s-world-villa-secrets-network

Index

  1. Chapter 2. Network Strategy

    1. Chapter 2a. Villa Secrets is Unique Because…
    2. Chapter 2b. Why Realty First?
    3. Chapter 2c. A Cape Town Villa Secrets Network
    4. Chapter 2d. Ripple Effects & the Ast<>Bst
    5. Chapter 2e. Licensee or Licensor?
    6. Chapter 2f. Villa Secrets International
    7. Chapter 2h. Business Strategy 1. Game Theory
    8. Chapter 2i. Emotional Impact (part 1 of 2)
  1. Chapter 3. Mandate Marketing

    1. Chapter A. Is Unique Because…
    2. Chapter B. Mandate Marketing Elevator Pitch
    3. Chapter C. Villa Secrets Mandate Marketing
    4. Chapter 3d. The 4 Pillars for Maximizing Rental Income
    5. Chapter 3e. The 4 Pillars for Maximizing Prestige
    6. Chapter 3f. S-World Publishing: The Villa Secrets Magazine
    7. Chapter 3g. The Estate Agents Marketing pack
    8. Chapter 3h. Real Estate Prestige Marketing
    9. Chapter 3i. For Sale Sole Mandates
  1. Chapter 3. Take 2 Mandates, Mandates, Mandates

    1. Part 1. Mandate Symmetry
    2. Why Real Estate Agencies?
    3. Part 2. Mandate Marketing
    4. Mandate Marketing – The Overflow
    5. 1. Platform Creation & Content Marketing
    6. 2. SEM (Search Engine Marketing)
    7. 3. Prestige Marketing 1. Print Media
    8. 4. Prestige Marketing 2. PR & Film
    9. Part 3. Acquiring Rental Mandates
    10. Mandate Prospecting System and the CRM CC™
    11. Sole Mandate & Best STO Deal Preparation
    12. Part 4. Twenty-Eight Ways to Attract Sole Mandates
    13. Part 5. Luxury Villa Rental Agencies – Scenario 7
    14. Part 5. Experience Africa – Conservation
    15. Part 6. Post Script. Ripple Effects & Elephants.
  1. Chapter 4. S-Web CDS™ Content Delivery System

    1. Chapter 4a. Is a unique solution because…
    2. Chapter 4b. S-Web CDN™ Sales Tools
    3. Chapter 4c. System Architecture/Design
    4. Chapter 4d. The Villa Secret Online Magazine
    5. Chapter 4e. MyList / MyMagazine / MyWebpage
    6. Chapter 4f. S-Web CDS™ For Real Estate Companies
  1. Chapter 5. The Villas Cloud™

    1. Chapter 5a. Is unique because…
    2. Chapter 5b. The S-World Villas Cloud
  1. Chapter 6. S-World CRM-Nudge AI ™ Agents APP

    1. Chapter 6a. Key Challenges & Unique Solutions
    2. Chapter 6b. S-World CRM-Nudge AI ™ Villa Rentals Assisted AI Demo
    3. Chapter 5C. Nudge Ai – 2018 Insert
    4. Chapter 5d. Menus and Controls
    5. Chapter 6e. Home Page & New Enquiry
    6. Chapter 6f. Search Results Page – part 1
    7. Chapter 6g. Search Results Page – part 2
    8. Chapter 5g. Edit My List
    9. Chapter 5h. Compose and Send Email – part 1
    10. Chapter 5i. Ask ‘Powerful’ Questions
    11. Chapter 5j. Compose Email and Send – part 2
    12. Chapter 5k. How the email will look?
  1. Chapter 7. The TFS™ – Total Financial System

    1. Part 1. Data Entry
    2. Part 2. Data Sorting
    3. Part 3. Data Reporting
    4. Part 4. Sales Funnel and Enquiry Stats
    5. Part 5. Auditing and Tax
    6. Challenger Sale Step 5. Emotional Impact
    7. Step 5a. The Landmine of Negligent Accounting
    8. Step 5b. The Problem of Poor Accounting Software
    9. Step 5c. The Landmine of Accounting Fraud
    10. Step 5d. Not Receiving Month End Financial Reports
    11. Is Unique or performs better than competitors because…
    12. Key Benefits and/or is a Solution to….
    13. 4 Barriers to entry
    14. A Software, Systems, and Behavioral Science Critique of the UK Corporate Tax & VAT Systems.

    15. Barrier 1. Fatal Error in Auto forms on Most Browsers.
    16. Barrier 2. Same Problems for VAT
    17. Barrier 3. Do not incentive clients to move their companies abroad
    18. Barrier 4. No tutorials or videos on a highly complex system
  1. Chapter 8. Property Managers and Villa Owners

    1. Identify Problem | Is Unique | Is a Solution to…
    2. Villa Secrets Property Managers and Villa Owners
    3. Chapter 8a. How Much does this cost?
    4. Chapter 8b. What percentage does Villa Secrets take from each deal made?
    5. Chapter 8c. How much will the Manager &/or Owner Make?
    6. Chapter 8d. let’s look at the math on this scenario…
    7. Game Theory: The Manager and Owners Game
    8. Chapter 8f. 3rd Party Tour Operator Commissions.
    9. Chapter 8g. let’s look at the math on this scenario…
    10. The Villa Secrets ‘Famous Concierge’
  1. Chapter 9. S-World CRM-Nudge CC ™

    1. Identify Problem | Is Unique | Is a Solution to…
    2. S-World CRM-Nudge CC ™ (The Company Controller)
    3. M-System 11. QuESC – The Quantum Economic System Core (Ai)
    4. S-World CRM-CC ™ (Company Controller)
    5. Sole Mandate & Best STO Deal Preparation
    6. Villa Rentals Agent Options
    7. All Travel Options and Contacts

Chapter 2. Network Strategy

There are hundreds of primary network locations such as Cape Town and California. In which we create a primary network (usually with a real estate agent) and add networks of many small local companies in different real estate & travel industry niches, with their own S-Web site & software.

Villa-Secrets-Network-Strategy

Chapter 2a. Villa Secrets is Unique Because…

1. The S-World System has been designed to give small companies an individual system that is superior, or at least on par with the systems afforded by big companies.

2. Given the systems, a network of say 50 companies with total personnel of 200 (of which 100 are company owners) will far outperform a single company with half a dozen board members and 188 paid by the hour staff.

3. All financial actions created within the network will be monitored by the master licensor, avoiding potential landmines that would be associated with such a network without such controls.

4. Ultimately, the S-World Villa Secrets Network Strategy is a global strategy to create a network of literally millions of businesses. In just a second, we will see how we have identified 25 different business types in any one location, which means there are well over 100 opportunities and far more when we include individual property managers and villa owners. In the USA, there are about 80,000 real estate agents; assuming we work only with the top 10%, that’s 8,000. And for each agency, we can source 100 supporting companies. Thus, in the USA, we target 800,000 companies; and Globally, 3 times this number.

Villa Secrets is a completely different type of network, created for large scale adoption on a scale far bigger than any competitor has considered. This is not at all like Airbnb, HomeAway, Facebook or Linked in. Each adopter is a bona fide company and will compete ferociously for market share.

5. In time, we desire to connect with many different types of companies. Vacation Rentals is simply the start.

Chapter 2b. Why Realty First?

Villa-Secrets-Realty

In this page, we discuss why, having been forged from experience in the luxury villa rentals industry, are we looking first for partners that are realtors.

Since 2012, the plan for Villa Secrets has been primarily focused on real estate agents as the initial companies in each location, for the following reasons…

1. Sole Mandates. The Villa Secrets plan is a sole-mandate plan, real estate agents would welcome this, as it assists their core business plan… To Get Mandates!

2. It’s in the Estate Agent’s interest for the network to be as big as possible.
Most of the Villa Secrets companies created will, in exchange for a sizable marketing mandate, seek the ‘first option for sale’ clause within their rental mandates. But whilst there could be 50 property management and rental companies in a local network, only the real estate company attached to the network can sell the properties. The more successful and the bigger the network, the more sole mandates the realtor achieves. Realtors will see villa rental companies and property managers as contributors not competitors.

3. Contacts / Collections. Real Estate Agents have good contacts for rental mandates.

4. International Model. The Villa Secrets plan can be applied to realtors in hundreds of locations across the world, creating a large international network of companies.

5. Practicalities. Working with existing local villa rental companies may lead to a conflict of interest, as mandate opportunities can be transferred from Villa Secrets to the existing villa rental agencies’ business. Whereas Relators, who do not have strong vacation rentals divisions, would not mind merging all vacation rentals into one division; the Villa Secrets company, they create and own.

6. Property Developments. The initial reasoning for creating an ‘estate agent’s first model,’ was in 2012 due to S-World (theory of every business) real estate developments, which would reach a higher value if the S-World Network were to include many leading high-end realtors, alongside a great many luxury travel and realty websites.

Chapter 2c. Cape Town Villa Secrets Network

Villa-Secrets-Network-Africa-California-The-World

The Villa Secrets Network seeks to create networks of companies in different locations; in the real estate, construction, and travel industries.

