As vendor expectations rise, agents and leaders are being urged to cut through data overload, strengthen communication, and use performance insights to build trust, sharpen strategy, and drive results.
With vendor communication taking centre stage in the agent’s toolkit as the market adjusts, agencies should understand the value hidden in the data at their fingertips
Sonar AI CEO and co-founder Damian Merchan said the industry had changed significantly in recent years, with the ability to converse with clients becoming a priority.
“If you’re new to the industry ot have only been in the real estate industry for like five years, you’ve probably never seen such a market where vendor communication has become so necessary,” Merchan said.
When vendors had unrealistic price expectations, and agents needed to make adjustments, Merchan said they should lean on data that supports their position.
While it was important to understand how to utilise it to their advantage, he said the oversupply of data could see agents lose themselves in the numbers.
“I don’t think there is a lack of data problem out there. In fact, it’s too much, and it’s a fragmentation problem.”
“There is an explosion of knowledge that we can access.”
Leaders leverage data
According to Merchan, analysing performance metrics would allow agency leaders to tailor staff training programs and strengthen development.
For example, he said that if an agency could see that an agent was only able to sell 50 per cent of their listings, they could then begin to identify paths to improvement, such as developing stronger vendor management skills.
“If you’re not measuring it, you’re blind. You don’t even know that there is an issue that needs attention.”
He said there was a significant difference between just having the information at hand and understanding how it applied to the situation.
Merchan said that agency leaders should be utilising data to see where they sit in their respective patches.
“Most agents out there know if you’re in the top three, you’re going to get called in, and if you’re not, then you’ve got to work pretty hard.”
“So knowing where you are is really important, and that helps an agency owner train their team.”
Merchan said that while high-performing agents often had a fair idea of where they stood relative to their competition, they could use data to identify areas for incremental wins.
On an individual level
For agents, Merchan said the most important metric to monitor was the health of their pipeline.
He said that building a healthy pipeline began with appraisal opportunities, and agents needed to be aware of it at all times.
“Understanding ‘what do I need in terms of pipeline health to achieve my goals?’ is really important to them.”
Additionally, Merchan said that ensuring they had market data would hold them in better stead with their vendors and develop greater trust.
“What you don’t want is to be caught off guard when a vendor’s got that information, and you don’t because you look unprofessional, you lose credibility, and therefore you lose trust.”
Looking beyond the market, Merchan said agents could analyse their individual performance data to identify recurring points of friction and prioritise adaptations.
Ultimately, Merchan said that while many were looking for a silver bullet to solve their CRM systems, the true solution was far simpler.
“The real answer is the one you use.”
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