Judges at the Negotiator Awards have warned estate agents and letting agencies that a lack of data to back up their claims is costing them top scores. Despite highlighting impressive customer service, business growth, and innovative initiatives, many entrants fail to provide the hard evidence needed to support these assertions.
According to organisers, most property firms already possess this crucial information within their existing CRM systems and reporting platforms – think CRM dashboards, valuation reports, pipeline data, Google Analytics, and digital marketing reports. For example, when discussing growth, agents are urged to include year-on-year comparisons of instruction numbers; while those highlighting sales progression improvements should provide specific figures such as reductions in fall-through rates, along with percentage changes and time periods.
Customer service claims can be effectively supported by average Google ratings, review volumes over set periods, or Net Promoter Score (NPS) data. Property and block management firms are encouraged to demonstrate how their systems and processes directly improve outcomes for landlords, tenants, and leaseholders – using evidence from property management software, maintenance systems, resident portals, customer surveys, and compliance records.
For proptech companies and suppliers, judges are prioritising measurable client outcomes over product features. Relevant data here could include client onboarding reports, product analytics, helpdesk metrics, usage dashboards, retention figures, and client testimonials quantifying impacts like time savings or instruction generation after adopting their products.
This renewed focus on data-backed submissions aligns with the industry's broader shift towards professionalisation. As the property sector evolves, there is a growing emphasis on measurable performance metrics across all areas – from lettings and sales to property management.