In our home location of Cape Town, our representative may create the network as follows…

Companies that contribute to Villa Secrets and S-World

1. Top and high-end real estate companies
2. Pan African top-end travel company
3. Several local top-end villa rental companies
4. Specialist Safaris Companies
5. Inventory systems: PMS/GDS/ADS and others
6. Travel agencies dealing in luxury travel arrangements
7. Foreign Language divisions
8. Specialist tour operators
9. International top-end villa rental companies
10. International top-end villa tour operators
11. International top-end villa travel agents
12. A vacation rentals company
13. An apartments specialist
14. Many property management companies
15. Other companies or individuals who can gain mandates
16. Architectural companies
17. Interior design companies
18. Property Development companies
19. Stills, Film & TV location companies
20. Events Companies
21. Concierge Companies
22. Wedding Planners
23. Business Travel and Accommodation
24. Booking Channels such as HomeAway & Airbnb
25. Others…

Chapter 2d. Ripple Effects & the AST<>BST

Ripple-Effects-and-The-A-B

One demand in the creation of each network is that due attention be paid to fine-tuning the amount of companies within, to maximise positive ripple effects whilst avoiding the creation of significant inter network competition.

In M-Systems 2, also known as ‘Ripple Effects and Elephants,’ I present a network scenario of 8

companies, presented as follows: A53⇔B57⇔C60⇔D42⇔E44⇔F62⇔G61⇔H63. The numbers next to each company are points of improvement gained by a company via the rest of the companies in the network. So, for instance, company A53 (a high-end villa rental company) has 53 different positive effects, gained from the rest of the companies in the network; the top 16 follows…

1. Access to a pool of villas which are fully exclusive, once a provisional booking is made.

2. Referral commission on mandated properties

3. Foreign Language Divisions (including German in phase 1 in Cape Town).

4. Easier to recruit mandates to a network of companies.

5. Increased income for software and web framework development (S-Web and TBS-Nudge AI).

6. Increased income for PMS, ADS, and GDS Interrogations (bigger portfolio of properties).

7. Local, national, & global network creation (more visitors to www.VillaSecrets.com).

8. Villa Secrets magazine (more exclusive mandates, visitors, and increased properties’ values).

9. Villa Secrets film and video (more mandates, visitors, and increased properties’ value).

10. Shared office (affords a share of a prestige office for the price of a non-prestigious office).

11. Best STO (trade discounts) on hundreds of apartments and Safaris

12. High and top-end villa bookings from international villa companies and tour operators.

13. High and top-end Villa Bookings from Safari operators.

14. Hospitality and concierge directors & staff, plus guest gifts.

15. Access to a shared pool of Live Chat operators and copywriters, eventually operating 24/7.

16. Referral commission on property sales.

Add to the above the advantages from the companies paid by Villa Secrets and there are a host of reasons to join the network.

Chapter 2e. Licensee or Licensor?

Villa-Secrets-Network-Africa-California-&-The-World

Having established that, in each location, we first seek to do business with a successful real estate company, the next question is about the deal made with real estate companies, and whether they prefer to be a Licensee or a Licensor.

A Licensee Realtor would receive a set of agency websites and would run a high-end villa rental business.

In this scenario, the exclusivity in real estate is that there be only 2 realty companies. There is no limit to villa rental companies and property managers and other companies that can acquire mandates, but only the Realtors can sell the mandates.

In terms of CEO time, this is a relatively effortless plan that makes profit for the new rentals division and gives a boost to the realtor’s real estate business in the form of mandates. Current thinking (as on Summer 2017) is that we would offer one licensee a twelve-month option on becoming the Licensor, so the system can be test run before the CEO needs to apply his or her efforts.

A Licensor would either take on all of Cape Town, all of South Africa, or all of Southern Africa. And the first Licensor would also take an equity stake in either Villa Secrets USA or Villa Secrets Europe.

Considering first Southern Africa, a company will be created called ‘Villa Secrets Africa’ that owns the Licence to create ‘Villa Secrets Africa companies.’ This company may be 25% owned by Villa Secrets Ltd. and 75% owned by the Realtor.

Where after, assisted by Villa Secrets, Villa Secrets Africa creates new companies or makes mergers with existing companies. In each case, retaining a shareholding percentage of each new company from 12.5% to 50%.

One example would be a company made from 2 directors. For instance, a good sales person and a good mandate recruiter own 25% of the company each, and Villa Secrets Africa owns 50%. There are several other models.

A Licensor in real estate is exclusive, so all for mandates created by all the Villa Secrets companies are sold by the realtor’s company in exchange for a 25% referral. This can (in time) create literally thousands of individuals and small companies seeking mandates for the realtor.

Chapter 2f. Villa Secrets International (incomplete)

S-World Villa Secrets International

Villa Secrets is currently working on 4 fronts: Cape Town, The Rest of Southern Africa, California, and The Rest of the World.

The Rest of Africa plan can be created in a number of different ways, starting with 8 different territories similar to the following groups:

1. Western Cape (South Africa)

2. Rest of South Africa

3. The Seychelles

4. Mauritius

5. Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, & Rwanda

6. Namibia, Botswana, & Zimbabwe

7. Mozambique, Malawi, & Zambia

8. Madagascar & surrounding islands

It is possible that one real estate company could become Villa Secrets Southern Africa and develop the network from their strength, ingenuity, & infrastructure; in most cases, keeping 25% shares in a great many different mostly small companies; or the entire network can be created company by company by Villa Secrets, Ltd. It is equally possible that a realtor takes control of South Africa and a top safari agent, or a luxury tour operator takes the rest of Africa.

The California model is likely to consist of a number of big international brands, alongside quite a few realtors who are experts in their particular area; creating a selection of 8, then 64, then 512 companies. The California Network is entangled with a plan for a giant property development in Southern Africa.

As for the rest of the world, we have identified about 250 locations. If a top realtor from any of these locations makes a direct application, we can create a network for them, starting almost immediately with Villa Secrets. For example, www.VillaSecrets.com/St-Barts. Currently, in all cases except Cape Town, a 3-month villa recruitment strategy would need to be implemented including a photographer, copywriter, and portfolio manager at the behest of the licence owner prior to becoming operational.

Note that in many international locations and especially California, one may add a zero at the end of the Cape Town profit figures, due the higher cost of property and the greater abundance of such properties.

1. Before presenting the strategy, we will have a look at some of the web domains we will be creating, Villa Secrets framework websites for…

a. Cape Town

CapeVillas.com
CapeTownVillas.co
CapeTownVillas.pro
CampsBayVillas.net
CliftonVillas.CapeTown
CapeLuxuryVillas.com
CapeTownVillas.Rentals
KapstadtVillas.com
LuxuryVillasInCampsBay.com
BantryBayVillas.com
CapeTownsVillas.com
CapeTownVillas.Club
VillasInCampsBay.com
VillasInClifton.com

b. Southern Africa

ExperienceAfrica.com
MajesticAfricanVillas.com
ElegantAfricanVillas.com
AfricanVillaAwards.com
LuxurySeychellesVillas.com
SeychellesPrivateIslands.com
TanzaniaVillas.com
BotswanaVillas.com
ExperienceAfrica.com
AfricanSafariAwards.com
LuxurySafari.org
Safaris.Direct
JetSetAfrica.com
LuxuryVillasAfrica.com
UniqueAfricanVillas.com
AfricanVillaAwards.org
LuxuryVillaSeychelles.com
LuxuryVillasInMauritius.com
LuxuryVillasInKenya.com
ZanzibarLuxuryVillas.com
AfricanSafari.Network
Top10Safari.com
Safari.Network
Safaris.Network
AfricanSophistication.com
ExclusiveAfricanVillas.com
LuxuryVillasInAfrica.com
BeautifulSeychelles.com
LuxuryVillasInSeychelles.com
MozambiqueLuxuryVillas.com
KenyaLuxuryHomes.com
ZanzibarHome.com
AfricanSafari.Reviews
LuxurySafari.club
Safari.Systems
TanzaniaSafari.tours

c. California, USA, America, & The Caribbean

CalVillas.com
CaliforniaVillas.co
LaVillas.net
ApartmentHollywood.com
BelairLuxuryVillas.com
SacramentoVillas.com
AmericaVillas.com
TheHamptonsRentals.com
LauderdaleVillas.com
LuxuryVillasInHawaii.com
LuxuryKauaiVillas.com
CanadianVillas.com
CostaRicasVillas.com
CaribbeanVillas.Rentals
Villas-StBarts.com
LuxuryStJohnVillas.com
BarbadosVillas.co
BahamasVillas.net
StMartinVillas.Rentals
Villas-Antigua.com
LuxuryGrandCaymanVillas.com
LuxuryCaliforniaVillas.com
LuxuryVillas.LA
VillasInHollywood.com
MalibuBeachVillas.com
SantaBarbaraVillas.com
VillasVegas.com
LuxuryVillasNewYork.com
HousesInTheHamptons.com
MiamiVillas.net
HawaiiVillas.net
MauiLuxuryVillas.net
MexicanLuxuryVillas.com
UruguayVillas.com
Villas-Caribbean.com
StBartsLuxury.Villas
Villas-Barbados.com
BahamasLuxuryVillas.com
LuxuryStLuciaVillas.com
Turks-CaicosVillas.com
AnguillaVillasRental.com
LuxuryVillasCalifornia.com
LuxuryVillasLosAngeles.com
HollywoodVillas.net
VillasInBeverlyHills.com
SanFranVillas.com
NYVillas.com
LuxuryVillasInFlorida.com
VillasDisneyWorld.com
HawaiiVillas.Rentals
MauiVillas.net
LuxuryMexicoVillas.com
CaribbeanVillas.us
VillasStBarts.com
LuxuryBarbadosVillas.co
LuxuryVillasInBahamas.com
Villas-StLucia.com
TurksAndCaicosVillas.co
VillasAnguilla.com

