Independent Contractors Need Love Too:
Showing your appreciation for your agents' achievements is a vital element of retention, but it's not good enough to simply rely on old-school awards anymore. John reveals a winning strategy for recognizing your agents and building a stronger company in the process.
Manager's Memo by John Surge, September 2004
“My agents are independent contractors; I can't get them to do anything.”
Sound familiar? Ever feel this way?
In working with brokers, owners and managers throughout the country, we hear this all the time. It's a defense mechanism that stems from a lack of control and, I would argue, a lack of planning. And, unfortunately, this “they're independent contractors” mentality can pervade much of our management approach if we're not careful.
Nowhere is this more true than in the area of recognition. Recognition and recognition systems must be a key component of any management strategy designed to attract and retain the best agents.
