How an intentional corporate culture makes for more engaged employees, accelerated growth, and happier clients
True Title’s John Duckworth (president) and John Banjak (general counsel) have spent many years in the title business. While working together at another company, they began discussing the problems in their industry.
They saw stressed-out employees, executives who had walled themselves off from their staff, and companies unwilling to go the extra mile when a real estate deal hit an obstacle.
They had an idea for a new kind of title company. One that would celebrate people—both employees and clients. One that would thrive on solving difficult problems instead of avoiding them. One that created a supportive team environment.
They imagined employees working together to ensure the success of their clients and each other.
With all of this in mind, they opened True Title in 2012. The results have been astounding. Starting with three employees and one office, they’ve expanded to a staff of 61 team members and eleven offices spread over 93 miles.
In an industry that has grown an estimated 31% since 2013, True Title has seen a remarkable increase during the same period. And while the number of real estate transactions in the region has had a slight uptick (7%), True Title’s closings have increased by more than 1,000%. To put it another way, our 2020 monthly average was nearly equal to our total closings in all of 2013. We closed 280 purchases in 2013, and 5,889 in 2020 — an increase of 2003! We’re in serious growth mode.
When asked about the secret to True Title’s success, president John Duckworth answered, “You’ve got to take care of people.”
Not just employees. Not just clients. People.
Achieving sky-high employee engagement
Productivity experts agree with the data: Engaged employees generate far more revenue than those who are disengaged. According to Gallup’s “State of the American Workplace”, only 33% of American employees are fully engaged in their work. This isn’t the case at True Title.
In a recent company-wide survey, 96% of True Title Employees said they felt proud to be part of the True Title team.
And in the words attributed to legendary management guru, Peter Drucker, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
Vickie Pickle, the 35-year industry veteran who works in the Clayton branch, was drawn to the team because of the positive and collaborative True Title environment. She said, “True Title is a place where collaboration is not just something we say, but something we do every single day. We all lean on each other to bring the best client experience for agents and homebuyers and sellers as possible.”
This high degree of employee collaboration and engagement is no accident. Duckworth and Banjak created this culture intentionally.
Top-Down Values
When surveyed by a third-person agency, 96% of True Title’s employees indicated they respected their supervisor, and 100% agreed they respected their colleagues. That attitude of respect comes from the top.
Duckworth and Banjak motivate their team to:
- Celebrate people.
- Thrive on challenges.
- Commit to their client’s success.
- Win as a team.
Processor at the Newtown Branch, Danna Edler says of employers, “They take the time to celebrate the wins and jobs well done on a regular basis. They let us know what a great job we’re doing and want to see us succeed and win as both individuals as well as a collective team.”
And when it comes to a sense of personal agency, she says, “They treat us like the professionals we are and give us a lot of responsibility to pave our own path so we can learn, grow and guide our team.”
This ethic of respect for the individual extends to True Title’s clients as well.
Banjak says, “From the beginning, I had this simple philosophy: The title company sending the most handwritten notes and returning phone calls the fastest will win.”
Turning Problems into Opportunities
Though many different companies can handle title insurance and closings, not many will work as hard as True Title to resolve inevitable legal and title issues. This requires a high level of competency paired with a can-do attitude.
Pickle says, “There can be a lot of challenges in this job, but knowing you have a capable team and leadership backing you up, makes my job less stressful.
This attitude is part of True Title’s culture. John Banjak believes “we earn clients when we solve difficult issues,” rescuing deals other title companies had written off as too risky or too burdensome to handle.
Armed with this idea, employees feel comfortable dealing with title issues of all sorts. Danna Edler agrees, noting she’s encouraged to work through problems others in the industry would dismiss out of hand. The reason? She feels comfortable talking to leadership, knowing they are willing to engage with the issue, educate her, and work to find a solution.
Edler says, “The answer is never just a ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ It’s a ‘Yes we can and here’s the reason why.’” Through this kind of coaching, employees are continually improving, constantly finding themselves better equipped to serve their clients.
Cultivating a Strong Team Environment Through Profit Sharing
Duckworth and Banjak implemented a pay structure unique to their industry. They set aside a portion of the company’s profits, distributing it to employees on a quarterly basis.
Banjak comments that to give some of the company’s profits back to other team members is “more respectful of those who are driving the business … [those] ensuring our company continues to thrive.”
However, Gallup’s publication, “State of the American Workplace”, notes that financial compensation isn’t enough to keep employees engaged. They write, “Employees need to be in an environment where there is mutual respect for one another’s results.”
True Title has been able to develop this environment. Edler was impressed as she realized John Duckworth both understood and respected her day-to-day task list, something she feels is unique in the industry.
When Adela Hamzabegovic, an Escrow Closer, on the team for five years was expecting a new addition to her family, she was able to take maternity leave.
“I was able to work with my team to put together a plan while I was out,” said Hamzabegovic. “I knew that I could go be mom for a while and come back and be able to dive right back in to helping and serving our clients.”
Duckworth and Banjak keep the staff engaged outside of the office too. They can’t wait to get back to the holiday and summer parties, happy hours, and other events. Nothing better than getting together outside of work. They enjoy each other’s company, and that shows during work hours as well.
Turning Recruitment into a Team Effort
Since True Title’s staff has internalized their organization’s culture, Duckworth and Banjak lean on their employees to scout for new talent. As team members interact with other real estate professionals, they keep an eye out for people that exemplify their values.
This creates employee engagement in a whole new way: Employees have a say in who they work with.
Banjak says, “The whole staff—quality team members—are looking for other potential title team members … [They’re] confident enough that if they bring in other competent people, they sort of become friendly competitors. They’re not threatened by that. They thrive on the ability to work alongside another fantastic employee.”
More Closings + Higher Employee Engagement = Happier Clients
John Duckworth and John Banjak designed True Title to be a different kind of title company.
While any reputable title company can handle some aspects of the title business, True Title is working in unique ways to serve their customers.
- Maintaining strong core values.
- Instilling a can-do attitude resulting in more solid closings.
- Creating a healthy team environment.
- Employing an exceptional recruitment strategy.
True Title team members have developed the grace and expertise to turn difficult or stressful situations into positive experiences. Though not all real estate deals go smoothly, True Title is committed to working collaboratively to create an exceptional client experience.
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- Updated May 11, 2021 by Karlyn Ankrom
- Originally published October 8, 2018 by Cory Edwards