d. Europe

MonacoLuxuryVillas.com
CapFerratVillas.com
StTropezVillas.net
LuxuryTuscanyVillas.com
VillasRome.com
LuxuryVillasSpain.net
Ibiza-Luxury-Villas.com
MallorcaPrivateVillas.com
LuxuryVillasMykonos.com
ScandinaviaVillas.com
PragueVillas.com
LondonsVillas.com
ChelseaVillas.com
FranceVillas.net
StTropezLuxuryVillas.com
GermanyVillas.com
Tuscany-Luxury-Villas.com
SienaVillas.net
IbizasVillas.com
IbizaVillasRental.com
MajorcaLuxuryVillas.com
CroatianLuxuryVillas.com
VillasMalta.com
LuxuryVillasInPortugal.com
LondonsHomes.com
KnightsbridgeVillas.com
Saint-jean-cap-Ferrat-Villas
SaintTropez-LuxuryVillas.com
ItalianVillas.net
Villas-Tuscany.com
LuxurySpainVillas.com
PrivateVillasIbiza.com
LuxuryMallorcaVillas.com
LuxuryMykonosVillas.com
SwedishVillas.com
TurkeyVillas.net
LuxuryLondonVillas.com
LondonsLuxuryHomes.com

e. Asia, Middle East, & Oceania

VillasInMaldives.com
VillasChina.com
LuxuryVillasInIndia.com
BaliLuxVillas.com
BaliVillas.co
ThaiLuxVillas.com
VillasKoSamui.com
CambodiaVillas.com
AusVillas.com
VillasInHongKong.com
LuxuryVillasInBali.com
BaliLuxury.villas
LuxuryThailandVillas.com
KohVillas.com
VillasVietnam.com
TahitiLuxuryVillas.com
HongKongLuxuryVillas.com
PrivateBaliVillas.com
Bali-LuxuryVillas.com
ThailandVillas.co
LuxuryVillasInKohSamui.com
VillasMalaysia.com

f. Global Reach

VillasCafe.com
JetSetVillas.com
LuxuryVillas.villas
GlobalVillaAwards.com
ArmaniVillas.com
LuxuryYachtsAndVillas.com
LuxuryHotelVillas.com
BeautifulLuxuryVillas.com
LuxuryDisneyVillas.com
DreamLuxuryVillas.com
VillasCloud.com
SecretVillas.com
ArchitectAwards.org
LuxuryVillas.Agency
CelebrityHomes.pro
BespokeVillas.com
SunStarVillas.com
VillaSpecialist.com
VillasCompare.com
VillaStars.com
LuxGuides.com
WorldVillaAwards.org
LuxuryVillas.Network
AmazingHomes.pro
LuxuryVillas.Review
GolfClubVillas.com
PrivateIslandVillas.com

Chapter 2g. S-World Jet Set

S-World-Jet-Set

The S-World Jet Set Network has been developing as a hypothesis for many industries since 2011, as a part of American Butterfly and M-Systems. But specifically, for Villa Secrets we consider:

How do we get more high net worth individuals and high earners to visit Africa and Cape Town?

This question is answered in a number of parts:

1. Create opportunities and a website for the top-end safaris, villas, and private islands; to capitalise on their overflow (enquiries for the venue when it is already booked or otherwise unsuitable).

2. Point the Luxury Safari industry to send visitors to Cape Town.

3. Create Affiliate partnerships with companies who are used to handling high net worth individuals.

4. The Experience Africa conservation initiative

5. But mostly via Angel Theory – Paradigm Shift

Chapter 2h. Business Strategy 1. Game Theory

Business-Strategy

This game assumes that by 2021, as a combination of mandates acquired by the Villa Secrets network, both rental and sale divisions lead to just over 2 sales a month at a 4% commission.

This game assumes that there are 3 big real estate agents who own half the market and a dozen others that owns the other half. And so, each of the big players owns 16.67% of the market.

For display simplicity, this game is played between 2 of the big realtors, and the numbers in the game directly reflects the amount of market share each will win or lose.

Each real estate company has a dominant strategy, to be the only partner with Villa Secrets; as they will gain a 10% market share advantage, being a 12% gain in via Villa Secrets, but a 2% loss in current market share, as all companies lose the 12% equally.

A company that starts with 16.67% of the market will end up with 26.67% of the market and will have made a 60% gain in their own sales from its affiliation with Villa Secrets.

The second-best option at a 4% market share each (being a 20% company gain) sees 2 companies as partners to Villa Secretes. And whilst at this point in the game, it’s not half as good as the dominant strategy of being the only company licenced to use Villa Secrets systems and software, there is another more complex game in creation that looks at a far bolder ambition, and much more time dedicated to sales not rentals; which uses collusion to take a much bigger slice of market share in the first instance, albeit this game involves certain technology partners to assist.

It’s important to know that while we are prototyping Villa Secrets in Cape Town, our ambition is California and then the world; where opportunities are an awful lot better paid, as there are many more properties selling for much higher costs. It makes perfect sense for the team who joins us now to assist and be involved in this international venture.

Chapter 2i. Emotional Impact (Part 1 of 2)

Emotional-Impact

Identify Problem /Present Missed Opportunities / Avoid potential Landmines

1. The landmine of losing one’s best star performing agents.

Losing one’s best agents, particularly for small agencies, can have catastrophic results. In my experience, this has happened a number of times/ occasions. The first, when we just got going in 2003, was for myself to do a deal with one of the big four estate agencies to run their short-term rentals. Only to find not only my lead but also the second agents quitting to work for this other firm in secretive fashion, so as not to evoke the restraints of trade clauses in their contacts. The result was catastrophic, as we only have three staff members, and the other was a web designer. And what followed was 18 months of staff turnover to try and find the correct replacements.

To make matters much worse, the new sales staff did not know the villas, and a number of costly mistakes were made. But what was costlier was that this 18-month set back allowed our competitors to catch up, but fortunately not enough to overtake or be seen as the ‘go to company for luxury villa rentals in Cape Town.’

Eighteen months later, we had settled into a rhythm once again, had a stable set of new talented and also fun sales staff. One in particular stood out and was typically the one at the top of the leader board each month.

Unfortunately, along the journey, this sales star came to the conclusion that all it took was a website and off you go; and all of a sudden quit and informed me he had bought out one of my competitors. This was bad on many levels. Firstly, I had lost my star sales person. Secondly, as I tracked back the sales record, I had noticed that his sales for the previous 4 months were half what they should be. Third, he then made the bookings from these missing bookings back to my company as we had the mandates; and as we proved by visiting one and getting his input, which was that he too thought it off that the company website changed. And lastly, as two of the other sales people left were both his friends, it meant that (in just a few months) we had gone from a strong team of 6 to a weak team of 3. And the business was only saved by myself, working 14 hours a day, every day for 6 months, until we had once again found some sales stars.

But you know what, both these sales stars went on to start their own company and joined a competitor, taking with them the Cape Villas database of owners.

By the end of 8 years of the same problem happening again and again, and myself adopting different tactics to encourage sales stars to stay and hearing similar stories from other companies and estate agencies; I came to the conclusion that I needed to completely rethink the way I was working. I needed to accept that the same qualities that make a sales star often lead such starts to wish to run their own business, or at least be a stakeholder/boss of a larger organization. In all cases, not one of the sales stars went on to run a stand out business and I don’t think they made more money; the decision was purely one of wanting to be one’s own boss.

I need to create a system where sales stars can create their own business. And seven years later, we have this book ‘The Villa Secrets’ Secrets.’ And a year later, Angel Theory – Paradigm Shift, in which this book will be rewritten and assisted by many to create Paradigm Shift Book 4. ‘The TBS™ Total Business Systems’ and Book 4. Part 2. S-Word Villa Secrets.

Chapter 3. Mandate Marketing

mandate-marketing

Chapter A. Is Unique Because…

1. We change the commission structure to include 10%, dedicated for directly marketing each villa.

2. For each property, we create a website and continually update it with fresh content and new articles and have a hefty budget for directly advertising the website, plus a number of methods for marketing the websites that have no cost other than personnel time.

3. We shall create extremely sexy magazines with villas featured over 2 to 8-page spreads.

4. For top of the line villas, we shall place them in magazines such as Conde Nast Traveller and Vogue, in glorious 4-page spreads, often in conjunction with a luxury safari and private island.

5. For Villas that cost over $3,000,000, over 3 years, we would expect to have generated close to $100,000 in marketing material and adverting.

6. From this marketing, we deploy ‘prestige marketing,’ marketing that is as much about increasing the prestige of the villa as it is about receiving rental enquiries.

7. Due to this advertising, we create a great many more enquiries than the villa can accommodate, and we generate passive income from the overflow (booking alternate villas from the enquiries that cannot be accommodated as the villa was booked or was otherwise unsuitable).

