Ohan Antebian is a seasoned real-estate technology leader with over two decades of experience spanning product strategy, business operations, and growth execution across the residential real estate landscape.
Realtracs has worked with Ohan's team at Giant Steps in the past. We thought it would be interesting to see his take on how brokers can reach their agents more effectively with the right communications at the right time.
Here's Ohan's perspective on how brokers can improve agent communication with roster data.
“Agents don’t read our communication.” It’s an age-old complaint echoing through brokerage offices, a bothersome expression used to deflect responsibility for low engagement. The reality is, your firm is sitting on a goldmine of data that can turn this communication challenge into a significant competitive advantage. The solution isn't demanding more attention from busy agents; it's being smarter, more timely, and infinitely more relevant in what we send them.
The era of blanket emails is over. You hold the key to segmenting your agent roster, not just by the basic, but by deep behavioral and preference-based insights that drive daily activity.
Segment for Relevance: Beyond the Basics
Imagine being able to tailor your message based on an agent’s actual workflow. Roster data, combined with platform usage insights, allows you to segment agents by:
- Agent Specialization: Are they consistently listing luxury homes in Belle Meade, or are they working with first-time buyers in Murfreesboro? Their specialization dictates the tools and information they need most. Stop sending farm-focused marketing updates to an agent who specializes in SFR leasing.
- Geographic Focus: Which zip codes do they actively save searches for, or where do their recent closings concentrate? Messaging about new real estate developments, local market trends, or hyper-local data tools becomes instantly valuable.
- Preferred Communication Methods: Some agents live in their email inbox, others rely on text alerts, and many still prefer a short phone call. Tracking engagement data across different channels provides the blueprint for how they want to be reached.
The Power of Timeliness: Matching Messages to Workflow
The most significant barrier to agent engagement is timing. Agents engage in vastly different activities depending on where they are in a transaction cycle. A message about a new listing presentation tool will be ignored when an agent is deep into negotiation on behalf of a buyer client, but it would be perfectly timed during a proactive listing prospecting phase.
|
Agent Activity Phase |
Information Need (Timeliness) |
Example Brokerage Communication |
| Prospecting | Lead generation tools, market share reports, prospecting resources. | Announcement of a new lead generation tool and webinar training. |
| Listing Acquisition | Listing presentation resources, CMA software updates, competitive market analysis data. | Announcement of an enhanced CMA tool and webinar training. |
| Buyer Representation | Showing service features, mobile app updates, search functionality tips, buyer-specific compliance changes. | Tip sheet on using the mobile app to schedule showings quickly. |
| Transaction Management | Digital signature platforms, compliance checklists, closing procedure reminders, forms library updates. | Alert regarding a recent change in state-mandated disclosure forms. |
Understanding the time-necessitated needs of an agent—whether they are actively working with a buyer or prospecting for a listing—allows the brokerage to deliver product and service messaging that is contextually relevant and, therefore, effective.
The Data Advantage: Your Competitive Edge
Consider the vendors who have historically attempted to “sell” to your agents. They would have “killed” to have the type of rich, timely data that your brokerage possesses today. This data is no longer just for administration; it is the fundamental resource for improving communication and demonstrating value.
It is time for the brokerage to stop using the agent's lack of engagement as an excuse and start solving for it. By leveraging roster and usage data to segment, personalize, and time communication, you move beyond mere delivery and achieve true agent support. The data is there; the responsibility to use it wisely is yours.
About Ohan Antebian
Ohan is a seasoned real-estate technology leader with over two decades of experience spanning product strategy, business operations, and growth execution across the residential real estate landscape. Known for driving innovative solutions and scaling high-impact teams, Ohan has held senior roles at industry players including Lone Wolf Technologies, CoreLogic, Move, Inc., Black Knight, and Seller/consumer platforms such as Sold.com, where he led rapid product launches and strategic initiatives.
As Co-Founder & CEO of Okood, Ohan combines practical industry expertise with an innovation-focused perspective to build data-driven tools that help real estate investors make confident, efficient decisions. At Giant Steps Advisors, he brings extensive experience in business model refinement, product strategy, and operational optimization, helping clients align vision with execution in an evolving proptech ecosystem.