|
About CRB Management Issues & Trends
Jim Kinney,
ABR, CRB, CRS, GRI
2009 CRB President
Ginny Shipe, CAE
Chief Executive Officer
Katie Dwyer
Editor-in-Chief/Director of Marketing and Communications
Tel: 800.621.8738
Fax: 312.329.8882
E-mail:info@crb.com
Web:www.CRB.com
Coles Marketing Communications ,
Publication Management
This quarterly publication is available as part of
the Council’s membership package. Archives are available online in the
Members Only section of
www.crb.com.
The Council of Real Estate Brokerage Managers is a
not-for-profit affiliate of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.The
opinions discussed in this newsletter are not necessarily the views of
the Council of Real Estate Brokerage Managers.
|
 At
a time when it seems all aspects of business
are in sharp decline, there is business that continues to grow: the
business of going green. An influx of products and the emergence of
companies and ad campaigns have surged due, in large part, to the
ever-increasing popularity into companies incorporating green
initiatives of their corporate culture. This is also true for the real
estate industry.
An increasing number of property owners are seeking green building
initiatives to reduce their buildings’ impact on the environment, in
addition to making their properties more marketable and profitable. It
only makes sense that a potential buyer or tenant would prefer to
purchase or lease a space that is efficient and costs less to operate.
When it comes to representing these properties, would an owner prefer to
work with a brokerage that is fluent in sustainable building and can
effectively communicate the benefits of sustainable properties? Or would
the owner prefer a brokerage that may not subscribe to green–building
issues?
Clearly, a firm with green initiatives in place will be more
desirable. For a brokerage to represent green buildings and advocate
sustainable development, the brokerage must adopt green policies itself.
There are small, inexpensive steps for a brokerage of any size to take
in order to implement green practices with ease. Some of these steps
will actually reduce the operating expenses of a brokerage, which
include implementing paperless offices, reducing waste and recycling.
Most importantly, to brand your brokerage as a green brokerage, it is
critical that your firm be knowledgeable about green practices and be
involved in your local green community.
One of the first steps to going green is creating an initiative to
reduce paper. Start by converting all incoming faxes into PDF documents
that go directly into the receptionist’s inbox, who can then e-mail the
document to the REALTOR®. Not only does this small step save countless
amounts of unnecessary paper from printing, it also allows for documents
to be confidentially sent to the respective REALTOR®.
In addition, those agents who use devices such as BlackBerrys can
open these documents as soon as they receive the e-mail, allowing for
quicker response time, and your administrative staff will not have to
worry about sorting printed faxes. Most multifunction copier/fax
machines have this option — just ask your IT manager to assist with this
project.
Other paperless initiatives I incorporated into my firm are digital
listing and pending deal files. Our agents download the digital files,
fill out all the required documents, and then e-mail them to
administration so the listing or pending deal can be processed. All of
these files are stored on a company server and are protected by
permissions set by my IT manager. If anyone with credentials needs to
review documents, he or she can easily do so with a few simple clicks,
instead of requesting hard copies.
As we get documents sent in for pending deals, such as escrow letters
and closing statements, we simply scan the file into a PDF and save the
file into the respective folder on the server that corresponds to the
property. Once a file has been closed, expired or cancelled, etc. we
complete the file by compressing all of the documents into a single PDF
binder and archive it.
When it comes to reducing operating expenses and waste, an easy
solution is investing in reusable coffee mugs, eating utensils and
plates. For less than a $100 investment, your brokerage can purchase
eco-friendly dinnerware that pays for itself after a few supply orders.
Next, instruct your cleaning staff to use natural cleaning products.
Most of these products can be found at any local office supply or
grocery store.
And let us not forget about recycling! Implement a recycling plan
that is clearly communicated to those in your office. The last thing you
want to do is sort through a recycling bin removing waste. In my office,
I placed a simple diagram of what can be recycled and what cannot above
the recycling bins. It would also benefit you to do a little research.
In many larger cities, there are recycling companies that will actually
pay your brokerage to pick up your recycled paper or provide bins for
free. These bins are secure, locked and can only accommodate paper.
One of the most important elements of branding yourself as a green
brokerage is to be active in your local green community. Start by
becoming a member of your local U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
chapter and attend the monthly meetings. These meetings always consist
of a healthy mix of green–building professionals, including designers,
architects, property owners, engineers and environmentalists who all
provide a strong referral base and network.
Get in touch with your local Chamber of Commerce and get involved in
as many “green” committees as possible — and if there aren’t any, why
not start one? It also makes sense to align your brokerage with local
green organizations. Be sure to do your due diligence before you
advocate or endorse any organization. Unfortunately, there is a lot of
“green–washing” out there due to the popularity of this growing trend,
so it is important that your brokerage works with legitimate
organizations that are in the industry for the right reasons.
There are many other simple green initiatives that you can easily
incorporate. Purchase recycled and eco-friendly office supplies.
Encourage carpooling and give preferred parking to hybrid vehicles, or
those with TDI (diesel) engines. When printing your next batch of
business cards or stationery, select Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified
paper, use vegetable- or soy-based inks, and work with a printer who is
as eco-friendly as possible.
If your firm can afford it, switch out your toilets with dual-flush
toilets, install hand dryers to eliminate paper-towel waste, use
low-flow faucet fixtures, and install occupancy sensors in rooms that
are only utilized during certain parts of the day, such as your
conference room. And what should you do with your old fixtures? Donate
them to Habitat for Humanity’s ReStores. These stores sell quality, used
and surplus building materials at a fraction of normal costs — proceeds
help local affiliates fund the construction of Habitat houses within the
community.
Of course, some initiatives may be easier to implement than others,
but as a manager it’s important for you to lead the way. To effectively
green your office, it takes careful thought and consideration with
regard to your office environment and company culture. Be prepared for
some initial resistance from your own staff and REALTORS® who may be set
in their ways — this is normal and to be expected. Openly communicating,
implementing and embracing green initiatives should ensure a smooth
transition. Give your Realtors time to adapt, and train them on the new
green policies so there are no gaps in understanding policies and
procedures moving forward. It’s a tough road in the beginning, but in
the end, greening your office will prove to be a very worthwhile
investment.
Susie Glass currently serves as the Vice
President of Marketing for Metro 1 Properties Inc. and heads up the
Metro 1 Green Building Resource Center. In addition to overseeing
marketing efforts, she directs the operations of the firm, from
recruiting and training to brokerage management and public relations.
For more information, visit
www.metro1properties.com.
© Copyright 2009 Council of
Real Estate Brokerage Managers. All rights reserved. www.crb.com
|
