Real Estate Customer Journey with Hubspot

Customer Journey Mapping for Real Estate

This article was inspired by my recent collaboration with Vexco Solutions, handling the project of revamping operations for a real estate agency based in Spain. Part of the project involved mapping the existing interactions between the internal team and clients, as well as building a versatile customer journey to leverage all levels of interactions.

From author:

Welcome, I am Andrii, a Growth marketer based in Barcelona. I’m passionate about sharing experiences, especially highlighting growth marketing projects for startups. Thank you for reading!

Let’s start…..

If you operate in real estate like our client, you might have found the need to digitalize your operations. It is common to misalign expectations between management and estate agents. As our client said, “We must have always been checking the work of our agents to ensure there is no opportunity lost.” Such opportunities, or as we call them, leads, are people who show interest in moving into a new place. When agencies still operate with Excel sheets instead of CRM, and make calls instead of sending WhatsApp messages, especially in big cities with high demand, there must be a more efficient way of conducting internal operations.

The current world of real estate is digital. Not long ago, office visits were replaced by online bookings, and agents inherited the role of account or sales representatives. The business landscape is shifting, and it’s no wonder businesses struggle to bear the weight of digitalization.

As our client, you might already be working on having a digital approach to daily tasks. And it might not be enough since new platforms add additional burdens to operations instead of resolving them.

We understand that it is always challenging for any business to find the right balance. Vexcos’s expertise in HubSpot will help map the way and provide you with an all-in-one strategy for scaling up your competitors. Contact Vexco for your digitalization plan.

Before starting, here were reasons for creating the journey.

• Developing and securing core buyer personas and segmenting them in CRM.
• Defining the ideal customer flow.
• Improve time management and efficiency of property showcasing through a better qualification process.
• Manage high communication volumes through automatic communication
• Increase response rate.
• Excele in a competitive market and outperform competitors.
• Create the retention strategy for existing clients.

In this article, we will explore a blend of marketing tactics such as lead engagement and retention alongside the operational side of conducting business using HubSpot.

1. First, we will discuss each stakeholder in detail, highlighting their differences, and pain points, and drafting a solution model for each of them.
2. Then, we will focus on one buyer personas group, such as tenants, and analyze their interaction points with real estate.
3. Once we understand the internal and external expectations of the flow, we will start creating the ideal flow, stage by stage.
4. Once all homework is done, we step into implementation.

Why HubSpot is the Best Option for a Real Estate CRM

HubSpot stands out from other CRMs for real estate professionals due to its user-friendly interface, effective lead management, customization, and integration capabilities.

It is quite versatile, making it easy to shape the business model on the go, and it is not limited to the product lines or customization that other estate-related CRMs may find challenging.

Its intuitive design is ideal for real estate agents managing multiple client interactions and deal tracking. For instance, leads from various sources like website inquiries and open house attendees can be categorized and nurtured through tailored email campaigns, enhancing lead conversion. Agents can also create email templates to send on the go to other tenants asking for more information or use a calendar link for scheduling meeting times.

The platform’s customization allows agents to tailor features to their specific real estate needs, such as tracking client preferences for neighborhoods or property types.

Integration with real estate platforms and social media streamlines workflows, making client management more efficient.

For us, there are a few things that HubSpot does like no other, including:

• Integration with WhatsApp, making it easy to receive and send files through the most user-friendly tool.
• Content AI, assists your team in communicating with tenants, especially if they are not proficient in a particular language or simply do not have the time to write long messages.
• Handling your transactions with Stripe integration makes payments much easier.
• Offering a robust mobile app that makes communication with contacts seamless on the move.

During the journey, you will witness the application of such features and their benefits.

Stage 1: Understanding Stakeholders and Expectations

This stage is crucial yet not daunting. Here, you refine all the stakeholders of the business, including clients or the internal team, and analyze the benefits for each segment.

Contrary to common belief, it is not about building the system for one group of people. Even though CRMs are primarily used for internal operations, it’s essential to leverage inputs from both sides. Often, systems prioritize the comfort of workers or focus predominantly on clients, neglecting the other.

In our initial hypothesis, we will identify the desires of each segment, building a system that leverages all inputs effectively.

