What it looks like in sales: The Arlene and Romy dynamic

We spent time with Senior Property Consultant Arlene Joffe and Sales Consultant Romy Szkolnik to observe how their working relationship unfolds.

 

 

A partnership that started from day dot

Arlene has been in the industry for over a decade. Romy is in her third year. On paper, they’re an unlikely pair. In practice, they’re anything but.

‘I met Arlene before I even got the job,’ Romy says. ‘She came to my interview. So we’ve been working together since the very start.’

That early introduction set the tone for everything that followed.

‘Now, we’re in the same team together,’ Arlene explains. ‘There are four of us. We all cover each other, we all help each other. And it just works.’

They don’t overthink it – collaboration is how they operate. And that collaboration has turned into an unexpected friendship.

‘A lot of people think Romy is my daughter,’ Arlene laughs. ‘Which is funny, because my youngest is actually 28.’

Different strengths, same result

Spend five minutes with them and the dynamic becomes obvious: experience on one side, energy on the other. Both are equally valued.

‘If Rom’s not sure of something, I’ll explain it to her,’ Arlene says. ‘So I’m a bit of a mentor in that way.

‘And I lean on her as well,’ she adds. ‘Technology is not my strong point. So I’ll go, “Rom, how do we do this?” And she helps me.’

Romy sees it the same way.

‘I help her with the iPad, setting up her phone, things like that,’ she says. ‘But then I’ll go to her for everything else.’

How the market sees it

From the outside, that mix doesn’t go unnoticed.

‘I have vendors say to me, “I want someone who’s had experience,”’ Arlene explains. ‘They don’t want someone who’s only been in it for a few years.’

At the same time, expectations are shifting.

‘Others want that young energy,’ Romy says. ‘Someone who’s hyped about the property.’

That’s where the combination of youth and experience comes into its own.

‘It’s all about relationships,’ Arlene says. ‘Clients need to know you, like you and trust you.’

And having two perspectives only strengthens that. So, they play into it. If the buyer is a younger couple, Romy will talk to them. If they’re older, Arlene will step in.

The makings of a work mum

What really stands out, though, is how Arlene and Romy get along.

‘Arles is my work mum,’ Romy laughs. And it’s not just a throwaway line. ‘If I ever need help, whether it’s work or personal, I’ll go to her. She’s always there.’

For Arlene, it’s just as meaningful.

‘When I first started my career, I was on my own,’ she says. ‘The team we have now makes all the difference.’

These days, that difference is on full display each Monday at the Gary Peer sales meeting – hosting over 50 agents – where Arlene is fighting off suitors to save a seat for Romy, right next to her.

What it looks like in property management: Harry and Ned in action

We spoke to Team Leader and Senior Property Manager Harry Lustig and Team Leader – Leasing Ned Hellier to discover the differences – and similarities – in their approach.

 

 

 

Years in the making

Harry has been at Gary Peer for 35 years. Ned has been here for nine. And while they don’t work side by side in the traditional sense, their roles are tightly connected.

‘We work together to make things happen,’ Harry says simply. ‘Inspections, reports, everything.’

‘It’s very day-to-day,’ Ned agrees. ‘We organise the processes, and then it all feeds into the wider team.

‘Once I’ve done my part of booking the inspections and organising my team, they’ll go out and do the inspections and condition reports for Harry and his team – as well as the other property managers.’

In short, one team can’t exist without the other.

Where experience meets momentum

Harry and Ned’s approaches to property management are different. But deliberately so.

‘I’m more about checking in with my team throughout the day,’ Harry says. ‘Seeing how they’re going, if there’s anything bothering them.’

Ned takes a slightly different view.

‘I’m more solutions-focused,’ he explains. ‘If something can be done better or more efficiently, I’ll look at how to implement that.’

Harry has noticed it too.

‘Ned will come in and get things going straight away,’ he says. ‘He’s like, right, let’s get moving. I’ve started doing that more myself. Getting the day set up early and then letting it flow.’

That exchange goes both ways.

‘I definitely look up to Harry,’ Ned says. ‘From when I first started. Just the way Harry handles inspections, the way he speaks to people... it inspires me.’

Evolving with the industry

In property management, change is constant. And it takes perspectives from all generations to help navigate it.

‘When I first started, everything was paper-based,’ Harry says. Now, it’s a different world. ‘There’s a lot more structure,’ he explains. ‘You can’t skip over things.’

For Ned, that evolution is part of the job. ‘There’s always a more streamlined way of doing something,’ he says. ‘You just have to find it. And often, the answer comes from a team member who may be able to look at the situation differently.’

The company plays a role, too.

‘There’s definitely a Gary Peer flair,’ Ned adds. ‘But there’s still room to adapt it to your personal style.’

‘We encourage people to bring ideas,’ Harry agrees. ‘If something can be done better, we want to know about it.’

So, what actually works?

When you work on a multi-generational team, it raises the question: what gives a team the edge? Experience or fresh thinking?

‘It’s a combination of both,’ Ned says.

Harry agrees.

‘We learn every day,’ he says. ‘From each other, from the people we deal with. What matters more is how that knowledge is shared.’

Especially when said knowledge is around pop culture.

‘My eyes just widen at some of the things the younger members of my team say, sometimes,’ Ned laughs. ‘And then I have to go away and Google what they even meant.’

‘Those kinds of interactions are some of the best parts of coming into work,’ Harry says with a smile. ‘I get a kick out of looking up different slang words and then dropping them in front of the Gen Z members of my team. I just look at them like, oh, I know.’

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