Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Team from a report by Letting Agent Today. Read the original article for full details.
Agents Who Ignore AI Are Falling Behind, Warns Industry Expert
A leading letting agency expert has warned that owners who ignore AI risk letting their business suffer. Sally Lawson, former president of ARLA and founder of Agent Rainmaker, says agencies that are not already using AI properly are lagging behind.
According to Letting Agent Today, Lawson warns that burying your head in the sand on AI, whether out of fear, scepticism or simply not getting round to it, is making a business suffer. She says AI is moving faster through the letting sector than any technology she has seen.
'Kill the fantasy first'
Lawson is clear that AI is not a replacement for the fundamentals of agency work. She says: "Let's kill the fantasy first. AI is not going to run your agency for you."
In her view, AI will not build trust with a landlord who has been burned before, nor will it educate prospects on what they need to know and why they should be listening to you. It also will not lead a team through the RRA shakeup that, in her words, is rewriting the rulebook mid-sentence.
What this means for letting agents
The warning points to a gap between adopting AI tools and expecting them to substitute for the human judgement, relationship-building and leadership that underpin a letting agency. For agents and inventory clerks, the message is that AI is moving quickly through the sector, and those not using it properly are falling behind, but it remains a tool rather than a substitute for expertise.
The source report does not set out specific tools, adoption figures or timelines, so agents looking for practical guidance will need to follow the original article and any follow-up coverage.
Source: Letting Agent Today