Internal Team Analysis

This preliminary step is foundational, ensuring that the CRM strategy aligns with the needs, challenges, and workflows of those interacting with the system daily. This is why it is the first stage, integral to the internal interviewing process of the team.

Interviewing is crucial to understanding the day-to-day work of each party and their pain points. Our interviews aim to gather in-depth insights from:

• Sales Agents (Estate Agents)
• Marketing Teams
• Customer Service Representatives (Estate Agents)
• Higher Management

Understanding the unique perspective of each stakeholder group allows for CRM customization to address their specific requirements, automate repetitive tasks, improve communication, and provide actionable insights for decision-making.

Analyzing the needs and workflows of these internal stakeholders is not solely about technological implementation. It’s about acknowledging the human element in real estate transactions.

It ensures that the CRM system supports staff in their efforts to build and maintain relationships with clients, streamline operations, and drive the company’s growth.

As you can notice it does not say anything about certain tasks within the customer journey since in this stage we leverage the expectations of the internal party. Also, most commonly Sales and Customer Service Representatives are the same people in Real Estate. Also for future narration, I will include them under the umbrella of Real Estate Agent.

Core Insights from the Internal Stakeholders Analysis

1. Customization is Key: Different stakeholder groups have unique needs and challenges that the CRM system must address. Meantime, the tool also needs to be easy to work with.
2. Automation Enhances Efficiency: Across all stakeholder groups, there is a clear demand for automating repetitive tasks such as lead tracking, client communication, and report generation.
3. Integrated Communication Tools: The need for integrated communication tools within the CRM is evident.
4. Data-Driven Decision Making: The ability to generate and analyze reports on sales, marketing effectiveness, and customer service performance is invaluable for Higher Management.

Understanding Client Expectations

Navigating the real estate market as a buyer can be a complex and often daunting journey, fraught with challenges ranging from finding the right property to securing financing and navigating legal paperwork. In this digital age, buyers (clients) are looking for streamlined, efficient processes that minimize hassle and enhance their purchasing experience.

Very important in this stage to perform 5 to 10 real interviews of recent clients. The questions are vastly different based on location and business needs but some unites them.

• How did find our company in the first place?
• How was your search process, how long, and how many steps did you do?
• Which parts of the process were the most difficult for you?
• What do you think must be easier regarding such processes?

By analyzing the typical problems buyers encounter, the traditional methods employed by companies to address these issues, and contrasting these with what buyers would prefer instead, companies can identify significant opportunities for improvement.

Core Insights from Buyer Analysis

The detailed examination of buyers’ interactions with real estate processes, and the comparison between traditional methods and preferred solutions, reveals several key insights:

1. Demand for Digital Solutions: Buyers show a strong preference for digital and online tools over traditional, in-person methods. Virtual tours, online listings, and digital mortgage tools are highly valued for their convenience and efficiency.
2. Transparent Communication: The need for clear, consistent communication throughout the buying process is paramount. Buyers prefer regular updates, easy access to information, and quick responses to inquiries.
3. Enhanced Support and Guidance: The journey doesn’t end at finding the right property. Buyers seek comprehensive support throughout the process, from initial search to closing. This includes financial advising, negotiation support, and assistance with legal requirements.

Conclusion: Tailoring CRM to Stakeholder Needs

The analysis of both internal stakeholders and buyer personas like Tenants and Buyers underscores the necessity for customized CRM workflows. Real estate companies have developed complex operations over many years, and adapting these intricacies into a CRM system is not only feasible but essential for optimizing efficiency and client satisfaction. The challenge lies in mirroring the unique needs of each stakeholder group within the CRM to create a seamless, efficient experience for all parties involved.

From now on focusing on Tenants as a specific buyer persona allows us to illustrate how a detailed customization of the CRM journey can significantly enhance engagement and satisfaction. This approach, while it may appear complex at first glance, is a practical reflection of a company’s operational dynamics integrated into CRM functionalities.

For those interested in a deeper dive into the real estate customer journey, including additional buyer personas and detailed stakeholder needs, we invite direct inquiries. Connect with us on LinkedIn for a comprehensive exploration of how tailored CRM strategies can meet the diverse needs of the real estate market.

Stage 2: Actions and Touchpoints

Understanding the actions and touchpoints involves examining the specific movements or stages your clients must navigate to achieve their goals. In this case we took only Tenants and Real Estate Agents and examine their actions.

