Shapiro Realty led by Gary Shapiro looks to re-define customer service
Staff Reports | Digital Free Press
Scottsdale community leader and veteran Realtor Gary Shapiro is launching his own firm: Shapiro Realty, Inc. Realtors and is announcing the new brokerage is open for business in the Valley of the Sun.
Mr. Shapiro, who has been selling real estate and advising clients for more than 50 years, says he wants to re-define customer service in the local real estate arena. After all, the foundation of any business, he reminds, is about interpersonal relationships.
“This is a great opportunity to re-invent myself and re-dedicate my tireless efforts to my clients and my community,” Mr. Shapiro told the Scottsdale Daily Beat. “Even after 52 years, there’s no greater thrill than helping my clients achieve their sales goals or handing buyers the keys to their new home.”
For Mr. Shapiro, the time is now to embrace the next chapter of the local real estate business.
“I’m energized and motivated by the formation of Shapiro Realtors. “It gives me an opportunity to be less corporate and more personal so I can focus more energy on what makes a difference.” Mr. Shapiro pointed out of personal motivations to take the leap.
“It actually frees up considerable time and streamlines my day-to-day functions and duties.”
Too many phone calls and too many emails have gone unanswered by others — and Mr. Shapiro aims to do something about it, he says.
“It’s common to hear from prospective clients that I’m the only agent who responded to their phone call, text or email,” he said. “As an old-fashioned real estate broker, I know the importance of prompt personal attention and conscientious follow-up.”
Mr. Shapiro lives the life of an optimist, wisdom keeper, leader, and the proverbial steady hand on the keel. He subscribes to what he calls ‘Shapiro’s Law of Sunshine.’ It says that Arizona real estate will always be valuable and coveted because we have blue skies and enviable weather, and we don’t suffer from bitter cold winters and natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes and landslides.
Mr. Shapiro says he is uncomfortable with the disrupters, critics, and nay-sayers. In his mind, they are short-term, short-sighted opportunists and pessimists who prey on people for their own objectives.
“It has always made sense to remain optimistic, take the high road and put the interests of my clients first,” Mr. Shapiro said of his steadfast assertions. “There are lots of opportunities for me and my brokerage firm as the industry continues to evolve and we deal with various economic cycles. The more things change, the less they change. Despite technology, the business is still the same. It’s all about customer service, developing and cultivating relationships and getting results.”
Mr. Shapiro says while technology is a boon for any practice a bit of shoeleather goes a long way.
“In the early days 50 years ago, there were no cell phones, fax machines, computers or Internet,” he said. “We had walkie-talkies in our cars. We would radio the office and ask the receptionist to make a phone call for us. There were no home warranty companies and home inspection services. Prior to close of escrow, we walked through the house with our buyers just to make sure the seller had moved out.”
Those efforts, Mr Shapiro contends, is what customer service used to look like.
“When you took a listing, you had to actually drop off a hard copy of the listing agreement to the Board of Realtors to verify the existence of the listing so they could circulate a weekly ‘Hot Sheet’ of what was currently ‘for sale’ and what had sold in town,” he said. “Carbon paper was our best friend. Today, it’s all about the Internet and an explosion of information.”
Shapiro Realty led by Gary Shapiro looks to re-define customer service
Mr. Shapiro recalls a time when the real estate industry was completely different.
“There were no standardized real estate documents for listings and sales,” he said.
“I was the chairman of the Arizona Association of Realtor Forms Committee in 1984 when the industry first adopted standardized documents. That gave consumers a comfort level that the boiler plate language in the documents was fair and reasonable. Also, I chaired a committee for Scottsdale real estate brokerage owners. When facsimile machines were first introduced in 1987, we had the top 15 local brokerage firms invest in phone lines and equipment so we could fax offers to their offices rather than drop off hard copies physically. It was amazing, as if we went from candles to electricity overnight.”
Mr. Shapiro’s mentor was his first broker Tom Fannin at Fannin Realty.
“Tom took a chance and hired me as a rookie real estate salesman straight out of ASU. Fannin was the son of Paul Fannin, former governor and United States senator. Tom taught me to exceed client expectations and to live by the motto that my word was my bond,” Mr. Shapiro said of his mentor.
“Tom encouraged my involvement in the real estate industry. As a proficient listing agent, I was the featured speaker at an annual National Association of Realtors convention in San Francisco. I was also a contributing author to the Dow Jones book, ‘The Complete Guide to Profitable Real Estate Listings,’ and I wrote nearly a thousand weekly real estate columns over a 19-year period for the Scottsdale Progress and Tribune newspapers in Arizona.”
Mr. Shapiro is co-founder of Scottsdale Leadership and twice chairman of the board; co-founder of the Scottsdale Unified School District’s education foundation; lifetime member of the Board of Trustees of the Scottsdale Symphony; and a past member of the Board of Chairs for Scottsdale Community College.
He was also a past chairman of Scottsdale’s city bond campaign that authorized capital improvements including the building of Scottsdale Stadium and a past chairman of the bond and override committees for the Scottsdale Unified School District. His leadership led to the building of Laguna and Anasazi Elementary Schools, Mountainside Middle School, and Desert Mountain High School.
He is a life member of the Scottsdale Charros and a community champion for the Parada Del Sol, the Coronado Promise and Major League Baseball Spring Training.
He has a lifetime achievement award from the Scottsdale Charros, the Drinkwater Leadership Award from Scottsdale Leadership, the History Makers Hall of Fame designation from the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce, the Order of the Lion from Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity as a former International President, a Hall of Fame member of the Scottsdale Area Association of Realtors and the Realtor Emeritus status from the National Association of Realtors.
