EP 001: The New Way to Look at Your Business!

Stephen: 00:17

THE THRILLING RIDE YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU NEEDED IN REAL ESTATE!

Ladies and Gentlemen, brace yourselves for a rollercoaster of wisdom, excitement, and revolutionary insights! Welcome back to the electrifying ShoreAgents Real Insights Podcast—the nexus of innovation, strategy, and raw, actionable advice in the real estate industry! I'm your host, Stephen Atcheler, the CEO of ShoreAgents, and I'm here to turbocharge your business acumen!

Stephen: 00:43

Are you a business owner in the real estate sector, hungry for out-there ideas? Do you find yourself daydreaming about tech advancements and razor-sharp strategies? Are you a maverick willing to span the globe for talent and resources?

Stephen: 00:56

If you're nodding so hard your head's about to fall off, then oh boy, have you landed in the right spot!

Stephen: 01:02

In our pulse-pounding introductory episode, we cracked open the treasure trove of topics we're going to explore on this adventure of a podcast.

Stephen: 01:11

We barely scratched the surface, and today, we're diving deep, deep down into the abyss of one of the most significant challenges that can unleash havoc on your business—yes, you guessed it—staffing and labor costs!

Stephen: 01:24

But hang tight, because we're not just highlighting the problem. Oh no, we're setting the stage for a paradigm shift that can dramatically supercharge your profit margins!

Stephen: 01:34

So buckle up; it's going to be a wild, enlightening ride that you won't want to miss!

Stephen: 01:39

THE CHALLENGE OF STAFFING COSTS

Staffing costs have long been a pain point for business owners in the real estate industry. The alarming figure that labor can take up to 70% of operating expenses isn't just a statistic—it's a reality that many are grappling with. This mammoth cost can hamstring your business, curtail growth plans, and even push you into the red if not carefully managed. While it may be tempting to cut corners by hiring less experienced staff or reducing the workforce, these short-term solutions often lead to other problems like decreased productivity, poor service quality, and high turnover rates.

Stephen: 02:17

STRATEGIES FOR REDUCING STAFFING COSTS

Variable Staffing Models: Utilize part-time or contract workers during peak business periods rather than hiring full-time employees.

Cross-Training: Equip your existing workforce with multiple skills, allowing you to flexibly assign roles and tasks.

Stephen: 02:35

GOING GLOBAL WITH STAFFING

Broadening your hiring horizons can dramatically reduce these overheads. This is where ShoreAgents shines, providing an offshore staffing solution tailored to the real estate industry. The concept of a blended workforce, combining local and global talents, is revolutionary but straightforward. By outsourcing roles that can be performed remotely—like customer service, data entry, or even some aspects of marketing—you can tap into a global talent pool where operating costs are lower.

Stephen: 03:07

THE BENEFITS OF A GLOBAL WORKFORCE

Cost-efficiency: Significantly lower labor costs in countries like the Philippines.

Skill Diversity: Access to a broad array of talents and skills that may be scarce or expensive in your local job market.

Round-the-clock Operations: Time zone differences can actually be an advantage, enabling you to operate 24/7 without incurring overtime costs.

Stephen: 04:37

AUTOMATION & SOFTWARE TOOLS

Once you've expanded your workforce, the next step is to make it more efficient. Automation tools like Make and Zapier can transform manual, time-consuming processes into seamless, automated workflows. For instance, these tools can auto-generate reports, update databases, and even nurture leads—tasks that would traditionally require significant manual input.

Stephen: 05:02

EFFICIENCY THROUGH AUTOMATION

Task Simplification: Tools can handle repetitive tasks, allowing your staff to focus on complex issues that require human judgment.

Scalability: As your business grows, your automated processes can easily adapt, requiring less incremental effort for each new client or project.

Stephen: 05:24

THE POWER OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Finally, let's delve into the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI). My explorations into OpenAI's ChatGPT since December twenty-twenty two have opened my eyes to its capabilities and limitations. ChatGPT can handle customer inquiries, generate content, and even assist in data analysis, offering you cost savings and efficiency gains that were previously unimaginable.

Stephen: 05:52

AI IN REAL ESTATE: THE FUTURE IS HERE

Automated Customer Service: Chatbots can answer frequently asked questions, freeing up human resources for more complicated queries.

Content Generation: AI can help in generating marketing materials, reports, and even social media posts, reducing the workload on your marketing team.

By understanding its limitations, such as the cutoff in its knowledge base and its current inability to process hyper-local information, you can use AI tools effectively and responsibly.

Stephen: 06:25

FINAL THOUGHTS

As we close out this episode, I'd like to emphasize the power of integration and synergy. The strategies we discussed today—global staffing, automation, and AI—are not just individual paths to efficiency. They're interlocking pieces of a single, overarching strategy to revolutionize how you manage and operate your real estate business.

Stephen: 06:48

THE SYNERGY OF COMBINED STRATEGIES

When you leverage low-cost staffing options, for example, you don't just save money—you gain flexibility and resources to invest in other transformative areas like automation or AI. Your offshore team can be trained to manage and optimize these technologies, ensuring you get the most bang for your buck out of every innovation you adopt.

Stephen: 07:10

LEADERSHIP & STRATEGY

And for you, the business leader, this frees you up to focus on what only you can do: leading with vision, making strategic decisions, and nurturing key relationships. This kind of high-level thinking is what truly differentiates a business and sets it on a path for sustained growth and success.

Stephen: 07:30

So, the key takeaway for today is multi-dimensional. It's not just about cutting costs; it's about reallocating resources smartly to create a well-oiled machine that operates efficiently and adds value at every turn. It's about future-proofing your business, ensuring you're not just keeping up with the industry's evolution but leading the charge.

Stephen: 07:51

Thank you for tuning into this episode of the ShoreAgents Real Insights Podcast. We have a lot more enlightening and empowering discussions coming up in future episodes that you won't want to miss.

Stephen: 08:03

And remember, if you want to stay ahead in this fast-paced industry, the key is to stay informed and be willing to adapt. Keep tuning in, and let's continue this journey to success together.