Taking tenants as an example, their ultimate objective is renting a property. This process involves a series of actions that, in an ideal scenario, would follow one another seamlessly. However, the reality of business introduces variables and potential deviations from this ideal path, necessitating a robust strategy for customer journey development. This expanded understanding prompts us to ask what can diverge from the planned process and how we can address these deviations based on our clients’ feedback.

Tenant Actions

The journey of tenants in finding and securing an apartment includes:

1. Searching for new listings.
2. Contacting the real estate agency for a viewing.
3. Verifying the property’s characteristics.
4. Arranging a visit.
5. Inspecting the property in real-time.
6. Discussing further steps with the real estate agent.
7. Paying the reservation fee.
8. Submitting necessary documents.
9. Waiting for approval.
10. Signing the lease contract.
11. Paying the deposit and monthly fee.
12. Conducting a move-in inspection.
13. Enjoying their new home.
14. Eventually starting the search for a new home, thus continuing the cycle.

Ideally, these tasks would be completed consecutively, but in practice, many factors can disrupt this flow. Understanding these potential disruptions is crucial for developing an effective customer journey.

Potential Disruptions and Alternative Paths

Tenants might encounter several issues during their journey, including:

1. The real estate agency’s failure to respond in a timely manner or at all, without a clear reason.
2. A prolonged and tedious communication process once contact is established.
3. Difficulty in finding a convenient time to view the property.
4. The actual property differs significantly from its photos.
5. The property not meeting the tenant’s expectations.
6. Complicated processes for paying reservation fees and deposits due to outdated payment methods, such as bank transfers and cash.
7. Reliance on email as the primary communication channel.
8. The absence of an option to sign the lease agreement digitally.

Addressing these potential issues requires a flexible and responsive approach, ensuring the customer journey can adapt to meet the varied needs and expectations of tenants.

Business Touchpoints

On the operations side, real estate agents navigate a series of critical touchpoints that ensure the property leasing process is smooth for both the tenant and the property owner. This series of actions demonstrates the agent’s role in facilitating a successful rental agreement, highlighting the importance of each step in maintaining a high level of service quality.

Operation side of Real Estate Agent:

1. Create a property listing.
2. Share the property details with the marketing team.
3. Handle communication with potential tenants.
4. Qualify tenants (screening).
5. Communicate with people about the visit.
6. Conduct property showings.
7. Request a reservation fee.
8. Review documents.
9. Communicate with the property owner.
10. Accept the candidate.
11. Prepare the lease agreement.
12. Request payment of the deposit and monthly fee.
13. Hand off the keys.
14. Provide further assistance.

Each of these touchpoints is essential in building a positive relationship between the tenant, the real estate agent, and the property owner, ensuring a seamless rental experience for all parties involved.

Stage 3: Defining the Funnel

Once we understand the needs of both internal and external stakeholders, let’s apply these insights to CJ stages, or parts of the journey.

It’s important to remember that the sales funnel and the customer journey are different. The funnel simplifies product-related information for easier visualization, while the journey offers a more comprehensive view of the process. Both concepts should be included in journey mapping: the funnel shows performance data, and the journey answers the question of “how” the process works.

Here we’ll create custom stages based on our data:

Each stage can have a yes/no answer, and based on ‘no’ answers, we need to determine the churn rate and how to address it.

Here’s how our stages for Real Estate look, with an estimated likelihood of closing the client:

• Awareness* (0%)
• Contact Created (10%)
• Contacted (30%)
• Property Visit (70%)
• Reservation (80%)
• Payment (90%)
• Seal (100%)
• Retention (this doesn’t count toward our closing percentage since traditional funnel models don’t support ongoing purchases)

Awareness* This stage cannot be marked in the CRM since it focuses on external interactions we can’t directly track; instead, we must hypothesize and research. However, I believe it’s still important to include in the CJM.

My advice is to keep customer stages as simple as possible. Focus on the ideal flow rather than all the ways things could go wrong. The deviations will become sub-stages, and we can address them with “If not…” scenarios.

Important: This funnel omits deal stages, lead statuses, and other sub-stages for easier comprehension.

