To celebrate five years in business, John Hoole & his team are raising the bar. Andrew Kay went along to find out how and why

At your service
Five years go by so fast and it seems like no time since I first went to meet John Hoole at his new office on Dyke Road. Back then the market was booming and the arrival on the scene of a new business came as no surprise. But in the subsequent years we have seen massive changes and a downturn in the property market that only the best could survive.

John Hoole has clearly survived and is heading into his sixth year with a smile on his face and a facelift for his business. “We thought it was time to give ourselves a bit of a new look,” says John. “The design remains unchanged but we have brightened the colour scheme, given our ‘for sale’ boards a new look and redecorated the office. We didn’t want to lose the brand recognition that we have achieved but we also wanted things to look up-to-the-minute. The interior of the office now has a silhouette landscape of the city in our signature purple featuring Brighton’s iconic buildings.

“Our new message is ‘First Class Service without Compromise’ and it’s a promise we are committed to honoring for all our customers”

“We have also invested a great deal of time and money on upgrading our website. We know just how important it is that users can navigate their way very easily and we are confident that we have achieved that. But we also wanted to add in a range of new services that we hope will be useful for new buyers, so on our website you will find advice on a number of property buying and selling topics: things like Stamp Duty are explained, there is advice on how leases work and other helpful guides such as selling tips. There is also the facility to ask a question which will be particularly useful for first-time buyers and a request form for a phone call-back too. The website will also feature a weekly article on the Brighton and Hove property market, a piece on what we are doing in the office, and an overview of special offers. The site is fully content manageable and the in-house team will be responsible for updating it on a weekly basis.”

One thing visitors to the John Hoole website will notice is the prominence of the phone number at the top of the homepage, whereas other sites often tuck that kind of contact detail away.

“We wanted our number right at the top as we welcome people calling,” says John. “A phone conversation is the start for us of what we hope will become a very personal relationship.”

That level of personal service is what keeps John Hoole at the top of his game. People may like to look at websites but when it comes down to the actual process of viewing a property, making an offer and buying a home, nothing can beat the personal touch. Now John Hoole is going one step further: “We are increasing our service level to a new high. From now on, when a buyer reaches completion day, they will be offered the full help of a member of our staff for one whole day. He or she will come to your new home and help with anything that might arise, from simple things like showing you how to read meters, to delivering the keys to you at your new address, to helping with check-lists – in short, we will help you with all the mundane things that you suddenly realise need to be done. Basically, our staff will be there to take some of the stress out of moving in.”

Things are looking good for John Hoole Estate Agents. They have been in business long enough now to see repeat customers, and they have a very strong reputation with lots of recommendations. Their location on the busy city intersection of Dyke Road means their profile is constantly growing.

“We are at the cross section of some of the city’s most desirable districts with great local schools with excellent Ofsted ratings, shops, bars and restaurants. There are properties at every level too from first homes to luxury homes.”

John Hoole specialises in areas either side of Dyke Road, but they also have property further afield, from clients who have spotted the name while driving by or have been recommended.

“We are very proud of the fact that we have a very low ‘fall through’ rate and that is definitely reflected in the number of recommendations we get,” John concludes. “At the heart of our success though has to be a fully professional service and one that we keep building on all the time. Our new message is ‘First Class Service without Compromise’ and it’s a promise I and my team of Jessica Pollitt and Tristan White are committed to honouring for all our customers.”

John Hoole, 214 Dyke Road, Brighton, BN1 5AA, 01273 555115, www.johnhoole.co.uk