A marketing consultant has drawn parallels between corporate crisis management strategies and trust-building opportunities in the UK estate agency sector, citing consumer research showing strong preferences for transparent business practices.
Toby Martin, a marketing consultant and trainer, referenced several corporate case studies to illustrate how admitting failures can strengthen customer relationships, with particular application to an industry facing persistent trust challenges.
Corporate precedents
Martin highlighted Domino’s Pizza’s 2009 campaign under CEO Patrick Doyle, which featured negative customer feedback in television advertising. The company acknowledged quality issues directly, stating “We screwed up. Give our pizza another chance.” According to Martin’s account, same-store sales increased nearly 10% within a year, and the stock price doubled within three years.
KFC’s 2018 response to a UK supply chain failure that left restaurants without chicken was also cited. The company published a full-page advertisement rearranging its logo to read “FCK” with an apology. The campaign generated 800 million media impressions and 8.6 million Twitter impressions within three days, according to Martin.
Johnson & Johnson’s handling of the 1982 Tylenol poisoning crisis, which involved withdrawing 31 million bottles at a cost exceeding $100 million, was presented as a case where prioritising public safety over short-term costs preserved market position.
Consumer attitudes to transparency
Martin referenced research indicating that 89% of consumers would give a business a second chance if it admits mistakes and explains corrective measures. The data showed 86% would consider switching to competitors if brands are not forthcoming, whilst 85% said consistent transparency makes them more likely to support companies during difficulties.
Trust deficit in estate agency
The estate agency sector faces particular challenges, with only 32% of Britons trusting estate agents to tell the truth, according to figures cited by Martin. This places the profession just above private landlords in trust rankings.
Martin suggested practical applications for agents, including providing honest property valuations even when recommendations might be unwelcome, transparent communication about market conditions, and acknowledging when viewings have not gone well rather than providing vague feedback.
He contrasted two approaches: advising clients that market conditions are slow and a neighbouring property took three months to sell, versus promising a sale within two weeks without qualification.
Market implications
The analysis suggests that in a sector with low trust levels, agents who adopt transparent practices may gain competitive advantage. Martin noted that review profiles showing a mix of ratings with responses to complaints may appear more credible than exclusively perfect scores.
The consultant concluded that whilst customers forgive failures, they do not forgive dishonesty, suggesting that transparency during difficulties could differentiate agents in a crowded market.
Martin is a marketing consultant, trainer, and speaker working with property sector clients.