From the desk of 2020 RRC President Richard Waystack, CRS
As leaders, we need to be in tune with our members’ needs, and as an organization, we need to be agile and flexible. And RRC has proved to be such an organization as we’ve been able to rapidly respond to our members and show you that we care. RRC provided quick updates to various COVID-19 issues, pointed members to authoritative sources of information, and provided education and tools to help members during the crisis.
When we attend events together, we create friendships and fellowship. During these challenging times when we are not attending events in person, we stay in touch with you as much as possible using a variety of platforms.
We quickly made Zoom available to members so you can stay in touch with the Council and with each other. With so many members working from home, the virtual check-ins via Zoom helped you stay connected and even reconnect with members you haven’t seen in person for years. Certainly, virtual is not a substitute for in-person communication, but with a live online video presence, at least members can see one another, their smiles and their nods of acknowledgment—communication is enhanced, and it provides an opportunity to create an online fellowship. And there are advantages for those who haven’t been involved because they’ve been too busy—they can now pop online for a quick chat.
We don’t yet know what the “new normal” will be. We’re making greater use of electronic signatures and virtual showings, and you can show clients an aerial view of what’s around a home. The key is adapting! The Council adapted, too, by holding its May meetings virtually for the first time and bringing out new education programs and information such as CARES Act stimulus webinars to help members weather the pandemic.
And that’s our job—to meet the needs of our members. Through RRC’s social media channels, everyone is supporting one another. The member-to-member empathy is extraordinary.
Real estate is about three things: relationships, communication and trust—they carry through in all that we do. Keeping lines of communication open among the nearly 30,000 members leads to a sense of trust and builds relationships. The referral system has grown stronger during this period as members get to know one another better. And relationships are strengthening, with anticipation among members who are looking forward to seeing one another soon.
We care deeply about our members. We don’t have an organization without our members. So we work hard to provide the tools and resources you need for your businesses to be successful. We’ll come out of this stronger—we’ll be better people and better professionals when this is done.