8. All prestige and other marketing is condensed into an ‘estate agent’s pack,’ full of magazines and extracts, to be given to qualified clients who are interested in buying property. We will make as many as 50 such packs.

9. When it’s time for time for the owner to sell, it simply makes perfect sense for the owner to use the Villa Secrets estate agent who has access to the marketing material.

Chapter B. Mandate Marketing Elevator Pitch

sole-mandates-for-sale

Welcome to Villa Secrets Mandate Marketing, it’s amazing how the simplest of ideas can take an absolute tonne of strategy and complex mathematics before arriving at the simplest of solutions.

So, let’s start with the solution; for rental mandates or for properties worth over $2 million, charge a 2.5% commission, a 7% Service and Concierge Fee, plus a 10% direct marketing contribution. Where the said contribution pays for direct marketing and ‘the estate agent’s pack.’ Where after a couple of years, this pack and the web presence we create for the villa is so good, it makes perfect sense should the owner wish to sell, for that owner to first appoint the estate agent that has access to the packs.

Now, please consider that within the previous chapter is a list of 25 different types of business that we wish to network with, and for each business type, there may be as many as 50 different business all recruiting mandates.

Almost every company will seek sole or shared rental mandates, but only the real estate company/ companies can sell the properties (have access to the pack). As such, by 2021, I would be very disappointed if there were less than 50 Villa Secrets licensed companies who had all recruited mandates, and given a Silicon Valley equity partner in Villa Secrets holdings by 2020, maybe even 2019

Chapter C. Villa Secrets Mandate Marketing

sole mandates

A sole mandate is when a property owner trusts one company to exclusively market and manage or sell their property. However, as we see in this chapter, there is a lot of systems that ripple from this action.

In terms of marketing, we will directly market each villa that signs a mandate with us. Based on a sliding scale, where a suitable villa that costs $4,000,000 would see a $50,000 three-year marketing commitment designed to increase rentals, and the prestige and value of the home.

This commitment is afforded from the villa’s bookings. But here’s the clever bit… profit is then made from the overflow. As at peak season, a villa may have 25 good requests, but can only be booked once. And so, we make money from the overflow, using the other 24 enquiries to make bookings for other villas.

The acquisition of property mandates is the biggest nontechnical profit centre a Villa Secrets company can create. In our 2016 forecasting scenarios, third year income from rental mandates is between 39% and 74% of gross profit. And in addition, due to the ‘estate agent’s marketing pack’ most villa owners will sell their property via our affiliated real estate company or companies.

In the Mandate Marketing chapter, we present the following: 4 pillars for maximizing rental income, 4 pillars for maximizing a villa’s prestige & value, 18 reasons to sign a sole mandate, and a massive package aimed at maximizing villa owner or property manager income. We follow with a look at the specifics of mandate marketing, including due diligence, the S-Web villa websites, and the Villa Secrets magazine.

Then we look at the estate agent’s marketing pack and prestige marketing, designed to increase the prestige and value of each villa, and encourage all owners to first attempt to sell via a Villa Secrets affiliated realtor, and present the page Sole Mandates (for sale).

Moving into ‘Part 2. Concierge and Commission,’ we look at essential guest services, Villa Secrets concierge, concierge, PR, film and marketing before looking at a review of Airbnb commission vs Villa Secrets commission, off peak discounts, property manager vs concierge, property manager strategy and opportunities; including the initiative for Villa Secrets companies to pay for property managers’ fees from their commission, before concluding with 19 ways to attracts sole mandates which collectively provides Villa Secrets licensors with many mandate winning opportunities.

Chapter 3d. The 4 Pillars for Maximizing Rental Income

4-Pillars for mazimizing your rental income

Welcome to Villa Secrets and our 4 Pillars for maximizing rental income: massive agency Google Ads campaigns, your own website and marketing of it, affiliate marketing, and clever usage of distribution channels.

Maximize Booking Income: If one is relying on owner direct websites, one is only achieving about a quarter of the enquiries that Villa Secrets villas enjoy. Using such channels alone will most likely lead to smaller return and will have done nothing to increase the value and prestige of your home. Indeed, for more expensive villas, advertising using distribution channels will lower the prestige of one’s home.

The 4 Villa Secrets Booking Methods: Trusting your property to a Villa Secrets company for bookings, service, and management makes a lot of sense; as we have not one, but four booking methods:

1. Massive Google Ads Footprint: Odd but true, Cape Town is the world’s most expensive location to advertise a villa on Google. Another fact is that a company may not advertise in more than one position in Google. However, as Villa Secrets is a network, we are allowed and do advertise in three out of the top four Google positions for over 200 keywords.

2. Mandate Marketing and your own Villa Website: At our cost, up to $50,000 will be spent creating and mega-marketing a dedicated S-Web website for each villa we represent. Including content marketing campaigns that spill over to print media, the Villa Secrets magazine and editorial in magazines such as Condé Nast Traveller and VOGUE.

3. Affiliate Marketing: Many bookings for high-end villas are created by international villa agencies and small or large exclusive tour operators. Our affiliate program for such companies is unique and designed to maximize bookings for the most prestigious homes.

4. Distribution Channels: For villas who are agreeable to ourselves promoting their villas via distribution channels such as Airbnb and HomeAway, we shall do so. But our ‘ace’ is that our primary reason for doing so is to push clients from the distribution channels to our clients’ villas website, as they Google the name and find the villas website directly, so avoiding Airbnb’s commission of sometimes more than 15%

Chapter 3e. The 4 Pillars for Maximizing Prestige

4 Pillars for maximizing a villas prestige and value

In addition to the 4 Villa Secrets pillars for maximizing a villa’s rental income, Villa Secrets also provides 4 pillars for maximizing a villa’s prestige & value, increasing one’s ‘for sale’ price and attracting ‘Love Buys.’

A Love Buy is when an individual is on holiday, falls in love with the location, and buys a villa. I am familiar with this concept as I did this myself in Cape Town in 1999 and again in Camps Bay in 2000. And I have also seen it happen many times. And from time to time, it sets a record for the most money spent on a villa in a specified location. For this reason, some villas are ‘for sale at the right price.’ So, let’s see how Villa Secrets increases the prestige and value of a home.

1. The Estate Agent’s Pack: Many top-end villas are featured in magazines and TV shows. And as many again allow photoshoots and TV ads to be filmed within, however, no one keeps a good record, and opportunity is lost. Enter the Villa Secrets ‘estate agent’s pack,’ a physical pack showcasing a villa for estate agents to give or send to clients, and initiates to offer prestige brands big discounts on shoots, if they provide us with the media.

2. A Dedicated Website and Marketing Campaign for Each Villa: Many villas have their own websites, but few match our design, and none match our CMS. To make matters worse, other than a little SEO, 99% of villa websites are not marketed in any way. In stark contrast, Villa Secrets websites are extensively marketed and see all media collated within. Plus, admin systems and booking history, useful tools for any potential buyer.

3. Print Media: As our Villa Secrets website is special, we have been offered greatly reduced rates for producing advertorial in various Condé Nast publications. We shall be producing 2 and 4-page ‘Best of Africa’ editorial spreads, featuring our best villas. And purchasing about 50 magazines for inclusion in ‘the estate agent’s pack.’

4. Prestige Marketing: A villa’s prestige can be boosted in several ways. For instance, a 4 to 8-page spread in a Villa Secrets magazine (and note the last magazine we published was distributed with Condé Nast and saw Bulgari asking to advertise). In addition, awards and placement on top villas website’s homepages is an indication to any buyer that the villa is held in great esteem.

Chapter 3f. S-World Publishing: The Villa Secrets Magazine

Villa Secrets Magazine

The Villa Secrets magazine follows on from our last coffee table magazine ‘Cape Villas’ distributed by Condé Nast Traveller, which saw (amongst other salutations) Bulgari Jewellers asking to advertise in our follow up saying…

“We did not know you had such luxuries in Africa!”

Unlike most magazines, Villa Secrets will show few ads, rather product place companies we feel are likely to excite our clients in the villas we show; from fashion companies to jewellery, watches, Jets, yachts, and prestige cars. Everything about this magazine will convey a sense of exclusivity and style.

Magazine marketing assists Villa Secrets network in 4 different ways:

  1. Mandates
    1. It’s a great incentive for recruiting mandates, as companies can hand deliver it to all the villas they like.
    2. Once there is interest in signing an exclusive mandate, the offer of placement in the magazine is a significant carrot for the property owner or manager.
  2. Bookings
    1. Each enquiry received will see a magazine posted to the client, this assists to convert the booking for our agencies, as the clients have a tangible thing that they can look at when they discuss their villa options.
    2. The magazine also creates direct enquiries.
  3. Sales
    1. An essential part of the ‘estate agent’s marketing pack’ is the Villa Secrets magazine. We know from our previous magazine, properties were sold to international clients, who did not even visit the villa they purchased, all they did was see the villa in our publication.
  4. Network
    1. The magazine will greatly assist to expand the network internationally.

Due to S-Web systems, the cost of producing the magazines artwork can be very low, saving more than 50% of the cost that media companies quote to create similar publications.

