Peggy Smith, CEO of Worldwide ERC
This was quite a week for John Daugherty, Realtors and our Global Relocation Services Division. At our Sales Meeting on Tuesday, I had arranged to have none other than Peggy Smith, the new CEO for Worldwide ERC® (Employee Relocation Council) visit and present to our team. I first had the pleasure of meeting Peggy in May when I was in Orlando, Florida for the RDC (Relocation Directors Council) Spring Event and Worldwide ERC Conference. In her opening comments at RDC, she said that she was going to be spending her first 120 days as the new CEO for Worldwide ERC® conducting a “Listening Tour” among Worldwide ERC® members throughout the country.
That was all I needed to hear. As soon as I got back to Houston, I reached out to Peggy via email, congratulated her again on her new position, told her how much I had enjoyed meeting her in Orlando, and let her know that I would very much like to be included in her “Listening Tour.” Expecting that it would take her a little while to get back to me, I was amazed when I heard back from her almost instantly. We set up a time to visit by telephone for the following week.
During our hour-long conversation, Peggy explained to me what her idea was behind the “Listening Tour.” She said, “The organization (Worldwide ERC®) is ready to embrace the challenges and to look and think about a different approach. The listening tour, I think, is important to us as an input valve to help determine what our next 3-5 year strategic plan might look like.” She said that from the “Listening Tour,” that she should start to see key themes develop that she can bring back to the ERC Board at the upcoming Global Workforce Symposium in Seattle. Based on these themes and the input that she receives from members, she said that she will be able to bring forward specific elements that she thinks we should begin pursuing as an organization. I think that this is a very progressive idea for Worldwide ERC® and its members.
The more she shared with me, the more intrigued I became. Soon I realized that it wasn’t enough to speak with her on the telephone, and that I really needed to get her to Houston to speak to our Houston Relocation Team. Again, she humbly agreed, told me when she was going to be in Texas, and we ironed out the details.
Peggy Smith, Cheri Fama, Michelle Sandlin, John A. Daugherty, Jr.
Before I knew it, the morning of August 3rd had arrived, and I picked her up from her hotel and brought her to our office. We enjoyed breakfast and light conversation about her own relocation from Seattle to the Washington, DC area. During her presentation to our team, she shared a few details about her recent relocation and the vast differences in the housing market. She and her family left their custom built 4,000 square foot home in Seattle, and are now living in a 1,300 square foot apartment in Washington, DC. She jokingly said that there wasn’t a recession in the Washington, DC area and that she was paying $3,800 per month for her 1.5 bedroom apartment. Meanwhile, her 4,000 square foot home, which she had decided to lease rather than sell, would probably only fetch about $4,100 per month.
She asked us about the Houston real estate market, and what impact the recession had on home prices here. John Daugherty told her how the home prices in Houston have remained fairly stable and that we have not suffered in the ways that other parts of the country have. Peggy seemed surprised at the fact that we have not experienced a bubble here in Houston, thus we didn’t suffer the bust that was experienced elsewhere.
In addressing our team and talking about why she had embarked on this ”Listening Tour,” she explained that the purpose is to create an input valve to help determine a strategic plan for the organization based on member suggestions, annual surveys, and conversations that she has had directly with members via telephone, email and over coffee.
Peggy also talked about what corporations and relocation management companies seek in their real estate partners, and addressed the often uncomfortable subject of escalating referral fees. According to Peggy, corporations and relocation management companies are looking for the following traits in their real estate partners:
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Knowledge & Perspective
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Collaboration
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Strategy
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Solutions
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Reliability
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Value/Cost-efficiency
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Performance
She also drove home the all-important fact that “there is no such thing as personal business in relocation.” I often remind the agents at our company about this, and how employee benefits may be at risk if any part of the process is mishandled. Even with a pre-existing relationship, it is possible to jeapardize corporate business. The actions of one agent in representing our company, can put the whole account at risk. It is my job, through the proper training and direction, to see to it that these risks are minimized at all times.
As a company, we have always placed great emphasis on our Global Relocation Services Division. As the person responsible for this Division, I am extremely proud of the consistent growth in our relocation and referral business, especially during troubling economic times. We have truly earned our place among the top real estate firms around the world, and more and more, we are becoming the number 1 choice for corporations, organizations and relocation management companies that partner with us on a regular basis to assist their relocating employees.
