After an exceptional year with Horton and Garton continuing to be the market-leading seller in West London, the coronavirus lockdown has scrambled both the market and our own independent local business
But coping with this dramatic change and being able to adapt is the difference between a being a successful business and a failure.
Yet failure is not an option at Horton and Garton, so we’re adapting. Viewings have gone virtual, valuations can now be done over WhatsApp and, through FaceTime and phone calls, every client is still receiving the personalised service that we’ve long delivered for our clients.
Digital first
Now that I’ve been working remotely, I’ve been busier than usual supporting both the team and our clients over video conferencing site Zoom.
Fortunately, the team have laptops and smartphones and, with our cloud-based customer relationship management system, we are able to stay ahead of the curve and ahead of the competition.
Even our team meet-ups have gone digital. Last Friday, we attempted our first virtual pub quiz hosted by our sales manager, Martin Clements. After a few teething problems and app hopping, it was communications assistant Autumn Carpenter who finally secured the prize of a lovely bottle of bubbly. The victory was bittersweet for Autumn, however, as the prize bottle is locked in the Hammersmith office. It may be awhile…
Tough decisions
Over the coming weeks there will inevitably be tough decisions to make – for us and our clients.
But with our unparalleled knowledge of the West London property market we’ll keep finding ways to innovate and embrace our new lives as virtual estate agents.
Perhaps, as my son has suggested, we can move into the world of Minecraft and sell the houses he makes there? If you’re interested in a two-storey ranch house with double rooftop gardens, I’ll send you the details. Price negotiable.
