{"id":11079,"date":"2021-02-19T15:59:53","date_gmt":"2021-02-19T08:59:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.asiapropertyawards.com\/?p=11079"},"modified":"2024-09-23T15:55:03","modified_gmt":"2024-09-23T08:55:03","slug":"bridge-the-digital-gap-staying-connected-with-customers-in-a-socially-distanced-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.asiapropertyawards.com\/en\/bridge-the-digital-gap-staying-connected-with-customers-in-a-socially-distanced-world\/","title":{"rendered":"Bridge the digital gap: Staying connected with customers in a socially-distanced world"},"content":{"rendered":"

Microsoft\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Miri\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Rodriguez\u00a0<\/span><\/span>shares the importance of<\/span><\/span>\u00a0digital<\/span><\/span>\u00a0storytelling\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in real estate<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Brand storytelling is not just a method of telling stories for companies, but the actual intent and design of the stories. Rawpixel.com\/Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In just a year, the pandemic has drastically changed how\u00a0<\/span>businesses function<\/span>. We went\u00a0<\/span>from working 9 to 5 in the office to getting used to flexible hours\u00a0<\/span>at<\/span>\u00a0home<\/span>. We stopped having face-to-face meetings with our colleagues and opted for video collaborations. <\/span>We even had to switch to digital operations and co<\/span>nnect<\/span>\u00a0with clients virtually.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As you may very well be aware, n<\/span>ot all\u00a0<\/span>transitions went seamlessly<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Though each may have come with its own difficulty, <\/span>meeting customers and investors face-to-face, especially in real estate\u00a0<\/span>is\u00a0<\/span>crucial in\u00a0<\/span>not only making a\u00a0<\/span>sale<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0but<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in\u00a0<\/span>building rapport.<\/span>\u00a0Surely, this connection is not something that we can easily replicate digitally<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>first\u00a0virtual edition of the\u00a0annual\u00a0<\/span>PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit<\/span><\/a>, Miri Rodriguez, head of global internship <\/span>programme<\/span>\u00a0at Microsoft,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>posed this c<\/span>ompelling\u00a0<\/span>question<\/span>: \u201c<\/span>H<\/span><\/i>ow do we keep that deep human connection in a digital platform?” <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

A<\/span>nd that\u2019s where brand storytelling comes in.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Brand s<\/span>torytelling\u00a0<\/span>i<\/span>s\u00a0<\/span>not just a<\/span>\u00a0method of telling stories<\/span>\u00a0for companies,<\/span> nor is it sharing information and opinions, or a marketing<\/span>\u00a0tactic<\/span>. Instead, Miri defined it as<\/span>\u00a0the actual intent and design of the stories.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As with any story, it must have a character, plot, and conclusion.\u00a0“[It is] being intentional with your\u00a0<\/span>design, taking those three elements and actually <\/span>transferring that information at an emotional level \u2013 and that is innovation<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Storytelling is only of value if you\u00a0<\/span>are able to<\/span>\u00a0portray emotion<\/span> because \u201cpeople will remember how you made them feel,\u201d stressed <\/span>Miri<\/span>\u00a0as she quoted<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Maya Angelou.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During her early\u00a0<\/span>years\u00a0<\/span>at\u00a0<\/span>Microsoft, she recal<\/span>led first working with engineers and\u00a0<\/span>how she<\/span>\u00a0was unfamiliar<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>with<\/span>\u00a0how\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>industry w<\/span>orks<\/span>.<\/span> She was also in the process of f<\/span>inishing her\u00a0<\/span>m<\/span>aster\u2019s degree at the time<\/span>, so<\/span>\u00a0she\u00a0<\/span>was learning\u00a0<\/span>about\u00a0<\/span>user experience and design thinking<\/span>\u00a0where she\u00a0<\/span>encountered\u00a0<\/span>the five steps of design thinking<\/span>\u00a0(Empathy, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test)<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>which she <\/span>later on<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>decided to\u00a0<\/span>incorporate<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>i<\/span>nto storytelling<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lead with e<\/span><\/i>mpathy<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Empathy wasn\u2019t really a part of business\u00a0<\/span>processes<\/span> back then. It was only until recently when we started to hear the phrases \u201cmeeting with empathy, innovating with empathy, and inte<\/span>grating empathy in AI<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0around the workplace.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As we introduce new innovations<\/span>\u00a0in our business<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>empathy is crucial as it allows you to consider users\u2019 needs, which can help you come up with more\u00a0<\/span>useful<\/span>\u00a0features\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>prevent potential risks.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>So<\/span>\u00a0empathy is truly not only a notion or a concept,\u00a0<\/span>it is<\/span>\u00a0also an act,\u201d\u00a0<\/span>adde<\/span>d Miri.\u00a0<\/span>She herself shared that she had to learn how to become an empath<\/span>\u00a0as<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>it\u00a0<\/span>would\u00a0<\/span>help her\u00a0<\/span>understand the customers, the innovation, and the universal truth, which she describe<\/span>d<\/span>\u00a0as \u201c<\/span>the feeling that people have when they\u00a0<\/span>come in contact with<\/span>\u00a0the assets of your brand, like an email, a salesperson, a tweet, an Instagram story…<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>That’s<\/span>\u00a0what I call the universal truth.<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But to be able to\u00a0<\/span>drive innovation and connectedness in your brand story<\/span>, Miri\u00a0<\/span>advised\u00a0<\/span>learning the different levels:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Cognitive empathy\u00a0<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u201cYou want to level off if you want to meet people at their place… empathise<\/span>\u00a0with them in their spaces.\u201d\u00a0C<\/span>onnect\u00a0<\/span>and communicate <\/span>with your customers whenever you\u00a0<\/span>want to innovate<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0Ask yourself the following:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n