Chapter 3g. The Estate Agent’s Marketing pack

The Estate Agents Marketing Pack

The estate agent’s pack is a physical package including magazines and a DVD, which estate agents can give to interested clients. In this regard, Villa Secrets becomes the marketing company for the property owner and their realtor.

We shall create about 50 such packs per villa; half for use for rentals and half saved for the realtor.

As we have heard, for the right $4 million villa, Villa Secrets will commit to a $50,000 three-year marketing campaign; which will be geared towards both bookings, but also increasing the prestige and value of the home. Given we have three years to produce this pack, each pack will include the villa seen gloriously in the Villa Secrets magazine, advertorial in one or more Condé Nast publications, other magazines the villa was featured in; and on CD, a video that presents big brand photo shoots and videos shot at the villa, videos we create, TV appearances, awards, and other accolades.

As our Villa Secrets websites are impressive and their focus is Africa, we found Condé Nast and other magazines appreciate that our content is qualified for lower rate advertorial in a prime position, where we would typically make a three leg presentation of Africa’s most luxurious experiences… a safari villa, a beach villa, and a Cape Town villa. This single article in a magazine like Traveller, Tattler, or House and Garden adds to the prestige of the villas and will impress any buyer.

The article will infer that the properties presented are the standout properties on the continent.

This inference will also be passive due to brand association by displaying the villa with venues, such as Sir Ricard Branson’s game reserve Ulusaba and a private Island such as Cousine Island, wrapped up in a three leg holiday of a lifetime experience.

Chapter 3h. Real Estate Prestige Marketing

Real Estate Prestige Marketing

Real Estate Prestige Marketing is the notion to market a villa specifically to increase its sale price over time, by raising its local and international prestige. This initiative works hand in hand with marketing mandates and the estate agent’s marketing pack.

We will of course discuss the exact nature of the villa’s prestige marketing with our partner estate agents. But as a starting position, we suggest the following exercises:

1. Villa Hotels: For outstanding properties, we recommend and will help implement the services required to create a Villa Hotel, which is exclusive-use but provides a higher service level including concierge, valet, chef, and other staff, complimentary drinks, and other enticements.

2. Proactive Luxury Brand Photoshoots and Adverts: Where we lower the daily rental rate for luxury brands that will (by association) raise the prestige of a home, and catalogue the shoot or advert including a video, seen online, and presented on the disk within the marketing pack.

3. Celebrity Stays: Product placement works, be it the late Steve Jobs getting Apple computers appearing in just about every film and TV series to come out of Hollywood, to James Bond driving an Aston Martin. In this presentation, we have discussed the idea to give luxury brands special deals to advertise their products at the villa. But, in addition, it is in the owner’s interest to offer special deals for the types of celebrities and public figures who impress renters & buyers.

Typically, when a celebrity stays at a villa, their stay is (at best) known only via word of mouth, as it is not appropriate to use their stay as a PR exercise. However, if a villa or other accommodation is bartered at half price in exchange for limited publicity, such as a simple photoshoot, one may capitalize from the client’s celebrity status and use such photographs for advertising purposes.

4. Don’t advertise or be seen on lower prestige websites.

Chapter 3i. For Sale Sole Mandates

Sole-Mandates for sale

The companies with the most to gain from a collaboration with Villa Secrets are Real Estate Agents; because all Villa Secrets partners, including rental agencies & property managers, recruit sales mandates which only the realtors can sell.

And as we have seen in the technology summary via game theory and ‘The Real Estate Agent’s Game,’ Villa Secrets cautiously predicts a 6% market share of villas that sell for over $1,000,000 in Cape Town by 2021; which for one of the top three companies in the market, results in a 27% net gain.

The Villa Secrets commission for non-real estate companies, who recruited the rental mandate, is a 25% referral; which is not paid for an introduction, but rather in light of the marketing commitment as Villa Secrets essentially becomes the marketing companies for the property owner and the estate agent.

In addition, Villa Secrets is creating products specifically for realtors, which can be used to directly recruit sales mandates, and sell properties regardless of the rental.

Moving back to sales mandates, created as a part of a deal for a rental mandate, Villa Secrets companies will offer a direct marketing budget of say $50,000 for a $4 million villa for the rights to rent and have the first option to sell a property. Which can be presented at $25,000 in marketing for a rental mandate, and another $25,000 if the first option to sell is granted. And from this budget, an estate agent’s marketing pack will be produced, and Villa Secrets companies will engage in prestige marketing, seeking to increase the prestige and value of a property. Even if the original rental mandate does not include the option for the first sales mandate, due to the marketing pack and prestige marketing, it makes complete sense for any owner to work with the real estate company who has access to this material, regardless of enforcement.

Lastly, a significant factor is the quality and strength of the estate agents Villa Secrets is affiliated with. If the realtor or realtors Villa Secrets recommends are the same estate agents that an owner was already thinking of using, then getting the option for the sales mandate in the first instance is more likely.

S-World Villa Secrets

Operations Manual & Business Plan

By Nick Ray Ball 20th July 2017

The villa secrets network - Mandates-Mandates-Mandates

Chapter 3. Mandates, Mandates, Mandates

Part 1. Mandate Symmetry

Welcome to ‘Mandate Symmetry’ which provides an update to the original April 2017 ‘Mandate Marketing’ chapter: http://network.villasecrets.com/mandate-marketing.

An object is said to have symmetry if it has interchangeable qualities. For instance, the magic of a snowflake with its hexagonal shape, which looks the same when rotated in 60-degree increments.

We have been working on mandate symmetry for quite some time, but what is mandate symmetry? Mandate symmetry is when a sole rental mandate is converted into a sole sales mandate, or vice versa.

Just like real estate sales, the single biggest income generator for a vacation rentals company is the acquisition of mandates, now more than ever, as there are a host of commission-based advertising platforms. However, when it comes to securing mandates, real estate agents are far more experienced and focused; which is one reason Villa Secrets is first approaching real estate agents to run its primary networks.

What is a Primary Network?

A primary network is a collection of over 8 agency websites focusing on a specific location. For instance, in Cape Town, the following websites are considered:

VillaSecrets.com (Cape Town), Villa Secrets.co.za, CapeLuxuryVillas.com, CapeVillas.com (Phase 1 only, conditions apply), Cape-Town-Luxury-Villas.com, VillasInCampsBay.com, CliftonLuxuryVillas.com, BantryBayVillas.com, LuxuryApartments.CapeTown, KapstadtVillas.com. Plus, access to all S-Web and S-World systems.

Why Real Estate Agencies?

Villa Secrets Primary Network

The advantages of real estate companies having seasoned mandate networkers within the ranks aside, there is a more critical reason for Villa Secrets to first offer leading real estate agencies the primary network opportunity that lays just beneath the surface.

Villa Secrets desires to create a network of many businesses in each location, most of whom will recruit rental mandates. Indeed, we have identified over 25 different business niches that can benefit from joining Villa Secrets and recruiting rental mandates; from top architects to property developers, luxury villa rental companies, safari specialists, tour operators, property management companies, location companies, wedding planners, events companies, business travel specialists, concierge companies, to individuals who just happen to know people who own villas; the list goes on and on (see Chapter 2. The Network).

But because all such companies are, to a degree, competing with each other, they would not be impartial and so are not ideal candidates to head up the primary network, run VillaSecrets.com, and its 8 companion agency websites. However, a leading real estate agency can because of ‘mandate symmetry.’

Sole-Mandates

Let’s not kid around. As exciting or unexciting as the prospect of owning a leading vacation rental company may be to the CEOs or MDs of a real estate agency, it is nowhere near as exciting as the prospect of their estate agency increasing the number of sole mandates of luxury villas for sale by as much as 70%.

And because of this, leading real estate agencies are the perfect shepherds of the network. As instead of seeing other Villa Secrets network companies that recruit rental mandates as competitors, they see them as contributors; as they recruit rental mandates that turn into sales mandates that only the real estate company can sell. And because of this, the interests of the holding company, ‘Villa Secrets Ltd UK,’ and its real estate agency partner are aligned. Both will desire the local network to recruit as many rental mandates as possible and will share the philosophy: the bigger the network, the better.

The key point here is that most companies will recruit rental mandates. And due to mandate symmetry, most rental mandates will turn in to sale mandates, but only the real estate company can make the sales.

The Real Estate Game Part1

Above, we see some advanced forecasting created using game theory that provides us with the previously mentioned 70% increase in mandates figure. This is explained in detail in Chapter 22. ‘Real Estate Systems & Wins.’ We need verification on the exact numbers of properties sold for over $2 million. For now, we are working on figures from Remax that suggest about 100 per year in Cape Town Atlantic Seaboard, City, Waterfront, and Constantia areas. We have estimated that the top 3 real estate agencies probably sold about half of them, and so each top agency on average sold 16.6 properties.

In this forecast, we move a few years forwards, and estimate that all companies in the Cape Town network amassed 15 sole mandates for sale that were sold by the real estate agency that acquired primary network opportunity. Which makes a net gain for the real estate agency on 12.5 sales. Which if the company is currently making 16.6 sales is a 70% increase. However, as previously mentioned, this is just an example, and we need access to more data to be precise; especially as 100 properties sold for over $2million sounds rather low.

