?Mastering? Partnerships

HSA Home Warranty?s new program breaks the mold on industry tradition
HSA Home Warranty?s new program breaks the mold on industry tradition

By Stephanie Andre

Today, with interest rates climbing and some areas? sales slumping, real estate agents are looking for something that will differentiate them from the pack. To that end, HSA Home Warranty believes it’s met that demand with its new Master Agent program?a program designed to give buyers and sellers priority care and help agents gain referrals.

?The introduction of the Master Agent program is somewhat unique compared with the traditions of the home warranty industry,’ says Gary Lombardo, HSA senior vice president, sales and marketing. We really wanted to raise the level of customer service to agents that would enhance our value proposition to sell a philosophy of partnership beyond what has traditionally been sold.

Launched this past February, the Master Agent program offerings include marketing materials, 24-hour access to HSA representatives, priority enrollment, a guaranteed return call within four hours and resolution of a claim within 24 hours. What’s more, agents get detailed reports on their customers? claims.

The idea for the program was borne out of educational sessions that Lombardo himself attended. Tradit-ionally, we have marketed ourselves like mortgage and title reps,? Lom-bardo says. We realized through the course of these educational sessions that we need to do things differently.

?This program allows us to focus our efforts on agents who are dedicated to a partnership with HSA and who are staying in real estate for the long haul,? he continues. Taking care of our customers and packaging a more professional look is key to promoting agents to consumers.

?In addition to being a risk-management tool, we really want to show consumers that a home warranty is the third essential you must have in your life,? he adds. After homeowners? and auto insurance, a home warranty should be the next priority. We believe this program will bring our home warranties more to the forefront and show homeowners that having an HSA warranty is practical and useful.?

Thus far, enrollment in the program has gone very well…and numbers are steadily growing, according to Lombardo.

?With this program, there are so many possibilities for agents,? he explains. We’ve already seen an increase in renewals, which, in turn, is great for agents…and for their referrals.

When customers who are enrolled in an HSA home warranty through the Master Agent program call with a claim, the agent is informed about the call.

?By notifying the agent, it gives them a reason to call the customer and break the ice,? explains Lom-bardo. Hopefully, that will help them get referrals down the road. It shows the buyer that their agent does a lot more for them than just at closing.

Ins and Outs of the Master Agent Program

While enrollment in the program requires that agents agree to use HSA as their home warranty partner, agents don’t seem to mind.

?Before I decided which home warranty company to go with, I interviewed reps from five or six different companies and quickly decided on HSA,’ says Seth Grasteit, an agent with Denman Realty Group in Mesa, Arizona. I enjoy working with HSA; they take care of my clients and that’s what is most important to me.

To be eligible for the program, Grasteit must sell a certain number of homes per year, but says he?s not worried about it. It’s not a problem?I’m already selling two to three a month,? he says.

Kathy Toth?unlike Grasteit?was already working with HSA when her representative contacted her about enrolling in the program.

?I’ve been working with HSA for about a year,? explains Toth, an agent with Real Estate One in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They sought me out for the program because I’m a top producer in my area. Because I’ve had such a good experience with HSA, I thought the program would be something that would be beneficial for my customers and me.?

Indeed, Toth is already reaping the benefits of the program. The biggest thing to me is that we have a dedicated 800 number?it helps with faster and better service for my clients,? she says. I have priority access to my representative?that’s so important.?

Toth cites a recent call she received from one of her sellers as an example of the program’s value. I had a seller with a toilet leak and the floor around it had become eroded,? she explains. Within hours, my HSA rep went out to the house to check it out and explained all the details of the warranty to the seller.

?It’s this superior service that sets this program apart from others,? she continues. For that situation, because I was part of the program, I knew they?d soon be out to look at the problem. Knowing that, I was able to calm the client down.?

It’s this type of service that drives the transaction, she says. The better service I can give to my clients, the better the chance that I will earn their referrals,? she says. Any time you can say that you are a full-time professional who can do this or that, it gives you an edge.

?I discuss the home warranty when we first begin talking about the listing,? she continues. I’m not sure how many people are doing that?explaining the coverages, etc., in the pre-listing discussion.

