How a real estate appointment setter can benefit your business

Appointment setters of the BPO industry work in various organizations and diverse capacities. 

Real estate companies farm out staff to schedule appointments between field agents and prospects. These real estate appointment setters have different tasks and are crucial to propping the industry up. 

The rise of the internet has contributed to steady growth in the real estate industry.^[1] E-commerce has now become an excellent field for real estate appointment setters to find success.  

What does a real estate appointment setter do?

A real estate appointment setter can be described as a salesperson who works for a real estate agency. They are tasked with setting appointments for agents to meet with potential clients. 

The job involves:

• Calling prospective buyers
• Introducing the real estate company they work for
• Setting up meetings with field agents to discuss needs
  

This is usually done over the phone or by email.  

Like others in the industry, real estate appointment setters are expected to be professional, friendly, and knowledgeable about the properties being sold. 

They are also often required to perform clerical duties. Updating online listings, answering phones and emails, submitting paperwork, and ordering supplies are some of the tasks normally assigned. 

The role of a real estate appointment setter is critical within the industry. Without them, agents would have no way (or a harder way) to meet with potential clients and make sales. 

Real estate appointment setters are essential, so the rest of the business can move along. 

Must-have skills of a real estate appointment setter 

Real estate appointment setters must accumulate these skills:

Communication skills

Communication skills is the most important asset of a real estate appointment setter. 

They must be able to speak and write clearly, concisely, and in a manner that is easily understood. They also need to listen well and properly respond to any questions or concerns.  

English is the most commonly spoken language in the BPO industry. It’s almost a given nowadays that anyone applying to be a real estate appointment setter has a good grasp of the language. 

Interpersonal skills

You need strong interpersonal skills to be an effective real estate appointment setter.  

The role requires dealing with people from all walks of life (many people buy housing and land, after all). Real estate appointment setters must build relationships with all kinds of customers. 

This means being able to engage in pleasant conversations regularly and having persuasion skills. 

Organizational skills

This ability allows a real estate appointment setter to prioritize tasks and stay focused, including having the discipline to follow through. 

Real estate appointment setters’ success depends mainly on their ability to juggle multiple projects at once, so being organized is essential. 

They sometimes function as virtual assistants, following up with clients, scheduling meet-ups, and keeping track of property listings. 

These appointment setters also communicate with on-site agents and make sure they get paid on time by reaching out to clients for commissions. 

Data entry skills 

Real estate appointment setters are frequently asked for proficiency in data entry. Skill in the Microsoft Office suite or similar applications comes in handy when you need to keep track of a lot of information. 

Aside from typing out documents, real estate appointment setters also fill out other paperwork. They may be required to create reports or presentations with advanced design knowledge. 

Can accept criticism and rejection 

Like any sales role, real estate appointment setters must be able to take criticism and rejection in stride. 

They may not be physically showing people houses, but real estate appointment setters still interact with people who are just as likely to decline them as well as listen to them. 

Experienced real estate appointment setters know that the idea is to weed out the prospects, thus allowing them to focus on a specific portion of the audience. This method actually leads to more sales in the long run. 

As such, sales experience (and the accompanying resiliency from the frequent occupational stress^[2]) is a bonus when employing real estate appointment setters.   

Benefits of employing a real estate appointment setter  

BPO firms like MVP Asia Pacific provide the best real estate appointment setters in the market. With them as your service provider, you can access quality resources along with top talents that will manage your schedule and paperwork on your behalf.

Get to know a few of the benefits of having a real estate appointment setter as part of your team. 

Make use of a different skill set 

Real estate appointment setters are not the same as real estate agents. Employers will find that it will be worth making use of their extensive skill set. 

Real estate appointment setters are excellent resources. It’s especially helpful to the agents who prefer not to spend their time making calls and setting meetings. 

Experienced real estate appointment setters are trained to help you reach out to new potential customers. They also handle many back-office tasks to keep the business running smoothly.

Increases efficiency

Having another staff in the form of a real estate appointment setter means they can take on more work to help you maximize your time. 

A professional real estate appointment setter increases efficiency in several ways:

• Reducing the time it takes to schedule appointments with potential clients
• Avoiding double- and triple-booking appointments (a frequent issue with agents)
• Allowing agents to focus on selling properties
• Providing an additional source of revenue

Cost-effective

Real estate appointment setters cost less than hiring another agent. Their roles are very cost-effective because they bring in leads ready to make a purchase immediately.

This means there is no need for expensive advertising campaigns or marketing efforts.  

Many real estate appointment setters also work on a commission basis. They get paid when they’re successful at setting up appointments, which is an advantage because you’ll have more prospects to convert to buyers. 

Keeps sales pipeline full

Experienced real estate appointment setters will fill up your sales pipeline with qualified leads ready to buy immediately. 

This equates to more sales opportunities for your team, which helps boost income without adding more stress and effort. 

A full sales pipeline is key to moving your company forward. A real estate appointment setter ensures leads are constantly coming in, so you can move on to the next customer even if one doesn’t work out. 

Speeds up the sales cycle 

A real estate appointment setter on your team is very beneficial if you’re looking for a fast sale. 

Not only will they find leads for you, but they’ll also arrange appointments as fast as possible so that your team can complete the transaction quickly. 

The real estate appointment setter knows that a market of people is already looking to buy. Their skills allow them to pinpoint these groups faster to ensure the business is always moving.   

References: 

[1.] Steady growth. Muhanna, W. and Wolf, J., 2002. The impact of e-commerce on the real estate industry: Baen and Guttery revisited. Journal of Real Estate Portfolio Management, 8(2), pp.141-152.

[2.] Occupational stress. Chia, S.M. and Kee, D.M.H., 2017. Factors and Outcomes of Occupational Stress Among Salespeople: The Moderating Effect of Perceived Organizational Support. Advanced Science Letters, 23(8), pp.7833-7837.