Realtor Systems and Wins

Because the above is only considering mandates gained that were sold, in Chapter 22, we also present a more powerful and lucrative game theory scenario based on what we call ‘Jet Set Marketing’; which are initiatives to bring more jet set clients to Cape Town in the first place. And once they have arrived, without applying any pressure at all, our concierge and hospitality reps will present options for sale and will then work with the estate agency to make a sale if the clients are interested. We will also have sent a few well-presented communications before arrival, presenting properties for sale, and we desire to have properties for sale sections on many of the websites.

Realtor Systems and Wins-The Jet Set Network

See or request Chapters 21. ‘Prestige & Jet Set Marketing’ and 22. ‘Real Estate Systems and Wins’ for more details of the above point. But for now, in this chapter, we are focusing only on mandates and ripple effects created from the acquisition of mandates, beginning with ‘Mandate Marketing.’

Part 2. Mandate Marketing

Mandate Marketing

Mandate Marketing – The Overflow

The first step towards Mandate Symmetry (turning a rental mandate to a sales mandate) is ‘Mandate Marketing.’ But before going into detail, we need to explain ‘The Overflow.’ This is where we make each mandated villa its own S-Web CMS Framework website (see Chapter 1) and aggressively market it via many sources. The first advantage of this is the many enquiries for the villa that make lots of bookings, so making the property owner happy.

But here’s the trick, because a top villa can receive 20 or more enquires for peak times but can only be booked once, we use the additional enquires (the overflow) to book other villas. And the income from booking other villas is more than can be made from the mandated villa. And so, we can effectively write off most the income made from the mandate income and profit instead from the overflow, giving the deal of the century to villa owners and mandate recruiters but still making a lot of profit.

Sole Mandates

Mandate Marketing – Commissions

Airbnb has disrupted the global vacation rentals market, in part due to their commission structure which to most seems to charge 3%. However, they add a 6% to 12% commission on top and call it a service fee. Albeit, as they do not offer any services, so they really should call it a booking fee.

However, love them or hate them, Airbnb is here to stay. And on the plus side, Airbnb has introduced a lot more property owners to short-term letting, and so have increased the number of villas available in the marketplace. Which is a distinct advantage to all because in high season, the biggest problem Cape Town agencies and agencies across the globe have is lack of stock. And it’s simple enough to contact the property owners of Airbnb and others like HomeAway directly, so both become a good source for recruiting new properties, first on a bespoke basis and later as mandate opportunities.

To go one step better than Airbnb, the Villa Secrets commission model undercuts Airbnb, charging only a 2.5% commission. To go better again, instead of a 6% to 12% booking fee, Villa Secrets levies a 6% to 12% concierge and hospitality contribution which provides for the quintessentially matching concierge services described in Chapter 12, plus villa competitive grading, personality match, construction watch, and many more essential services.

Concierge and Hospitality

So, in comparison to Airbnb, guests receive a tonne of services. And because of these services, it’s perfectly reasonable to charge more than Airbnb. And as such, the concierge and hospitality fee is more like a marketing expense, either allowing us to increase the price of the villa in the first place, or to charge the same and expect more low-season occupancy, increasing the villa owner’s net gain; and because we work on commission relative to the owners gain, Villa Secrets increases its gain at the same time.

Mandate Marketing – Direct and Prestige Marketing

Mandate-Marketing

The next commission step is ‘mandate marketing,’ which sees 10% of each booking spent directly marketing the villa. This, like the concierge and hospitality fee, is a give not a get for the villa owner as we make this 10% work triple. And this provides truly awesome marketing as is presented in 5 different chapters (15, 16, 17, 18 & 21), which increases rental rates, bookings, and in particular low-season bookings.

And in addition, it also increases the prestige and value of the villa, makes it stand out, and increases its for sale value. Or if a villa is priced for sale highly in the first instance (which many are), it helps to achieve this high price.

The 10% marketing income is split into 4 categories.

Marketing Platform Creation & Content Marketing

An S-Web CMS Framework Website, SEO (search engine optimization), photography, photoshop, article writing, content marketing, and syndication of same, plus use of all S-World and S-Web systems.

SEM (Search Engine Marketing)

Advertising on Google and other Online Advertising.

Prestige Marketing 1. Print Media

Condé Nast Traveler, Vogue and other advertorial, the Villa Secrets Coffee Table Book, and luxury brand association.

Prestige Marketing 2. PR & Film

Film, Video, PR, Photoshoots, luxury brand test shoots, and Ads.

1. Platform Creation & Content Marketing

Because we own the S-Web CMS Framework and as a consequence of the call centre (see Chapter 13), we effectively get our content writers for free. We can create websites for villas that, including rich content, would cost $50,000 (note that Contently would charge $25,000 for the written content alone) for just $5,000. And because we have the S-Web CDS™ Content Delivery System (see Chapter 4), it takes our content team just 15 minutes to create a new Dream African villa vacation article. So, we can add new articles each week to the mandated villas own online magazine, then syndicate the content across social networks, luxury blogs and create newsletters, generating a buzz and encouraging bookings.

The S-Web CMS Framework

No company in the world can do this, as no company in the world has either an S-Web CMS Framework, or an S-Web CDS™. And this is one reason why ‘Mandate Marketing’ is a system that cannot be easily copied, as it would take other companies much of the 10% just to create the platform described above, especially if they used an external web development and content marketing company who would add on their own profit and most would also need to charge VAT.

Whereas within the Villa Secrets network, there is no profit made from development or marketing; and as it’s an internal service/department, there is no VAT implication.

S-Web-CDS-Content Delivery System

Another advantage of having both an S-Web CDS™ plus a dedicated content writing and media production department, is that each individual villa’s website will have good SEO enhanced by each website’s own online magazine/blog pages; as the online magazines show global villa holiday options which can be added to blog directories and can be used as a basis for guest blogging, where we write an article for a high profile luxury travel blog and link it back to the website.

Villa Secrets Marketing

One consequence of having a top draw website is that if one chooses to use booking channels (like HomeAway and Airbnb), because many clients will Google the name of a villa seen on such channels to see if they can book the villa direct and not pay the channels commission; the mandated villa website gains clients from these sources for free. And if a client was interested in the villa on HomeAway, Airbnb, or other such websites in the first place; when they see it in its full glory on its own S-Web website, the probability of the client enquiring increases, as do the chances of making a booking.

The S-World CRM-Ai™

Lastly, the use of the S-World CRM-Ai™ (Chapter 6) and other systems increase the number of enquiries received and then the amount of bookings made from enquiries, increasing ROI (return on investment) from all advertising.

S-World CRM-Ai

2. SEM (Search Engine Marketing)

Advertising on Google and other Online Advertising

Villa-Secrets-Marketing

Because of the great online presence, the S-World CRM-Ai™ and other systems’ online advertising is doubly effective. There are a lot of advertising opportunities on Google and other websites, but as they can be copied by others, all SEM advertising strategies are confidential.

What we can say is that from this advertising, we increase the demand for the mandated villa; so, achieving a better price and/or better occupancy and make a bigger ‘overflow,’ as when the villa is booked or otherwise unsuitable (for instance, a family with young children is booking, and the villa is not ‘children friendly’), we can use the enquiries to book other villas. We tested this last year and created an ROI (return on investment) of 500%.

3. Prestige Marketing 1. Print Media

Condé Nast Traveller, Vogue and other advertorial, the Villa Secrets Coffee Table Book, and luxury brand association.

S-Web-CDS-Publishing

Now, we come into the arena of ‘mandate symmetry’ and how we make the case for owners to give the first opportunity for sale to the Villa Secrets primary network real estate agency.

However, before we even start to present this case, we can consider that, in a number of cases, due to the ‘prestige marketing’ initiatives, a number or even many rental mandates may include the first option for sale as a condition of the rental mandate in the first place. However, as we have not yet tested this theory; for now, we focus on a strategy to encourage villa owners to freely choose the Villa Secrets affiliated real estate agent when they choose to sell.

One of the essential criteria is that the estate agency who represents the Villa Secrets network of companies (the primary network) needs to be amongst the leading contenders. It must be an agency that a villa owner may have chosen by their own volition. Or better still, 2 of the top agencies join Villa Secrets so the villa owner can pick one or the other or request a dual mandate.

Getting back to prestige marketing, as our primary website www.VillaSecrets.com is populated by Africa’s most prestigious villas, safaris, and private islands; we are seen as an authority. And in conversations with several Condé Nast publications including Traveller, Vogue, and House & Garden; we qualify for near front of magazine advertorial. Four-page spreads featuring a mandated villa and then 2 or 3 African super-brand properties; such as North Island where Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, went for their honeymoon; or Sir Richard Branson’s Ulusaba Lodge, or the exclusive use Cousine Island in the Seychelles.

North Island - Ulusaba

Associating any quality Cape Town villa with such properties, within a trusted award-winning travel and lifestyle publication, will give the reader the impression that the mandated Cape Town villa is as prestigious as the properties it is seen with. (Brand Association 101)

This will increase bookings for sure. But the point is not only to increase bookings, it is to add a significant piece to what we call ‘the estate agent’s marketing pack,’ which is to be a beautifully bound physical pack of marketing material. Which for villas over $4 million in value will include at least one feature, as described in a leading lifestyle magazine that looks to any client like a genuine article by the magazine.