Potential Deviations from the Ideal Flow

• Contact Created: The biggest inconsistency of this stage often occurs when a request isn’t entered into the CRM due to human error or technical issues. Maintaining accuracy here is a primary challenge for any company.
• Qualification: What happens to unqualified tenants? Should their accounts be deleted to declutter the CRM, or should the company attempt to convert them with other properties? We will define further our proposed actions.
• Contacted: What if there’s no first contact? Consider both internal reasons (like delays from your team) and external reasons (the prospective client may be busy or have found alternate solutions). A/B testing the first contact can improve conversion rates.
• Property Visit: We know these clients match our persona, so why do some drop off at this stage? Potential reasons include scheduling difficulties or a loss of interest. Implementing guided support through sales service could boost conversions.
• Document Collection (Missing): While document collection could be a stage, you mentioned that it has a minimal impact on the conversion rate unless the drop-off rate is above 5%. Your “Qualification” stage seems to adequately cover this aspect.

Reservation and Seal: Even as the likelihood of closing increases, clients can still drop out. Consider price factors, user friction in the reservation process, and the need for stronger social proof to build trust.

Stage 4: Building a CJM for Alex (Tenant Perspective)

Scenario: Alex is looking for an apartment. He desires to find his next apartment while having limited time for searching due to work. Simplifying the rental process with digital communication and flexible terms would greatly improve his experience.

Client Expectations:

• Faster property matching to locate a suitable apartment quickly.
• Build trust and rapport with the real estate agency.
• Streamlined, digital processes for renting an apartment.

Awareness and Contact Creation Stage

Client story: Alex begins his apartment search online, exploring property portals, using recommendations from friends, and checking neighborhood listings. After finding a promising listing, he contacts the real estate agency via email.

Comments:

This stage involves anonymized data. Your marketing efforts likely attract numerous potential clients between the Awareness stage and Contact Creation. The initial contact represents a culmination of successful marketing (reaching prospective tenants within their preferred channels). The goal now is to seamlessly transfer Alex’s information into the CRM for lead management. For optimal data accuracy and conversion tracking, it’s essential to integrate external platforms with HubSpot directly or at least maintain diligent manual logging when APIs aren’t available.

• Objectives: Arrange the visit to the property.
• Activities: Online searches, referrals, real estate listings, neighborhood exploration, and social media engagement.
• Possible KPIs: Website Visits, click-through rates, social media engagement, and contacts created.
• Touchpoints: Website, other platforms, social media, word-of-mouth.
• Real Estate Agent Operations: Creating property listing, and sharing property details with the marketing team.
• Challenges/Alternative Paths: Lack of timely response from the real estate agency, which can lead to tenants looking for alternative listings or using other platforms.
• Customer Pain Points: Limited availability, lack of information, competitive market.

Contacted Stage

Client story: Shortly after his email, Alex receives a missed call from the agency. Thankfully, a follow-up WhatsApp message includes a short form. After submitting his answers, Alex receives confirmation that his request will be processed.

Comments:

Upon the creation of a new contact in the CRM, the Real Estate Agency is set into motion. The contact is categorized based on persona type: Tenant, Buyer, Owner, Investor, or Seller. In this case, if the contact is a Tenant, the agency checks if a property has been specified by enabling the workflow that reviews the first message and flags any specifications.

Some requests do not indicate interest in a specific property. Not to overuse sales or real estate agents’ time, we decided to ask for additional information via a form.

Previously, we found out that tenants need to have a few critical characteristics to match with some properties, like sufficient income, a work contract, a visa or permit (if they are from abroad), and others. We add those questions to the form with dropdown options, making it easy for users to fill out. They wait until they submit the information so the internal team will be triggered to review their request.

Sometimes, and very often, people do not answer the phone. They could be busy or prefer other communication channels. It was decided to add a WhatsApp channel to the communication stream since it largely simplifies communication for the user. Gladly, WhatsApp has direct integration with HubSpot and can easily be integrated with the system so all messages are visible in the CRM and easy to answer.

Lastly, if the cause of the no answer was that the person did not respond to any messages, we advise using a targeted email campaign that can re-activate dormant users. But if that does not work at all, there is no other option but to close the deal and possibly delete the record since it does not bring any value to the business.

