Almost a third of prospective seller leads can be generated outside traditional estate agency working hours, according to new data from The ValPal Network.
Analysis of activity through ValPal Pro during August found that between 25% and 26% of appointment and callback requests were made outside 9am to 6pm when those hours are applied seven days a week.
When Sunday is treated as a non-working day, the proportion of activity generated outside conventional agency hours increases to between 31% and 32%.
The figures suggest a significant proportion of prospective sellers are engaging with agents during evenings and weekends, potentially increasing the importance of how quickly agencies respond outside normal office hours.
OUT-OF-HOURS DEMAND
ValPal Pro generated 3,634 appointment requests and 3,802 callback requests during August, representing 7,436 direct opportunities for participating agents.
Across the wider ValPal platform, 47,401 online valuation leads were generated during the month.
Craig Vile (main picture, inset), Director of The ValPal Network, says: “In today’s demanding world, consumers increasingly expect businesses to be responsive when it suits them, not simply between 9am and 6pm.
“Someone considering selling their home in the evening or at the weekend is every bit as valuable a prospect as someone making an enquiry during office hours.”
LATER ACTIVITY
The data also indicates a shift towards later activity during the working day, with 3pm becoming the busiest hour for ValPal Pro engagement during August.
Activity at 5pm increased by 15.1%, further indicating that potential sellers continue researching and making enquiries as the conventional working day draws to a close.
Vile says AI and automation can allow agencies to begin responding to potential clients without requiring staff to work extended hours.
He adds: “AI allows that initial conversation to begin immediately, while interest is still high, without asking agency teams to work around the clock. The technology handles availability; the agent still owns the relationship and ultimately wins the instruction.”
Vile says the figures demonstrate the importance of maintaining lead engagement outside traditional opening hours in a market where response times can influence which agent secures the first conversation with a prospective seller.