Peggy’s visit to our company was an exclusive for the Houston market, as we were the only real estate company on her short agenda. This was an important nod to our company as a major player within the global relocation industry and as a member of Worldwide ERC®. I am always thrilled to be able to bring valuable relocation training and information to our team.
John Daugherty, Realtors started its Global Relocation Services Division in 1974. Since that time, our company has been heavily involved in corporate relocation by assisting both domestic and international transferees in buying, selling and leasing properties in the Greater Houston area.
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From my travels and current experience with clients in Houston, I have seen firsthand the vibrancy of the city and the region. Houston is one of the most stable, if not hottest business markets in the country. Restaurants and malls are hopping, real estate is moving and folks are enjoying their seeming immunity to our country’s wobbly economy. A sure sign of that is ERC’s Peggy Smith coming out to John Daugherty in her journey to grab a hold of ERC and set the direction for the future of one of the relocation industry’s most prestigious associations. ERC has had a tough period transitioning to new leadership and it’s heartening to see a corporate insider come on board and almost immediately hit the streets to see what the rest of the country thinks and does. Maybe there is a silver lining to the economic clouds of the past couple of years – thanks to Michelle Sandlin and John Daugherty Realtors for bringing Peggy to Houston and telling the story in the Houston Relocation Blog. Let’s hope that Peggy retains a focus toward the disparate needs and issues of ERC’s full constituency – realtors, movers, and management companies alike.
Go get ‘em Michelle!
Thanks for the nice comments! They are always welcome! There are so many great things happening in Houston and at John Daugherty, Realtors…all I can tell you is stay tuned and connected to Houston Relocation!
Thank you Michelle for moving John Daugherty, Realtors relocation to the next level. Peggy’s presentation was articulate and informative. I enjoyed her sharing her personal and business experiences.
To the team at John Daugherty Realtors – I really enjoyed our time together. No doubt Houston is thriving with plenty of activity and energy. It was very insightful to gain more knowledge about regional/local markets and the challenges that are faced by agents attempting to service their relocation clients.
I look forward to staying in touch wtih your team and sharing ideas on how our organization can best serve the needs of agents and brokers.
Thanks for reaching out to me Michelle.
Thanks for the awesome post! It was great see that Peggy Smith had visited the John Daugherty, Realtors. Since John Daugherty, Realtors is a leader in the Houston real estate market, the visit could bring up some changes in relocation industry. Yeah! Let’s hope that Peggy retains a focus toward the disparate needs and issues of ERC’s full constituency – realtors, movers, and management companies alike.
Michelle,
This afternoon, I happened to be reading your Blog about Dressing for Success When Working with Relocation Clients. I was all set to comment but then saw your recent note from Peggy Smith’s visit to your offices. For the moment, I’ll hold on the issue of dress in the workplace because, frankly, I think this is a much better topic of relavance. I, too, have had the very recent opportunity to meet Peggy for the first time – it was only last Thursday in which she addressed the Southern California Relocation Council (SCRC.net) at a meeting in Long Beach.
Peggy was the featured guest speaker and did not disappoint! From the moment she walked to the podium, she had my attention. I was impressed by the ease in which she took over the room. I was further impressed by what she had to say after laying out her topic points. While I work on the relocation management side, I think our takeaways are similar. Clearly, Peggy has carefully thought out her first 120 days- and you’ll be happy to know that her “Listening Tour” is still going at full strength. While not part of the focus group, I was energized by her vision of where she wants to take the organization (which is still coming together, admittedly) and particularly, her willingness to be a front running agent of change to increase the ROI for all participants and members within Worldwide ERC.
Obviously, I enjoyed her comments and we are looking forward to interacting with her in any helpful way we can, to assist in her mission. I think you’ll also be pleased to know of my shock when receiving a response to my follow up note of thanks Friday evening…within minutes of sending. She mentioned liking to run at 170 mph – I think it might be a little faster than that!
Thanks for the opportunity to comment. I could not pass up the chance to echo your thoughts and the experience with Peggy. Best wishes for continued success from Southern California!
Chris Cicen
Odyssey Relocation Management
Orange County, CA
714-800-1915
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