As the first quarter of 2018 winds down and a hockey fever takes hold of the city, the various WinnipegREALTORS® Committees continue to advance the 2018 strategic directives, yielding results that positions the association for a strong and stable future, from service and product improvements to financial and governance progression.
Executive
In accordance with the 2018 Strategic Plan, a thorough review of WinnipegREALTORS® current constitution and by-laws has commenced. This significant undertaking will provide the Association the information it requires to become an organization that better reflects its values of transparency, responsiveness and accessibility. A detailed “Governance Review Project Charter” has been drafted, which provides the framework by which this strategic directive will be advanced.
The creation of a Governance Review Task Force has been finalized to include past presidents Claude Davis, Richard Dettman and David MacKenzie. Working alongside members of the Executive Committee along with WinnipegREALTORS® CEO Marina James and Senior Vice President Crystal Hollas, the task force has developed a comprehensive review framework for assessing the current association governance structure. As this undertaking continues, a detailed communication plan will be implemented for conveying its results to the membership.
Government Relations
Details and timelines are being finalized for the WinnipegREALTORS®-hosted Mayoral Forum on October 4, 2018. A new techical provider has been approached to replace Shaw for the transmission of the forum. Staff have reached out to audio/video providers AventPro to determine their capabilities in traditional methods of transmitting such as television, but also explore options for on-line streaming in an effort to increase audience engagement and reach. Plans are also underway for the development of quick and dynamic videos on all candidates running for mayor and city council. This will happen in late August.
Member Services
Several golf courses in and around Winnipeg have begun welcoming golfers after a long winter and the 2018 Annual WinnipegREALTORS® Golf Tournament is ready for its members to sink a few holes, enjoy the weather and mingle with agents, business partners and staff. The final stages of planning and detailing are now in place, with this year’s tournament scheduled for Thursday, June 7, 2018 at Bridges Golf Course (bridgesgolfcourse.com). After a pleasant day on the green, hackers and smackers alike will be treated to a pig roast buffet held at Bridges. You can download the registration PDF here.
The WinnipegREALTORS® Philanthropy Policy has been refined to ensure clarity regarding the scope of the association's charitable giving.
MLS
A motion from the MLS Committee regarding the “New Construction” field on the MLS® system was approved by the board. This carried motion states that in order to select “yes” in the “New Construction” field in Matrix, the property must not have been lived in.
Membership Engagement
Networking and relationship building strategies are the primary focus of the Membership Engagement Committee as they seek to create more opportunities for members to establish strong professional bonds and share resources and information. The diverse range in demographics of our membership is one of the association’s greatest strengths and the Membership Engagement Committee continually search for ways our diversity can be applied to create an inclusive and responsive association.
In the spirit of cooperation, the Your Professional Network (YPN) group has been established to lead discussion on engagement opportunities. A membership-wide survey was distributed regarding the feasibility of on-going member networking meetings. Members were polled about the interest level on holding quarterly networking events for all members, with a focus on sharing information and establishing new connections. Informative speakers would be invited to present on relevant topics and host team-building exercises. Over 51% of the membership who answered the survey were considerably or extremely interested in attending these networking meetings. For more information on the results, please click HERE.
REN/PR
Refinements to the messaging on the WinnipegREALTORS® electronic billboard took place, with a focus on the value of a REALTOR and the various benefits they provide to consumers. Changes were applied to the current campaign about what a REALTOR offers to their clients with more cogent wording.
Two new radio ads have been created for the 2018 Radio Campaign. This year’s ads focus on the changing market and how the expertise of a REALTOR helps consumers navigate through these changes and how the Real Estate News remains a premiere source of real estate information. The radio campaign will run mid-March to mid-June and again in mid-August through to mid-October. The commercials will air on a demographically appropriate group of stations including 92 CITI FM, BOB 99.9 FM, CJOB, Virgin 103.1 and QX104.1.
A member-wide survey was distributed regarding the practicability of producing a magazine-style Open House guide that would be inserted into the Real Estate News during the active sales months between April and September. A special video featuring Jennifer Berthelette, chair of the REN/PR Committee, was produced espousing the advantages of this new product along with changes to Open House rates and deadlines. The deadline for the survey has been extended to April 30, 2018 and a link to the survey may be found HERE.
Technology
The committee reviewed the potential of an internal Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system with complete integration with the Matrix system. Staff have determined that the only system capable of fully integrating with Matrix is Prospects CRM, a full service solution specifically developed around the needs of modern real estate transactions and customer solutions. Some of its features include a robust Showings Manager and detailed Transaction Reports. A business case study was developed and presented to the Board regarding the potential implementation of this system.