Issue 2 2021

Acquisition International - Issue 2 2021 23 Finding The Perfect Home Esale is an online estate agency with a difference. We speak to founder and MD, David Rook, about the firm’s refreshing approach and how its small team strives to provide that personal touch. ased in Harrogate, Esale is an online estate agent providing a Nationwide service to homeowners across the UK. Created in 2012, the company’s founders are proud of their Northern roots and have strived to embed Yorkshire’s reputation for friendly and personable service into everything that Esale does. David Rook, Managing Director at Esale UK, tells us more: “When customers call us, they don’t want to feel like they’re speaking to a robot or someone following a script,” he explains. “Their interactions are with responsive and welcoming staff who are handpicked to represent the company in this way.” Primarily, Esale doesn’t believe in using online portals like some of the larger online estate agents. Instead, customer communications are conducted almost entirely over the telephone, meaning that clients are getting a service that feels like that of a local estate agent, but on an affordable scale from anywhere in the UK. This is what sets the agency aside and differentiates it from competitors operating within the same space. With an entirely inclusive portfolio, Esale’s properties have varied from studio flats in the London area, to grand six-bedroom properties in the rolling Scottish Highlands. “We speak to a range of people of various ages, all with different levels of experience in selling and buying property,” David continues. “Some of our clients need more support than others and that’s fine, we will spend an hour on the phone explaining things and reassuring them if needs be.” The down-to-earth, friendly team at Esale believe in being ‘real’ when it comes to internal culture. “We don’t believe in flashy cars or designer suits - in fact, we have quite a casual dress policy in the office. We come in, knuckle down, consume numerous coffees from our slightly precarious coffee machine, work hard, but most importantly, we have fun doing it!” As a small team that works well together, the staff at Esale are able to project this happy and positive atmosphere onto their clients and make them feel like part of the Esale family. B Company: Esale Contact: Jessica Pape Website: www.esaleuk.com Nov20329 The Covid-19 pandemic has obviously been a huge challenge, however David and the team at Esale UK have managed to tailor their skills and services, and adapt the business to accommodate legal and health requirements that have emerged. “As an online agent, most of our vendors tend to accompany viewings themselves anyway (which was a great start), but we have also provided opportunities for our vendors to order 3D virtual tours which we have been able to embed into their property adverts,” explains David. “For those who weren’t in a position to pay for one - we supported them in filming their own, before editing and embedding these into their adverts free-of-charge (we’re nice like that!).” Esale is fortunate that the government kept the housing market open which is obviously not only great for estate agents, but also for the economy. “We have strict policies and procedures during viewing appointments and limit the number of people and households viewing a property at any one time. So far, our customers have been brilliant and sticking to policy and procedure.” Regarding future plans, David is coy with his answer, indicating that he is always exploring ways of how he might continue to improve and develop the ESale service, but preferring to keep any specific plans under wraps for now! He does however highlight the fact that, as ever, his dedicated staff base is important to him and the firm, as it moves forward. “I will continue to support all my staff in whatever route they want to take. If they show a particular interest in any part of the property industry, or have a specific skill, then I will support them in developing and embedding these into their work for the benefit of the company and their personal development.” “We know all of our customers by name - we want them to know we care about them and that, to us, they’re not just a number in a portal.”