OSC of the Month | Elena Mora

Our OSC of the Month for April is Elena Mora, Senior Online Home Consultant with Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods in Oklahoma. In this interview, Elena shares her career path, the best part of working on an OSC Team, and her advice for others in the industry.

What was your career path to becoming an OSC?

This August will be my 18th year with Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods!

I was in sales for the first 2 years of my career with Ideal, and then transitioned into this role after I had my first child. This role was brand new when I first started, so at the beginning, my main objective was to respond to each customer (who was typically a local first-time homebuyer) within 5 minutes or less, provide general information and ask for an appointment. Now, aside from responding in a timely manner, I spend a good portion of my day researching each customer’s options to provide tailored information to both realtors and buyers. Several of our current customers are moving here from out-of-state with very specific needs. Currently I manage about 150 leads a month.

What’s the best part about working on a team?

I finally have days off! Prior to my amazing partner, Chelsie, coming on board almost 2 years ago, I wasn’t really able to have down time because I was ‘on’ all the time. With this job, you never know when someone will call in or submit an inquiry, so I felt like I was always on autopilot with no energy to explore new ideas.

Now that I have a teammate, I have the bandwidth to create new processes and freshen up old ones. I also feel like I can give each customer 100% of my time and effort because I’m no longer overwhelmed with managing too many leads.

“Elena is an OG! She has her Lasso ON POINT. One of the most organized Lasso systems I have seen—NO overdue activities and her ratings are perfect.”

Heidi Schroeder
Lasso Sr. Sales Consultant

How have you seen online home sales change in the last few years?

Because inventory is so low with both used and new homes, I’ve noticed more realtors have been using us as a resource to get information on homes we have in process. There has also been a shift from always asking for the appointment to spending more time qualifying each buyer and adding more buyers to waiting lists.

How do you see your role/or the OSC role evolving over the next few years?

I think teams will continue to grow as more customers, even the ones with realtors, start their home search on a builder’s website. I also feel we’ll have more involvement with training our sales teams on the best follow-up practices.

What’s the most challenging aspect of your job? What do you do to overcome that challenge?

Knowing when to turn it off and accepting help. Working from home creates the perfect environment for a ‘fake break’ because when I’m off, or it’s after hours and a customer texts or emails with a question, it’s so easy for me to respond. To ensure I protect my family time, and to set proper expectations with customers, I use my out of office email replies. I also rely on my teammate to take over when I have an influx of leads that I can’t manage in a timely manner.

What are the most important technology(s)/tool(s) you use in your role?

Lasso, of course! To achieve what today’s customer has come to expect: the perfect combination of personalized information that is sent in a timely manner, I create specific processes and templates for efficiency.

What is your “go to” closing technique to get an appointment?

“I certainly understand you’re in the ‘research phase’ of your home search. The benefit of meeting with our new home consultant is to get in-depth information that can’t be found online. It looks like we have an opening available tomorrow at 2 pm. Does that time work well for you to stop by so you can get all of your questions answered during your visit?”

What/Who are your “go-to” resources for training and/or support?

Jen Barken at DYC and her OPT-In podcasts have really helped Chelsie and me take our program to the next level. I also like to listen to Kevin Oakley’s DYC podcast to learn about all of the latest marketing trends and am an avid reader of anything written by Jeff Shore, Amy O’Connor and Ronda Conger.

Do you have a productivity hack you’d like to share?

If something is bothering you about a process or about what a co-worker is doing, address it immediately (in a positive manner) and don’t let it fester! Nothing kills productivity more than ruminating thoughts over something or someone. Per the advice of our fabulous Marketing Director, Erin Yarbrough, I have a quick meeting with my teammate each week to discuss how we’re doing, what’s working and what could be improved. When you’re the O.G. OSC, you have to put your ego aside and understand that if your goal is to increase your online contribution, you have to be willing to accept new ideas, be positive, and teach your teammate(s) how to succeed.

Do you have any specific successes you’d like to highlight?

I had a realtor call in asking for information for his clients who were getting discouraged because they kept getting outbid on homes. He told me his plan was to show them several builders and wanted to stop by one of our model homes. After our conversation, he said, ‘This is why I love working with you guys! Out of all the builders I called to set up a tour, you were the only one who asked for my clients’ names and what they’re looking for!’ His clients wrote a contract on their first visit!

Any tips or advice for fellow online salespeople and marketers?

Show empathy. This market is crazy: homes are selling at a record pace, inventory is low, prices keep increasing and processes keep changing. Customers aren’t the only ones who are disappointed, frustrated and frazzled, our co-workers in different departments are too! If a mistake happens, try to hear everyone out to understand what’s going on in their world before assuming the worst.

What are your favorite activities to do outside of work?

It sounds cheesy, but I truly love spending time with my husband and 3 kids! I have a 15, 12 and soon-to-be 2-year-old. You haven’t lived until you have a baby in your 40s! 🙂

What are you reading or binge-watching?

Currently reading Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult and re-watching episodes of Glow Up with my daughter, which is a British Makeup Artist competition on Netflix.

Where is the first place you’re going when we get back to normal travel?

Canada!