Being a realtor in the Philippines, it takes more than the right knowledge and emotional skills to serve your clients professionally. With the growing number of diverse investors in the real estate industry, you also need to develop cultural intelligence.
Understanding cultural intelligence
Cultural intelligence is the ability to identify, understand, accept, and embrace different cultural settings. These diverse cultural settings involve differences in language or dialect spoken, customs, religion, ethnicity, and lifestyle.
Cultural intelligence is acknowledging that such differences exist. It is accepting and adapting to such cultural differences.
The need for cultural intelligence in real estate
There are two main reasons why there is a need for cultural intelligence among realtors here in the Philippines. First, in the country alone, the Filipino people are not all the same. People from different regions differ in dialect, customs, beliefs, and some social patterns. The long history of colonization, trading, and migration of foreign people and the archipelagic configuration of the country have all led to these cultural differences.
Secondly, more foreign people are residing in the country. Inter-racial marriages and migration are very common. Many foreign people also consider the country as their retirement destination and a place where their kids can go to school. For instance, many Koreans come to the Philippines so their kids can learn the English language more affordably than in Korea.
With more culturally-diverse clients to serve, the Filipino realtors are faced with the need to be culturally sensitive and intelligent.
Benefits of being a culturally-intelligent realtor
Being culturally intelligent means you handle cultural differences with your clientele. As a realtor, you will be able to understand your clients better, their preferences, and their buying patterns. You can better cater to the needs of your clients no matter who they are and where they come from.
Another benefit of being a culturally-intelligent realtor is that you will be able to set aside your personal biases towards certain people. This can help enhance your relationship with your clients and eventually grow your clientele.
Conclusion
Being a professional in the real estate industry, embracing diversity can help you succeed. Without sensitivity to such differences, there can be frustration, unmet needs, and misunderstanding with your clients. There can be lost chances. Cultural intelligence can change the game for you and open more doors of opportunity for you in the real estate industry.
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