Estate agents are failing to answer 94.1% of calls made during the early evening, according to research covering more than 3,000 UK property business phone numbers.
The study by InStep AI finds the vast majority of calls made to sales and lettings agencies between 6pm and 9pm on weekdays go unanswered.
The findings raise questions over how effectively agents are capturing prospective buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants who make contact outside traditional office hours.
They also follow recent research from The ValPal Network showing up to 32% of property leads can be generated outside conventional working hours, depending on how those hours are defined.
AFTER-HOURS LEADS
AI automation specialist Talos Labs says the gap presents an opportunity for agents to use technology to capture enquiries when offices are closed.
The company is launching an AI voice system capable of answering calls, gathering contact information and qualifying prospective buyers and tenants by asking questions including budget, chain position and timescale.
It can also book viewings into agents’ calendars and handle routine maintenance reports and tenancy enquiries, with agents able to take over conversations where necessary.
Johnson Ting, Director of Talos Labs, says: “Having worked in the property sector I realised how frustrating it is when valuable leads are lost for a wide number of reasons.
“We have designed the system to sound as human, natural and friendly as possible so that callers may not even realise they are speaking to an AI assistant.”
OUT-OF-HOURS DEMAND
Ting argues the mismatch between consumer behaviour and traditional agency opening hours creates a particular problem for the industry.
He says: “If you think about it, most people only have time to look at properties after 6pm and on weekends. That’s when they are off work. But most agencies are shut during those hours.”
Talos Labs is currently onboarding its first group of property clients ahead of a wider rollout.
The findings add to growing evidence that agents are increasingly having to consider how enquiries are handled outside conventional office hours as consumers continue their property searches into evenings and weekends.
