re a Boomtown User, our Training Advisors offer training sessions on each feature of the system at no cost. If you haven’t attended our Classroom Series yet, or if you’d like a refresher, register here.
Once your team members have basic system training down, it’s time to assign responsibilities. If everyone on your team is doing the same thing, it can easily lead to “too many cooks in the kitchen” frustration. Could your team be more effective if they each had specialties? Roles that might be broken out for your team are Lead Scrubbers/ Inside Sales Agents, Showing Assistants, Listing Agents, Buyer and Listing Specialists and Virtual Assistants. If you’re thinking of restructuring your team and would like additional guidance, your Boomtown Success Manager is just a call away!
Accountability
Just as an Executive Chef monitors his team’s performance, so should you. As a team lead in the BoomTown system, you have a transparent view into your agents’ actions. Our accountability tools allow you to “be the boss!” If you’re unfamiliar with those tools, you’ll want to begin with a training course. Next, you’ll want to set a schedule for holding your team accountable and stick to it. Adding it to your calendar can help with follow through. I recommend hosting a team meeting where you share your dashboards and talk about expectations. When callouts are needed in the future, your agents will understand where you’re coming from.
When thinking about your daily routine, remember that if you are always doing a line cook’s job, then you’re not acting as Executive Chef. It’s easy to fall into a pattern of trying to do it all, but your “kitchen” is most effective when your team is empowered. That being said, don’t forget that grunt work gains respect! You’ll often see an Executive Chef join the line during busy times. Pitching in not only helps achieve the desired result, but it serves as a training opportunity. In return, team members are often appreciative that you’ve taken the time to help.
