Agent Adoption: Celebrating Small Victories

We all know that getting agents to use technology tools is a difficult challenge. Many times, agents will adopt technology when it is proven to bring them more business, and it will alleviate extra work, such as paperwork.

All too often, I see a company make progress getting a CRM or other tech system adopted, then slow down when it comes to promotion. This is a constant challenge and takes a commitment from the top down to prove to your agents that a new technology will make their job easier in the long run. The old saying, "no pain, no gain" is never more evident than with agent technology.

Agent Adoption

Three of the best ways to get agents to use their technology are to:

1. Offer incentives. Some examples of this are to keep track of logins and activity, then create a wall of fame for those using it. Monitor key metrics such as contact size, email volume or any performance based metric you can find to know if agents are using the system. Then, offer rewards. Small performance fees, centered around productive tasks that increase ROI, may be worth a periodic payout.

2. Celebrate every victory. I can't tell you how many times we at REAL Trends Tech Consulting have heard the following:

• We just closed a sale from an automated email or was a direct result of the CRM.
• We just got a new listing from someone who surfaced in our CRM. We had no idea this person was interested.
• Agent X is doing something cool and unique with technology and, because of it, his productivity has increased.

The average broker congratulates these agents with a pat on the back. Don't do that. These small victories need to be celebrated and recognized. Make the announcement and congratulate them in front of others.

3. Show the value on the bill. I know numerous brokers who pay for the agent technology. The agents opt not to use any of those services. Those agents need to be aware of the value you are offering them. I suggest you spell out all the technology systems you provide on their monthly or annual bills. Then, balance that information with credits, so agents can see the true value they're receiving from your hard work. Constantly reminding them of this will get them more involved, and they will cherish the opportunities you give them.

This article originally appeared on the REAL Trends Blog. Reprinted with permission of REAL Trends Inc. Copyright © 2014