White Glove Approach in a World of Artificial Intelligence
The way we approach servicing transferees has undergone significant changes over the years. The same applies to how we interact with our business sources. Back in the day (I know that makes me sound ancient), my relocation staff would receive an authorization for a new prospect via email or a phone call. The source would provide us with a wealth of details about that customer’s wants and needs. Our counselor would then pick up the phone and have a lengthy call with the prospect or their partner/spouse to discuss their wants and needs, aiming to gain a better sense of how to match them with the best agent in the best area. We would look for signs of distress or anxiety that weren’t reflected in the information sent over. It was a manual and thoughtful approach that led to successful moves and happy transferees. And maybe some of you are still doing this when the stars align.
Now, many referrals are dumped into a portal with minimal information about the prospect. I get it, relocation management companies (RMC) consultants carry heavy file loads. The transferees are often challenging to connect with, and it is incumbent upon them to actually read their benefits package or be effectively counseled on it.
How have we evolved?
Not only are the RMCs and corporations understaffed, but most service providers in our industry are as well. The volume of moves is down, so the leaders of the organizations who trimmed back during Covid have never fully evaluated how many staff members they really need in today’s environment. And maybe the fact that we have better technology, which offers more support and less manual entry, means we should be able to manage.
However, many RMCs now have their own portals, adding complexity to referral management. Each has its own forms, specific training, and metrics. In an effort to stand out, those who control the business have made the process significantly more complex in many ways. And the margins are much thinner.
When the lack of connection hurts.
In an effort to save on manpower, some sources use auto-routing to ‘match’ the customer with the best agent according to the algorithms of skills and performance. Many customers don’t want to talk on the phone, so no counseling call takes place. The assigned agent may be the first point of contact from the brokerage. After all, speed to lead is a thing. In an Amazon overnight delivery world, people seem to want faster, more than they want thorough. Our attention spans and level of patience have definitely taken a hit.
Speaking of technology, here is what ChatGPT had to say about using a manual approach to referral placement:
Hand-Selected Agent Referrals:
Higher Success Rate (typically 60–80%)
Tailored Matching – Agents are chosen based on experience, specialization, language, client type, or location match.
Accountability – There's usually a personal connection or vetting process, which motivates better performance.
Higher Conversion – Referred agents are more engaged because they were specifically chosen.
Client Trust – Clients feel more confident when their agent was recommended by someone who knows both parties.
Auto-Routed Referrals (via platforms or relocation systems):
Lower Success Rate (often 25–50%)
Generic Assignments – Agents are selected based on availability, coverage, or rotation—not necessarily fit.
Lack of Warm Introduction – Clients may not feel a connection or commitment to the assigned agent.
Inconsistent Follow-Up – Auto-assigned agents may not prioritize the lead, especially if it came from a queue.
Limited Oversight – No personal vetting, so quality can vary significantly.
I couldn’t have written that better myself. So what automation delivers is prospective transferees who have not been adequately counseled on their benefits package or the area. And they are assigned to an agent who may not be a good fit for them. They are getting their information from the internet or their coworkers. Both of those are risky. Many are winging it under the lump sum package they have been offered. The transferee may crowdsource a cheap mover to save money, but somehow it becomes the RMC’s fault if they suck, since the RMC is the entity responsible for ‘managing’ the move.
But who suffers and who benefits?
We can’t make a transferee pick up the phone. Unless we can help them understand the value of discussing the area they may be moving to, we won't be able to assist them effectively. Instead, they choose some agent who has made a silly TikTok video or one of the many agents with 5-star online reviews (not super hard to manipulate). Is that what it has come down to? They are willing to let the internet decide an agent’s reputation and whether they are a fit for them.
The average consumer is unaware of what makes a great agent. So they might be inclined to use someone they have seen online or in local marketing. And someone moving to a new area definitely doesn’t know what makes a great relocation agent. They typically don’t even know the best real estate firms. A recent survey from 1000Watt said that “Two months ago, we asked recent sellers what was most difficult about choosing an agent. 47% said, “I didn’t really know what to look for in an agent.” And there you have it.
What if we really defined what excellence in real estate and relocation looks like?
There is an opportunity here. People typically don’t need a real estate agent, but every 13 years, which is significantly longer than the historical average (1985–2008) of around 6–7 years. So it’s not like it is on their radar until the need arises. That’s why figuring out how to get the attention of the transferee or your local buyers and sellers long enough to help them understand the value your company and your team agents bring is critical.
What value can you bring? How are you different? How can you create a holistic real estate strategy that meets all of their needs? Every brokerage and department has a unique value proposition. If you don’t, then create one. And that also means ensuring your real estate team is the best of the best. I know it’s harder these days with referral fees so high to get the best agents to get on the relocation bandwagon. And while we need to match the agent with the transferee as best we can, we also must use agents who can convert and complete a BMA like a rockstar, and do their updates on time. They must also have the temperament, patience, and empathy required for this type of business. You feed them too much, and they get complacent. You don’t give them enough, and they don’t value the opportunities. It’s not about high producers, it’s about agents who really want to help people relocate and are willing to do what it takes to achieve that.
If only the corporations with a vested interest in a fabulous transferee experience understood what I just said. Facilitating referrals and managing an agent team for the best outcome is a lot of work. Most mobility managers are still blissfully unaware of the horrific amount of money paid in referral fees to the RMCs. When the RMC stands to make more on a transaction than the actual agent doing all of the work and bearing all of the risk, you know there is a problem. But that gripe is for another blog.
Back to how a relocation department can really deliver white glove service.
With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, specific manual tasks will all but go away. That means we can potentially eliminate lower-level personnel who perform those tasks and focus on hiring individuals who are more skilled in building business development strategies and possess critical thinking skills. That means a greater focus on growth and relationships, and less on reactionary tasks.
So, what I am about to say may sound counterintuitive. We need to utilize more automation and AI to deliver a more personalized service. But it must be done strategically to the benefit of all parties.
As an industry, we must find a way to capture the transferee's attention early in the process, letting them know that we understand our role and are committed to providing them with an amazing experience. Particularly those working with a lump sum package. We need to offload all the manual updates, data entry, spreadsheets, unimportant emails, etc., that eat up our day. Spend more time establishing true trusted partners, such as various home services providers, utility hook-up services, and anything that is needed before, during, and after the move. And stay in touch with them since we know that agents aren’t great at doing that. Create clients for life.
I listened to a webinar the other day with a broker-owner, Amy Stockberger, from South Dakota. She created a ‘lifetime home support’ program. Once a customer buys and sells through her company, they have access (for life) to rent tables, chairs, a moving van, tools, and items like carpet cleaners for FREE. Now, I am sure that was a significant financial investment in money, space, and manpower. But it is brilliant. Her clients come back again and again and engage with her company. She has created a stickiness that is not transactional. She has decided to serve her clients authentically and meet them where they have a need that is outside of a real estate transaction. I am not suggesting that every brokerage take on a monumental project such as this, but there are smaller steps we can take to show our clients we care and will continue to care about them after the close of escrow.
Delegate, delete, and defer.
Ask yourself, “Is what I am about to do going to help the transferee/customer? Does it help us generate more business or a higher conversion rate?” If the answer is no, then defer, delegate, or delete. Spend your day figuring out how we can meet every single need that a relocating family may have (local, cross-country, or international). It means working with the sources of business to ensure that transferees understand the value your department and agent can offer when there is a good match. Whether it's through developing resources, training your agents, or making an extra effort to connect with each prospective customer personally, we have to figure out a way to set ourselves apart. Sometimes we must embrace technology to deliver what really matters…personalized service.
