Picture this: You start each day with a clear plan. You’re not bogged down by paperwork or unclear tasks. Your clients get quick, professional service. You have time to build relationships and grow your business. Best of all, you can switch off work when you get home and enjoy your personal life.
Sound too good to be true? It’s not. Besser & Co-Founder Dion Besser explains.
Why do some agents thrive while others stall, even when they’ve been in the business for the same length of time?
My journey in real estate has taken me from Melbourne to the UK and back again.
It was my time in the UK that opened my eyes to the power of well-organised systems and structured processes.
I returned to Melbourne with a vision: to create an agency where agents could thrive without drowning in administrative chaos.
The Time-Wasters Holding Agents Back
As agents, we juggle countless responsibilities. While essential, these tasks can become repetitive and time-consuming, impacting our energy and efficiency.
Some common inefficiencies I’ve experienced include:
- Manually entering data
- Using too many different communication tools
- Unclear work processes
- Excessive administrative work
If not addressed, these things can become ‘silent assassins’ – burning you out and making you question why you got into real estate in the first place.
The UK Experience
In the UK, I witnessed firsthand how structured processes allowed agents to start each day clearly and purposefully.
One particular system that stood out was their approach to client communication.
Every interaction was logged, every promise tracked, and every process transparent.
This not only improved efficiency but also dramatically enhanced client trust.
Bringing this ethos back to Melbourne wasn’t easy.
It meant completely overhauling our existing systems and challenging the “that’s how we’ve always done it” mentality. But the payoff has been immense.
“How can I help?”
Growth and change usually aren’t all smooth sailing.
Our complaints skyrocketed as we quickly expanded from managing 400 to 1,200 properties.
This was tough but led to one of our most successful initiatives: the “Property Management Doctor” project.
If you’re familiar with the TV show “New Amsterdam,” you’ll recall how the incoming chief of staff, Dr. Max Goodwin, steps in to manage a seemingly chaotic ER.
His leadership style can be summed up in one simple question which he would regularly ask of his team members: “How can I help?”
Inspired by this, we started asking our team members the same question, “How can I help?”
As part of this project:
- We had our receptionist (we call them our “host”) document every single complaint.
- We grouped these complaints into five main categories.
- We kept asking “why” until we found the root cause of each issue.
- We diagnosed and fixed our three biggest problems immediately.
- We continuously monitored our progress and made iterative changes.
The results were game-changing. Complaints dropped sharply.
But even better, it transformed our receptionist role from a passive call-taker to an active problem-solver.
Other members of our team also began to approach challenges with the same “How can I help?” attitude, improving both client satisfaction and staff morale.
To this day, we still monitor every single complaint. But more importantly, we have created a culture where complaint reporting is not something to be ‘feared’ but a show of support for our PMs and their jobs.
The “Culture Collective”
Creating a workplace culture where everyone can perform at their best is equally important in our business.
We recently formed a “Culture Collective” – a group of six team members from various levels of the organisation who help shape how we work together.
This means everyone, from our newest team members to our top earners, has a say in how we run things.
This has made our staff happier, helped us retain good people, and made it easier to attract top talent.
Leveraging Technology for Success
Of course, technology is a necessary part of providing efficiency to our agents. Here’s a glimpse into our current tech stack:
- Box and Dice: Our central database and client management system
- RiTA: For intelligent prospecting
- Trello: For streamlined file management
- Property Tree: For trust accounting
- Inspect Real Estate: For efficient scheduling
- Bricks and Agent: For seamless maintenance management
- Calendly: For hassle-free appointment booking
- Typeform: For user-friendly online quotes
Each of these tools reduces manual work, improves communication, and enhances service delivery.
The Benefits of Better Systems
These changes have made a significant difference:
- More time for what matters: We spend more time building relationships and closing deals.
- Happier clients: We respond faster, leading to more satisfied clients and more referrals.
- Better work-life balance: We can enjoy our time off without worrying about work.
- A more united team: Clear processes mean less confusion and better teamwork.
- Room to grow: We’ve taken on more clients without getting overwhelmed.
Looking to the Future
As we look ahead, our goal is to continue refining our processes, embracing new technologies, and, most importantly, nurturing our team.
We have big goals this financial year, but more than that, we want to be known as the agency where clients and agents thrive.
A Brighter Future in Real Estate
Remember, this isn’t just about making more sales (though that will probably happen).
It’s about getting your time back, reducing stress, and remembering why you got into real estate in the first place.
For me, it meant more time with my family and renewed excitement about helping clients.
By streamlining how we work, we’ve freed ourselves to focus on what really counts: building relationships and helping people find great homes.
If you’re ready to transform your work and rediscover your passion for real estate, start by asking your team, “How can I help?”
The answer might just improve your business.
