Alexander Swart Property's intensive brand building pays off
Category News
Alexander Swart Property, the fledgling company which focuses primarily on Cape Town’s Northern Suburbs, has recently been able to recruit four new agents, all of whom in one way or another had already made a name for themselves in the Cape residential property world. They are:
>Terence and Garth Hewitt, whose move to Alexander Swart Property has already been given considerable media coverage. Terence was MD of the publishing company that produced Property Trader and various well known property-related supplements. Garth, who began his career as a sales consultant at the TygerBurger, rose to become WP Media advertising manager, and his division earlier this year won the award for the Most Profitable Business Unit in Media 24;
> Tanya de Wet, whose association with Andre and Janine Swart goes back to the time when they worked together for Pam Golding Properties (Tanya was with PGP for 18 years in George and Durbanville and subsequently worked for Hillside Properties); and
> Lynette Hendricks, who has now had 20 years in home selling in the Brackenfell area and has worked for Dickson and Busy Bee properties.
Rowan Alexander, Director of Alexander Swart Property, asked the new recruits to list their reasons for joining ASP, and it came as no surprise to find that they mentioned as attractions many of the points which Alexander Swart has previously said they are striving to achieve. The Hewitt brothers said that they had made the move to ASP because it is clearly “more progressive” than other agencies and in their view is seen as successful, dynamic, always busy and on the move. They said, too, that Alexander Swart is more adaptable than “corporate-owned” agencies and can offer great possibilities for growth within the group. The agents at ASP, said Garth Hewitt, feel they are “not just a number but part of the bigger picture”. They recognise that the management is involved at the coalface and give more training and backup than other estate agency leaders, as well as being front runners in branding and marketing the company. Terence Hewitt said that one of the agency’s big advantages is that, as a result of having a stock recruitment division, the new agent from the start has houses to sell and, as the company’s commission is fixed at the outset, is put in a position to earn more. He was complimentary about their use of drone photography to get the best home photos.
Lynette Hendricks testified that she had from day one been “overwhelmed” by the company’s positive spirit and friendly, co-operative atmosphere. Their way of operating, she said, sets them apart from any agency for which she had previously worked in her 20 years in the industry. The company’s contract documentation is, she said, excellent and consumer-friendly. She added that she had always known that it pays to work for the leading agency in any area and in her view Alexander Swart has already achieved this position in Brackenfell and Kraaifontein.
Tanya de Wet said that she had followed Alexander Swart’s progress from their start and had been impressed by their string of successes and the high profile they immediately assumed. For herself, she said, it was a “no-brainer” to make the move to ASP: it was the obvious place for her to be.
Alexander said that he was gratified that these high profile recruits had chosen Alexander Swart.
“We have extensive experience in brand building and promotion and are always active in this field, one of the main aims being to draw to ourselves the best agents. As the Hewitts have mentioned, we have evolved comprehensive agent back-up systems, and we pay a great deal of attention to training. To have succeeded in attracting such top level staff only 18 months after establishing our new brand is highly satisfying. It looks as if what we can offer is what really competent agents are looking for.”
Alexander said that the company has several agents who in their previous careers were rated as average or middle range, but who, after joining Alexander Swart Property, found themselves taking off and bringing in more sales than ever before.
“This, I believe, is due to the support that ASP’s management give their agents. I ask any agents who are thinking of making a change to contact me for a chat.”
Despite the less buoyant conditions in today’s residential property market Alexander Swart Property is, he said, continuing the grow month by month, is aiming for a 50 % increase in sales turnover in the next year and is looking to recruit many more experienced and ambitious agents to join their team.
For further information contact Rowan Alexander on cell phone number 082 581 3116 or by email rowan@asproperty.co.za.
Author: Independent Author