Ergo, it’s not the estate agent saying, ‘it’s a very prestigious property.’ It’s not Villa Secrets saying, ‘it’s a very prestigious property’, but instead one or more Condé Nast luxury lifestyle magazines will be saying it. In print, near the front of their magazines, in advertorial that looks just like editorial; and so, it appears not to be an advert but a genuine recommendation from a publication with impeccable credentials. As in the case of Condé Nast Traveler, its own awards are considered one of the highest, if not, the highest recommendation in luxury travel, and any association thereof is worth its weight in gold.

Whilst Condé Nast Vogue does not have an awards section, Vogue speaks for itself as the world’s leading fashion and luxury lifestyle magazine. It’s not just any magazine that Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, would associate herself with, as she graced the centenary edition of Vogue in which Villa Secrets first presented itself to the fashion world.

Villa Secrets Advertorial Branding

In addition to the costly Condé Nast advertorial, we will repeat the exercise in other less expensive luxury magazines to pad the pack and to include villas under $3 million.

Added to these packs come entrance in either a Villa Secrets Coffee Table Book or magazine, which will impress due to its design, its editorial; in which amongst other sections, we will have 8 different multi leg six-star African villa holidays/experiences, each suggested by a different leading player. For instance, North Island will pick 2 or 3 venues they recommend alongside their own, for a Pan-African luxurious honeymoon. Or Lion Sands would create a Classic African safari, plus beach, plus Cape Town experience.

This creates a lot of ripple effects, not least being good relations with such venues and the possible creation of Villa Secrets websites for them, to benefit from their overflow when they are booked; or if a client wants a multi leg trip, they can present their Jet Set clients to Cape Town and other Pan-African villas options.

In addition to such articles, we would like an article by Stefan Antoni on his favourite villas worldwide. In further addition (which may only materialise in our second publications), we desire to product place a number of luxury brands in some of the properties. All in all creating a very prestigious publication.

Villa Secrets Coffee Table Book

In many cases, especially if a villa has been mandated for a while, the ‘estate agent’s marketing pack’ will include a number of magazine features and more than one Villa Secrets publication.

It is these packs that start to create ‘mandate symmetry,’ because we shall send a handful of copies of all publications to the villa managers and owners; and they will know we have about 50 packs of these publications to give to the real estate agency, to assist them in marketing the villa for sale. And because of this, the owner is almost certain to give their first sole mandate to the estate agency who has access to the physical marketing material.

The Estate Agents Marketing Pack

In addition, another ripple effect of creating the prestige marketing material is that the magazines and books will provide the Villa Secrets primary network realtor with direct offers to buy properties. We know for certain that despite not even mentioning property sales, at least one of the properties in our last magazine was sold to an overseas buyer who did not even visit the property. They bought it from the strength of the magazine alone.

Villa Secrets publishing is another area where it will be hard for any competitor to compete. The volume of business and the ‘wow and awe’ associated with Villa Secrets sees deals on advertising half the price others would pay. And for our own publishing, an adaptation of the S-Web CDS™ makes the production process super simple saving 50% of cost; plus, our distribution strategy that comes from 9 years of consideration of how to better our first Condé Nast districted publication is very well considered, maximises value, and minimises costs.

And just a quick note, re the quality of our publishing, our last publication saw the leading luxury brand ‘Bulgari’ contact us and say, ‘We did not know you had such luxuries in Africa’; offering $100,000 in barter to feature in the follow up. It is our plan to exchange placement in our publications for barter from leading luxury brands, perfume, handbags, etc. Which we will give to jet set clients on arrival and send to them on special occasions such as Christmas and anniversaries, creating a truly unique remarketing initiative for both ourselves and the luxury brands themselves.

Chapter 18. ‘S-World Publishing’ tells the Villa Secrets Coffee Table and Magazine story in great detail. But a significant factor that is relevant to this chapter is that portfolio managers, mandate specialists, and concierge officers will hand deliver each publication to every villa valued over $2 million (that is to our liking) on three separate occasions.

This very exercise is mandate winning. Indeed, in the past, we gained more contacts from this method of acquiring mandates than any other.

All in all when you add it up, we can promote our mandated villas in significant publications, where others could not. And whilst this may seem costly, its well within the ‘Scenario 7’ budget, due to the ripple effect methodology of the project.

4. Prestige Marketing 2. PR & Film

Film, Video, PR, Photoshoots and luxury brand test shoots and Ads

Prestige Marketing

The last part of prestige marketing is like many actions a result of a ripple effect and can be considered cost free to the network; as the concierge and hospitality department is set to be created and staffed as a combined concierge, PR, and film production department (as is the subject of Chapter 12). And that department is tasked with making videos and films of the villas whenever there are no guests to tend to, which is about 50% of the time.

This concierge vs film department symmetry was based on the age-old question in the industry of ‘what to do with hospitality staff in winter?’ And our answer is to recruit mostly from the film industry and let them make their own productions when not serving guests. This not only makes the department seem more prestigious and fun, it also helps to recruit a better calibre of charismatic concierge and hospitality agent in the first place; and recruits the kind of people who have genuine influence and know where it’s at.

The objective of the department, when not on concierge duties, is to create broadcast quality TV shows. One show will just be about the team and what they are doing, a reality show of sorts with weekly episodes shown for the many websites.

A second and more significant production is to make a TV series of the most prestigious villas for broadcast internationally.

In the UK, there is a TV series on a semi-major channel about villas in New Zealand. But to be honest, most of the properties are not to the same standard as the best villas, exclusive use safari lodges, and private islands that Africa has to offer. Which is in part down to the magic of Stefan Antoni who, in my opinion, is the world’s most creative and visually spectacular architect, and the benchmark that he set to others.

Stefan Antoni - Cape Town

The property seen above was designed by Stefan Antoni in about 2008 and is located in Camps Bay, Cape Town; which became the source of our most lucrative booking to date, just under a quarter million of US dollars.

On a personal note, one of the biggest mistakes of my life was in 2001, after buying a ‘knocker downer’ property in Camps Bay. Then meeting with Stefan about the rebuild but going with a far lesser designer due to a transient friendship with a project manager. Stefan’s work since has been an inspiration to many and is one of the reasons that Cape Town was, for a long time, the most expensive location to advertise the word villa on Google.

Nowadays, Stefan Antoni is truly international, you are more likely so see a Stefan Antoni Villa in California than Cape Town. But Stefan’s work can be found right across the globe from St Tropez to Dubai.

Below, we see a design for a property in Los Angeles. You can see them all at www.saota.com/single-residential.

Stefan Antoni - Los Angeles

Getting back to the concierge/film department and the luxury villas TV show, as well as having more exciting properties, I would say that Cape Town and Africa are (in general) more popular than New Zealand (unless you live in New Zealand). So, there is no reason why a production, created of the same quality with more visually appealing properties in a more popular location, would not get aired in the UK and many other locations; and in particular Germany if we create a German language version, and the US where ‘Made in Africa’ is a brand all to itself.

But even if the show is not aired, the material is great for the mandated villas’ own websites, and in particular creating homepage videos like we see at www.sothebysrealty.com. The productions will add to and improve our agency websites and can be marketed on channels like You Tube, which has become quite the place to find luxury villas. Plus, there is greater content for content marketing and it will improve SEO. So, there’s a lot to gain, with a bonus of the TV series being shown internationally.

Alongside making the TV shows, the department will also create test shoots for luxury brands. And from time to time, the luxury brand will bite and shoot at the villa, particularly if we are already working with them on the Coffee Table Book. The brand association of seeing Bulgari, Chanel, Armani, or other such brands shoot at a villa (in terms of prestige and brand association) is another reason for a buyer to buy.

Another job of the Concierge/Film department is PR both locally and internationally, seeking to get the material we shoot into international magazines and on TV. To aid us in this venture, we are creating a number of Awards websites such as: ArchitectAwards.org, WorldVillaAwards.org, and SafariAwards.org; which we will create as legitimate awards linked to our non-profit ventures such as Experience Africa. We don’t need to cheat, we are mostly interested in the villas that would win awards in the first place. And if there is a villa we do not represent that is recommended / nominated, we will start representing them. The awards are as much about recruiting as they are PR; but nevertheless, PR gets easier when one has bona fide award winners to syndicate.

Lastly, it is an initiative to give celebrities significant discounts if we can film them or do a photoshoot of them at a property; nothing too obtrusive and they will have editorial control. Villas that are willing to offer such discounts or even a completely free ride are known as ‘Celebrity Homes.’

Put it all together on a disk; the TV shows, the luxury brand test and real shoots, and various other shoots and videos, plus all other TV shows that featured the villa, plus the awards, and celebrity endorsements; and that’s a host of great material for the real estate agent’s marketing pack.

Add prestige marketing ‘print media’ to prestige marketing ‘PR and Film’ and we create such a mass of marketing material that the villa’s owner will be sure to give the first mandate opportunity to the estate agent that has access to the estate agents’ marketing packs. And because of the packs, the properties are easier to sell.

And of course, the mandated villa’s own website will impress and feature all the materials found in the packs, plus a clear and simple track record of all the bookings, commissions, and payments which will interest any buyer who was not intending to live in the property full time.