Contacted Stage conclusion:

• Objectives: Narrow down options, verify property details, and schedule viewings.
• Activities: Engaging with real estate agents, responding to calls, answering Whatsapp messages.
• Metrics: Number of inquiries, viewing appointments, calls made, engagement rates on listings.
• Touchpoints: Email inquiries, phone calls, Whatsapp.
• Real Estate Agent Operations: Handling communication with potential tenants, and tenant qualification (screening).
• Challenges/Alternative Paths: Inefficient communication, difficulty in scheduling viewings, discrepancies between listings and actual property conditions.
• Customer Pain Points: Misleading information, unresponsiveness, scheduling conflicts.

Property Visit Stage

Client story: Right after the previous conversation, Alex receives another message, this time containing a calendar link. This allows him to choose the best time for a viewing. He completes this step and receives a confirmation of the visit, eagerly awaiting the next day to see the place in person. Assuming he successfully attends the viewing, Alex is ready to proceed with the reservation.

Comments:

The conversion rate at the Property Visit Stage can vary significantly between businesses. While some might see a modest 5% conversion, others may experience rates as high as 30%. Since clients interested in a visit may quickly pivot to another property, it’s crucial to act fast to keep them engaged.

The Qualification Stage is particularly delicate, as it requires balancing the existing team’s capacity with the volume of incoming leads. It’s essential to identify and filter out leads that don’t add value from the outset, preventing the team from wasting time on non-viable clients. Determining clear ICPs (Ideal Customer Profiles) is key. For example, if a potential tenant earns 20K annually, and your minimum income requirement for a particular apartment is 60K annually, identifying this mismatch early saves everyone time. Asking qualifying questions upfront significantly improves team productivity.

In this scenario, we leveraged the following HubSpot tools to streamline the process with form links in WhatsApp messages, a calendar integration, and the Hubspot inbox for centralized communication.

• Objectives: Confirm property suitability and finalize the choice.
• Activities: Property visits, discussions with agents, review of lease terms.
• Metrics: Conversion rate from creation to viewings, time spent in this stage.
• Touchpoints: In-person visits, Whatsapp, Calendar.
• Real Estate Agent Operations: Communicating with people about the visit, property showings, and initiating lease paperwork.
• Challenges/Alternative Paths: Finding discrepancies during visits, dissatisfaction with lease terms, loss of interest.
• Customer Pain Points: Unmet expectations, legal concerns, decision-making difficulties.

Reservation stage

Client-side story: After a successful visit, Alex confirms his desire to rent. The agent sends a reservation link and a secure digital form to upload supporting documents (proof of income, ID, etc.). Alex is then awaiting the landlord’s approval.

Comment:

This flow includes situations when clients do not like the property. If we can identify that and mark it in the CRM, it will trigger a sales call for additional information. However, let’s not go into too much detail on this since it is irrelevant for now.

The biggest benefit of Hubspot, as stated before, is that teams can use it on the go with its mobile app. This app makes it incredibly easy to send quotes while out in the field. Agents can send reservation payment requests through Hubspot quotes, and clients can easily pay digitally thanks to Stripe integration.

Also, to make it even better, agents can send emails to clients via the app using templates and incorporate forms for document requests. Hubspot forms make it possible to gather information via attachments, making it extremely easy for the team to review everything within the CRM. Once all of this is done, a workflow could be created that automatically flags the client as ready for landlord approval.

Especially for real estate agents who are always on the go, the mobile Hubspot app is very useful. This agility is how Hubspot simplifies internal operations.

• Objectives: Secure the rental and submit documents.
• Activities: Payment processing, document submission, lease review and signing.
• Metrics: Time to lease signing, document completion rate, payment processing efficiency.
• Touchpoints: Quotes, Stripe, Whatsapp, Email and Hubspot Forms.
• Real Estate Agent Operations: Requesting reservation fee, document review, lease preparation, communicating approval.
• Challenges/Alternative Paths: Payment issues, document submission errors, delays in lease processing.
• Customer Pain Points: Complex paperwork, waiting times, payment difficulties.

Seal Stage

Client Story: Alex’s application is approved! He receives a payment request for the deposit via email and completes the transaction. Shortly after, the agency schedules a key handover.

Comment:

Not all actions and touchpoints within the process can be automated. Automation isn’t magic, and it can’t cover non-digital steps like owner approval. There will always be a need for the team to manually log data into the CRM.

