Every application service provider shares the same problem - how to get busy agents interested in buying products - especially when the applications appear time-intensive to learn. Realtor.com has come up with a unique solution, thanks to a suggestion by trainer/consultant Michael Russer, AKA Mr. Internet.

Russer has long promoted the idea of real estate professionals using virtual assistants, and has made friendly alliances with organizations such as the non-profit International Virtual Assistance Association (IVAA) and Staffcentrix, a virtual assistant training company.

So, when Mike Long, Homestore CEO wanted to meet with Russer during his now-famous cross-country tour to find out how industry insiders felt improvements to the company could be made, Russer was ready with some ideas.

Russer pointed out the obvious - that Realtors don't want to spend time to learn and tweak online products. This dovetailed with what Long already knew – that the cost of sales was too high. How could he bridge the problem between agent reluctance to invest time in their lead generation packages with the need to keep and generate more sales?

One answer could lay in a newly developing specialty - the Virtual Assistant who specializes in real estate. If the VA could be trained in Realtor.com’s products, agents could offload the tasks of Internet marketing to the VA, and Realtor.com would improve its renewals and attract new business via Realtor.com-trained VAs.

While it isn’t Realtor.com’s intention to replace sales teams with VAs, it is obvious that VAs would make a sturdy bridge between technology service providers and agents who want to use their services but simply don’t have the time.

Russer put Long and his staff in touch with Chris Durst, COO and operating partner of Staffcentrix, which is concentrating on the training of trailing spouses for the Pentagon. The Pentagon has its own “sales” dilemma – service personnel are reluctant to sign up for tours of duty when their trailing spouses may not be able to find work. The solution? Train the trailing spouses in a portable job that they can perform no matter how frequently they move and in the most remote posts. The strategic partnership between Realtor.com, Russer Communications and Staffcentrix was green-lighted.

”Virtual assistants essentially perform the same work that office personnel do,” explains Dan Wool, a Homestore spokesperson. “but they perform those tasks remotely. As independent contractors, they come at a lesser cost than a traditional assistant. They provide increased flexibility.”

So, Realtor.com made a proposal to Staffcentrix that the company could take to the Pentagon. Using Webex, Realtor.com staff would train a series of five virtual assistants at a time to learn all about Realtor.com’s lead generation packages.

”The first class just graduated,” says Chris Durst with Staffcentrix. “Five people are now trained, and the second class starts this week. We are working with the Department of Defense and they are paying us to train their people. Real estate professionals can benefit because Realtor.com has great tools and they don't know how to use them. Realtor.com has a page and lists the names of the folks who have completed this training. The first class was thrilled, and one person has already landed their first real estate client.”

"Clearly one side benefit is an increase in the utilization of our products," says Wool, "but, overall, we feel it's an opportunity to provide busy Realtors with an affordable and helpful solution. When agents are maximizing their effectiveness with Realtor.com, they can provide better experience and service to the potential homebuyer both online and off."

Says Michael Russer, “The use of virtual assistants is an emerging trend in the real estate industry. The Realtor.com program, which helps professionals work less and earn more, is significant and a win for all involved, especially at this time when our military can use all the support we can give them.”

Published: October 15, 2002

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