Customers are least likely to offer word-of-mouth recommendations of estate agents than any other property firms.
Twenty property-related services were put by pollsters to 1,000 members of the public.
They were asked which they had used, and whether they would recommend the company.
Although more people had used estate agents than anyone other than solicitors – 63.9% had used agents and 65% had used solicitors – only 48% of users would recommend their agents, whereas 59% would recommend their solicitor.
A high proportion of those quizzed (63%) had used plumbers. Out of these customers, 71% would recommend the plumbing firm.
Painters, builders, decorators, mortgage brokers, double-glazing fitters and pest controllers all did better in the word-of-mouth stakes than agents, which came bottom.
The poll was carried out on behalf of online estate agency comparison website SellingUp.
Oliver Lewis, director of SellingUp, which features prices and reviews of online agents and also offers money-off vouchers, said that while some of those polled will have used online agents, the proportion would have been very low, and the large majority would have been high street firms.
He said: “The discovery that the majority of people who have used an estate agent would not recommend them to family and friends is a new low for traditional high street firms already struggling with their industry’s reputation.
“This result will provide fresh ammunition for the new wave of online estate agents that claim to be able to deliver as good or better service levels at a fraction of the fees.
“What will be hard for high street agents to take is that this finding is not simply rhetoric from online rivals, it’s independent customers providing genuine feedback on their experiences.
“The precise reasons why estate agents performed so poorly in this poll is not certain, however. It could be dissatisfaction with the service provided, or a resentment of paying a large commission, or a maybe a combination.
“Either way, this survey should be a wake-up call to traditional estate agents if they want to survive in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”
The SellingUp website’s reviews of online agents are overwhelmingly positive, with all of them automatically fed on the site by Trustpilot.
They include the 9.5% out of 10 ratings for YOPA and Purplebricks, 9.4 for eMoov, and 8.3 for easyProperty.
Seems like a bit of a non story – if someone has a good experience they will recommend – this is for any business
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
That is the whole point. If they have had a good expeience they will recommend, if not they won’t. More than 50% (i.e. the majority) of people seem to not have had a good experience with estate agents. Surely that is a cause for concern.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
“Oliver Lewis, director of SellingUp… said that while some of those polled will have used online agents, the proportion would have been very low, and the large majority would have been high street firms.”
Own goal #1. However small a proportion, they obviously still scored poorly.
Own goal #2. A “very low proportion”? Care to have a stab at the reason for there being such a shockingly low proportion, Mr SellingUp?
‘Clever’ clearly ain’t one of this ubernumpty’s star qualities…
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
I’d get my head out of the sandpit if I were you. Forget about online agents for a minute. There’s a reason why the majority of the public won’t recommend estate agents and rather than working on that obvious issue all you are interested in is banging on about online estate agents. Very many agents are decent, honest professional people of course, but it’s the cocky/smarmy/aggressive ones letting the side down
The tone of your response suggests that you, PeeBee, are part of the problem.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
…and of course your response is not aggresive at all is it! 😀
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
Sorry, I forgot to put a smiley face at the end.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
Hang on a cotton pickin’ minute, sunshine! One second you’re dropping sentences like “The discovery that the majority of people who have used an estate agent would not recommend them to family and friends is a new low for traditional high street firms already struggling with their industry’s reputation.”, yet the second someone has the ‘nads to pull you up and point out the gaping holes in your poorly woven cloak of agenda-driven ********, you come out with “Forget about online agents for a minute.”.
I know it’s not nice when someone points out your glaring flaws. I appreciate that when you’re a wannabe Emperor, expecting people to admire your new clothes and someone at the back of the crowd is shouting that they can see your winkie its all a bit embarrassing and stuff – but you’re the one who came out with your tackle on display… so instead of trying to get @rsey with me remember to check that wee willy is under lock and key next time you write a “press release”.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
Let’s take a moment to return to the actual point of the story above – 52% of 1000 people surveyed would NOT recommend the estate agent they used, and somehow this is all the fault of those pesky online estate agents and people like me?
Consumers just want good service at a fair price. It seems the majority perception of high street agents is poor service at high price. How about addressing this existential crisis, rather than hurling playground insults.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
“Let’s take a moment to return to the actual point of the story above – 52% of 1000 people surveyed would NOT recommend the estate agent they used,”
NO, Mr ‘sellingup’ – that is simply MORE b0ll0cks to pile on top of the previous dollop of b0ll0cks you served up in the article above.
Here’s the ACTUAL numbers -courtesy of yourselves:
“1,000 members of the public…63.9% had used agents… only 48% of users would recommend their agents.”
361 people in your miniscule representation poll seemingly had no experience to call upon recommend or otherwise.
SO… the REAL scores on the doors are as follows:
OUT OF A POLL OF 1000 PEOPLE, ONLY 33.4% WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THE SERVICES OF AN ESTATE AGENT.
A figure which I openly welcome you to dispute.
In the meantime, I strongly suggest you get an awful lot more practice at creating spin that stands up to even the softest of scrutiny before you unleash it on people who actually read it and are prepared to call it what it is – in this instance complete, unadulterated ********.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
You’re right, it’s not out of the ‘1000 surveyed’, as not all of them had used an agent – my mistake, comment written in haste.
It’s ‘out of the 639 people that had used an estate agent, the majority would not recommend them’. I hope that makes you feel better. Or not.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register
No – I’ll stick to the statistic I quoted thank you. It paints a more positive picture of the industry I work in, and love – rather than your pessimistic skew on a flawed ‘survey’ reported purely for your own benefit.
You must be logged in to like or dislike this comments.
Click to login
Don't have an account? Click here to register