That said, certain actions like Lease Signing can be automated. Quotes within Hubspot often have a signing feature that acts as a trigger for subsequent steps, such as requesting payment. Upon payment completion, the CRM can automatically reflect this status.

Only the key handover step remains manual. You could potentially create a calendar meeting for this, which would then appear in HubSpot. However, the best approach ultimately depends on your team’s specific needs and preferences.

• Objectives: Ensure a smooth move-in, maintain satisfaction, consider future housing needs.
• Activities: Regular payments, property maintenance, engagement with property management.
• Metrics: Tenant satisfaction scores, renewal rates, maintenance request resolution times.
• Touchpoints: Payment systems, maintenance request portals, tenant surveys.
• Real Estate Agent Operations: Requesting payment of deposit and monthly fee, hand off the keys, further assistance, managing tenant relations.
• Challenges/Alternative Paths: Maintenance issues, dissatisfaction leading to early termination or non-renewal.
• Customer Pain Points: Maintenance delays, payment issues, unmet living expectations.

Retention Stage

Client story: Alex was lucky to have the smooth process and he was positively shocked by the quality of the service. Two weeks after moving in he receives an email asking him to score the experience that he finds his story impactful. A half year later the company started sending him the real estate offer to purchase a place. Unfortunately, he does not have a sufficient amount but more and more he thinks of a mortgage.

Comment:

Not every company invests in post-rental follow-up, but it holds power for both tenant retention and cross-selling opportunities. Showing genuine interest in client satisfaction builds brand loyalty, making it easier to re-engage Alex if he decides to upgrade or downgrade living spaces. The email offering real estate listings is a subtle invitation to expand business relationships and enter broader sales cycles.

• Objectives: Settle into the apartment, maintain a positive relationship with the agency.
• Key User Activities: Regular rent payments, property upkeep, and potentially future inquiries with the agency.
• Metrics: Tenant satisfaction scores, renewal rates, and inquiries from existing tenants.
• Touchpoints: Satisfaction surveys, company emails, and newsletters highlighting real estate offers.
• Real Estate Agent Operations: Tracks tenant satisfaction, manages ongoing tenant relations, targets existing clients with upselling opportunities.
• Challenges/Alternative Paths: Maintenance issues, negative experiences leading to non-renewal or early termination.
• Customer Pain Points: Unsolved maintenance problems, unexpected rent increases, poor communication with management.

A well-crafted customer journey map isn’t a one-time exercise. As your business and the digital landscape evolve, continue to analyze data, gather client feedback, and refine your CJM. Regular monitoring allows for adaptability to changing market needs and ensures continuous improvement in tenant satisfaction and acquisition.

Stage 5: Realization

With a solid understanding of the theory behind customer journey mapping, the key now lies in implementation. We strongly advise against rushing to implement all changes at once, especially in large teams where teaching and self-learning are crucial. Allow your team time to adapt and integrate these new practices.

There are two main approaches to implementing changes:

• Highest Impact: Prioritize changes that will have the greatest positive impact on customer experience or business results. This can provide quick wins and motivate further adoption.
• Logical Order: Follow a sequential process, addressing customer journey stages in their natural order. This creates a cohesive, step-by-step transformation.

Ultimately, the best approach depends on your team’s structure, your business goals, and the complexity of the changes involved.

Conclusion

After 4 sessions Vexco and I have developed a customer journey map that goes beyond simply improving the customer experience. It has illuminated better, more streamlined ways of conducting business. Initially, there was natural hesitation within our Real Estate agency towards technologies like Stripe and WhatsApp integration. However, these tools quickly proved invaluable in simplifying transactions and enhancing communication channels.

The benefits extend beyond external efficiencies. This process has fostered a more collaborative environment within our team, breaking down friction between departments. The shared understanding gained through customer journey mapping has sparked positive change and demonstrated the importance of embracing modern practices to optimize every aspect of our business.

If you are looking for Hubspot implementations to transform your business, Vexco has the expertise to deliver the results you seek. The team understands how to leverage Hubspot’s powerful features to streamline operations, create seamless customer experiences, and drive growth.

For personalized guidance on mapping your customer journey and overcoming growth challenges, reach out to Andrii Yeshchenko, Growth Marketer. With a deep understanding of customer-centric strategies, I’m ready to help your business reach new heights.

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