Like Toth, John Baker, an associate broker with Metro Brokers/GMAC Real Estate in Atlanta, Georgia, says he?s very impressed by the company?s quick response time on claims and the updates on those claims that he receives.

?I appreciate the support I receive from the company and how quickly things get remedied,? Baker says. It’s very helpful to my business that they send me the claim updates as they come in.?

Baker says he?s already seen a swing in his business…and in the number of home warranties sold?since signing up with the Master Agent program.

?I’ve been using the listing packets they provide [as part of the Master Agent program],’ says Baker. HSA’s warranty materials are very informative and eye-catching as well.?

Baker says he includes HSA’s handouts in every listing presentation he does. Typically, when I show them HSA’s offerings and explain everything to them, my clients are very receptive,? he explains. Often, they’ll sign up for the home warranty before committing to a home.

Indeed, the information HSA provides in its listing packets makes a big difference, according to Karen Zieg-elmeyer, an agent with Prudential Sel-ect Properties in St. Louis, Missouri.

?HSA’s marketing materials make the presentation a little bit more special,? she says. It really shows what they do and what they cover in detail; it makes HSA a more trustworthy company in my opinion.

Adds Grasteit: ?Presentation and first impression is everything. The higher quality and more colorful materials you have to use, the better. Some people don’t know a lot about home warranties?these materials help it become a much larger selling point.

Giving Superior Service is Key

Regardless of perks and program offerings, HSA’s customer service is still the staple of the program, according to Toth.

?People are under lots of stress; they need to be able to trust their service providers,? she says. I truly believe that everything HSA offers with this program is wonderful, but what makes it greater is the fact that I know I can always count on them.

?They?re more like my partner than anything else,? she continues. I feel like we have an allegiance together?we both have a vested interest in succeeding and serving the client to the best of our abilities.

Ziegelmeyer agrees. Our partnership with HSA is something very special,? she says. HSA is going further than anyone else to make this program the best it can be?giving us more visibility and more resources to help our clients. There’s a trust there that makes you rest easy, knowing that your clients will be taken care of if need be.

Adds Baker: ?HSA has a real great relationship with Metro Brokers. They are supportive of us…and this industry as a whole. It’s those details that really make the difference.

?What we do as Realtors is not difficult,? he continues. The details are what differentiate us from the rest of the pack. Warranties work the same way. The details of the Master Agent program are what make the difference between it and others; it’s also those program features that elevate my business above my competitors.

One of the main details, according to both Baker and Toth, is HSA’s upfront information about the new 13 SEER ratings.

?The SEER ratings information is right there in the materials,’ says Baker. They address it, which is not something many companies are talking about right now. Once again, this is a service being provided that far exceeds what others are doing. HSA also sends SEER updates, as well as industry information, to its Master Agent clients.

Becoming a Better Agent

The Master Agent program is key to adding credibility to an agent?s business, according to Ziegelmeyer.

?I truly believe that my partnership with HSA and this program will help improve my business; it’s going to help my referrals skyrocket,? she says. These days, I hardly ever take a listing without first getting the seller to sign up for a home warranty. It gives the buyer such peace of mind; knowing that they won?t have to worry about moving into their new home and then having to fix something horribly costly is invaluable.”

?Those happy home buyers are then going to tell others about their experience and hopefully send future buyers to me,? she adds.

According to Toth, she believes that as more agents begin to grow their businesses with HSA, others will begin to catch on.

?As more and more agents enroll in this program, it’s going to show other companies how well HSA provides services to its clients,? she says. If I talk with my clients about this program, for example at closing, it’s going to catch on. Other agents and buyers and sellers are going to hear about the Master Agent program and want to learn more.

?How could you not want to get involved?? she adds. HSA…and now the Master Agent program?are far superior to any other home warranty company I’ve ever dealt with, and I’ve been in business for 16 years.

Adds Ziegelmeyer: ?The Master Agent program shows and proves that HSA is dedicated to their agents and customers, and that you’re in a deep relationship with them. In that, there’s tremendous satisfaction?for your business and your clients. RE

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