I attended RESPRO’s (Real Estate Services Provider Council, Inc.) 2010 Annual Conference in Las Vegas and found the event time very well spent.

This being my first time to RESPRO’s conference, I was a little unsure of what to expect.  I knew there would be presentations and content shared regarding all of the recent RESPA enhancements, but I was hoping to engage industry leaders who embrace one-stop-shopping and who are serious about taking this long touted strategy to the next level.

Well – my hopes were realized.  During a busy two day schedule, I met successful leaders of Real Estate companies from across America who were willing to share not only what they have done with one-stop-shopping,  but also their many lessons learned on topics ranging from product development, alliance management, resource allocation, sales management and compensation considerations.   I was both impressed and humbled by the openness and willingness for everyone to share the details needed for a clear understanding of their trials and success.

In the very near term, I’ll be working with each of our franchisees on an overall Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate approach for providing CORE Services tactics through a comprehensive one-stop-shopping strategy.

For now though, here are two immediate thoughts after reviewing my pages of notes and plans while on my five hour flight back to New Jersey:

1. It is clear that to have a successful one-stop-shopping strategy, a real estate company must first shift their paradigm to realize that true success requires moving from a tactical product focus to a complete cultural focus (i.e.: success with one-stop-shopping is as much about what your company stands for to your customers and agents as what your company offers in the way of different products and services)
2. Join RESPRO – it’s worth the time and money (www.respro.org)

I’ll speak with you soon.

(Photo courtesy of RESPRO_Events on Flickr)