Residential real estate giant Re/Max has launched a coaching program in Canada for its brokers, owners, managers and recruiters. This is being done to help them attract and retain the best real estate agents and maintain the company’s standing as a leader in transactions.

Ben Fairfield, vice president of recruiting and retention for Re/Max, says the Max/Recruit program began in the United States last year and could expand to other countries beyond Canada.

Building on top-producing agent talent

“We have the top-producing agents in the world for productivity so we want to build on that. We don’t want to rest on our laurels. So how do we support our broker/owners?” Fairfield poses. “Not only on how do they get more of those people but how do we make all of our people continually more productive?”

These questions are what formed the thought process behind the program. “It was really a complete system,” he explains. “Coaching was a big part of it but it’s arming them and equipping them with what they need to do this process a little bit differently.”

Top objective: Staying number one

Fairfield says the company’s number one objective continues to be performing at number one in every market it serves. This is something it’s doubling down on.

“In Canada, we have that currently but we also know if we get complacent we can lose that very quickly. So, we want to make sure that we’re number one in every market we serve regardless of country,” he says.

“That’s the number one objective and the way we do that is by helping our brokerages continually attract the top-producing agents in any of the markets they’re in.”

‘You want to play better golf, you play with better golfers’

Transactional count is the first focus for Re/Max, and the company knows that successful people want to be with other successful people.

“Especially at times like this when there’s a lot of chaos and noise, (agents) want to be a part of an office that’s thriving and growing and full of like-minded, top-producing agents. Steve Murray coined the term ‘the silver tsunami’, (meaning) a lot of the industry is beginning to age out,” he says. “Just because we have that dynamic in our offices today doesn’t mean that we automatically will next year.”

Fairfield points out it’s about getting ahead to ensure the company continues fostering the top-producer environment its agents are looking for. “They want to be with people that do more business. It stretches them. It challenges them. You want to play better golf, you play with better golfers. That’s really the concept we’re pushing on, making sure that our offices continue to be that environment.”

Canadian expertise and perspective

There are more than 26,000 Re/Max real estate agents in Canada and more than 900 broker/owners. Currently, the coaching program is solely for broker/owners, team owners, managers and recruiters.

“Agents are our next evolution … We’re going to roll out the ability to do one-on-one coaching for our agents as well, really focusing on the Re/Max model and tools, coaching to what they have available to them,” adds Fairfield.

Kelley Skar, realtor with Re/Max Kelowna and Max/Recruit coach for Canada, was one of the first coaches hired for the program. He’s been in real estate for 17 years, first in Calgary and now Kelowna, and has been coaching officially and unofficially since 2013. 

Helping to solidify the broker/owner’s value proposition

Skar says the direct benefit to the agent in coaching the broker is helping to solidify the value proposition, not of just the brand and the company but also of the individual broker/owner.

“Far too often we’ve seen in our business that it’s incredibly difficult for some broker/owners to verbalize and articulate what it is they bring to the table. That’s part of what we’re trying to do with Max/Recruit in helping them realize that value, so they can then properly train, coach and mentor the agents. That’s really the downhill effect and trajectory,” he explains. 

Getting the word out

Skar mentions there are multiple channels leveraged through the company’s network to get the word out about Max/Recruit, but that it’s a slow build. “We’re slowly building this company inside of the Re/Max network (and) getting the word out as much as we possibly can through other industry events.”

As for the process to get started with Max/Recruit coaching, Skar explains: “If a broker is interested in coaching with us, then we jump into a discovery call to determine what their needs are and if they’re going to be a right fit for coaching. (If so), we get them to enroll and it’s a minimum six-month commitment.”

A holistic approach fit to each user’s needs

Skar says they’re taking a holistic approach to the program and try not to fit anybody into a box. 

“We’re not trying to shoehorn someone into a system. We really want to listen to the broker network and understand what their needs are. From there, we can craft and formulate a coaching plan that’s going to fit not only their needs but also their behavioural profile and their styles.”