Lastly, as the primary network opportunity has 9 websites, we have a lot of ‘home page’ real estate, and so properties for sale will feature prominently on several websites.

Add it all up and we create Mandate Symmetry, as ‘the rental mandate turns to sale’ due to a superior online presence, prestige marketing, and the estate agent’s pack.

Now that we have demonstrated how the rental mandate turns to sale, we see that every rental mandate has value; and so a good question is, how many rental mandates do we expect the primary network to gain directly? And how many mandates do we expect other Villa Secrets companies to gain?

Part 3. Acquiring Rental Mandates

Sole-Rental-Mandates

In our 15 years’ experience, including CapeVillas.com, Experience Africa, Cape-Town-Luxury-Villas and Villa Secrets; we know that adverting in on the top 4 places on Google brings in about 4 good rental mandate opportunities a year, and two of them for platinum or diamond class (six/seven star) properties.

Unlike booking enquiries, there is often no competing agency for mandates and one should expect to close 50% of chances.

Now imagine not one great looking website but 9 or more, all with power domains and not just advertised on Google, rather all the other marketing methods contained within the operations manual. If basic math holds, one should expect at least 9 x 4 opportunities making 36 opportunities.

However, this is only one of many different mandate-recruiting systems. So, the best answer is ‘more than 36 opportunities.’ We shall go through these mandate-recruiting systems shortly.

But before we do, consider what would happen if each of the sites also presented properties for sale? How many sales mandates opportunities do you think they would achieve? Chances are a few, or even a lot… this and other opportunities are considered in Chapter 22. ‘Real Estate Systems & Wins.’

Mandate Prospecting System and the CRM CC™

S-World CRM - Mandate Prospecting System

Sometimes mandate opportunities will just fall in our laps. For instance, direct enquiries from the vacations rental websites. However, in the case of prospecting or if a villa owner has come to us alongside other agencies and prefers a joint mandate; by following our mandate prospecting system, we lay the foundation to turn a joint or open rental mandate into an exclusive mandate and create a defined process for prospecting.

Whilst the following graphic showing the CRM-CC™ is showing a system that is only available to us as a web application in March 2018 and as a mobile App in November 2018, this can in part be followed via the HubSpot CRM which is free, and all staff will have access to until we complete the CRM-CC™.

Sole Mandate & Best STO Deal Preparation

STO stands for ‘Standard Tour Operator Discount’ and is the difference between the ‘public rate’ charged by the property and the ‘discounted rate’ offered to the agency.

In the graphic below, we see the ‘deals’ page, which will automatically update as soon as a task is complete, moving a deal stage from ‘red – not complete’ to ‘green – complete.’ Or if a deal stage is in progress, it will be seen in blue.

There are 11 different stages to this process that happen before we pitch for a mandate:
1. New property identified
2. Basic details received
3. Got images
4. Qualifying assessment 1 to 10 (where we prioritise higher numbered properties)
5. Sunset photo shoot
6. Daytime photo shoot
7. Add photos to web page
8. On site article
9. Publish web page
10. Owner edits/ approval
11. Create magazine article & home page

S-world CRM

Once all the stages are complete, magic can happen; because the villa web page looks like this www.villasecrets.com/Villa/North-Island-Villa=6061 and a magazine article is created like this www.villasecrets.com/Magazine/My-10-majestic-African-villas-safaris-and-private-Islands/A0010, which presents the property in an illustrious company within a Pan African mega article.

In addition, the villa’s article will be automatically added to the villa’s home page as part of the magazine articles section. Then due to the S-Web CDS™ (content delivery system), more articles can be made in minutes (to see this in action, please watch this three-minute video presentation: https://youtu.be/X9-o3E4n2Dk ).

And as a result, at the end of the deal preparations process, one has the unique villa page which shows the villa in a better light than any other company can, alongside a handful of different articles on luxury villa vacation experiences across Africa seen on different websites. Plus, the villa’s page itself will appear on the home pages of quality websites. And for villas valued over $4 million, the property will be the first image on the homepage of at least one website.

This is the point where the property managers and owners see Villa Secrets as the company that goes the extra mile. And this is the time to start the pitch for a mandate, as an experienced and seasoned sales mandate specialist joins the portfolio manager to help bring home the opportunity.

Even if a mandate is not secured, one will have made better friends with the owner and may get a better STO or better bespoke discounts for quality bookings, and we have more great content for the websites.

Twenty-Eight Ways Villa Secrets attracts Sole Mandates

sole mandates

This section presents 28 ways within 14 categories in which Villa Secrets will contact or be contacted by villa owners and managers…

1. Adverting on Google, Bing, and other such online advertising platforms.

a. Villa Rentals Agency Adverts on Google AdWords & other online advertising platforms

As previously mentioned, in our experience since 2002, adverting a vacation rental agency on the top 4 of Google has the ripple effect of gaining about 4 good rental mandate opportunities a year, and two of them for platinum class (six-star) properties. So, it follows that adverting 9 different websites, all with power domains, can generate 9 x 4 mandate opportunities, making 36 opportunities.

However, some agency websites such as ‘Bantry BayVillas.com’ will not receive the same amount of Google Advertising; and so for caution, we should lower this figure by 25% to 27 opportunities.

b. Adverting on Google, Bing, and other such online advertising platforms directly for property management keywords

A good number of villa owners seeking to rent their property will first look for property managers or management; and whilst we do not directly offer property management (because if we did, other property managers would not wish to work with us), we are creating a detailed CMS (content management suite) for property managers to add their profiles and prices on the Villa Secrets websites; from which a new villa owner can pick their favourite property manager who will do the management while we handle the bookings calendar and provide concierge.

This is a distinct advantage for property owners, as the best property managers are often hard to find; and in addition, a villa owner may be nervous to use a smaller property manager for trust reasons. However, often the smaller the management company, the more individual time the owner of the company has for each property. By choosing a manager from the Villa Secrets selection, the owner knows there is a degree of oversight, and that the managers presented are fully recommended.

An important aspect of the Villa Secrets and property manager relationship is that so long as Villa Secrets handles the bookings, we don’t ask for a share in the property managers fees when we introduce a client; and because of this, all our choices are specifically because they are the best in town, not due to financial incentives.

A ripple effect of this action is that after a while, some of the property managers may wish to become Villa Secrets companies in their own right, bringing their original existing portfolio with them.

2. Portfolio Manager

One of the first appointments for both Cape Town or international locations should be the Portfolio Manager. The portfolio manager has a multitude of tasks to perform, from organizing the villas that come in from PMSs (where pictures need to be re ordered and attributes added), to prospecting for new villas and organizing the copywriting and photography.

As the portfolio and tasks increase, this becomes a department.

a. Hand delivery of Villa Secrets Coffee Table Book

In all of Cape Town, there are about 500 villas that we would like as mandates. Going house to house, the property manager and others from concierge or a dedicated mandate networker, plus a friendly domestic; they team up to present the book to whoever opens the door and ask that it be given to the owner. Or if the owner is away, add it to their coffee table. This exercise can be repeated 3 times every 3 months or so.

In our experience, this is a very good way to recruit new properties.

b. Hand delivery of Villa Secrets Coffee Table Book to existing contacts

As mentioned above but for properties already in the Villa Secrets databases.

c. Prospect daily from Gumtree, Airbnb, & HomeAway

At the beginning of each day, the portfolio manager will seek new properties added to VRBO (vacation rental by owner) websites.

d. Open Rental Mandates

Using as many sources as possible including the Villa Secrets and Cape Villas databases, the portfolio manager will list all the villas that are on open mandates (where the owner has not seen fit to work with one company or another and is representing the booking process themselves).

From this list, the portfolio manager will start the process of ‘Deal Preparation’ as was seen previously. Creating a top draw online presence on over 12 different webpages including half a dozen leading villas of Africa articles. And once created, the mandate networker will join with the portfolio manager to present the mandate opportunity to the villa owner.

3. Real Estate Agencies

a. Sales Staff Recruiting from their personal contacts

Sales staff from the real estate company that won the primary network opportunity can approach their list of contacts, presenting the mandate opportunity. When they recruit a mandate, they will share 35% of each commission; which would typically be either 25% to 30% for them, and 5% to 10% for the property manager. The distinction being if the property manager finds the villa in the first place, they will get 10%. But if they are only assisting a mandate recruiter, they will receive 5%.

So, for this specific point, it would be 30% to the realtor.

Working on a 5.5 or 6-star Villa that would rent at New Year for about R60,000 / $4,600 a night and cost about R40million / $3million to buy; using both the 2.5% commission and an average of the 6% to 12% concierge and hospitality fee, an income of just over R500,000 / $48,000 in rentals is achieved in the first year, increasing in later years.

If working on 30%, the residual income made by the mandate recruiter is R150,000 / $11,500. So, if the agent could sign 4 mandates, that’s an additional income of R600,000 / 46,000 a year or more. If the four properties stay available for rental for more than 3 years (which is common), the mandate recruiter would make $1.8 million / $138,000, or substantially more if villas recruited were diamond class (7-star) such as newer Stefan Antoni villas.

Overall, a very good incentive for any real estate agent to ask their contacts if they would like to rent their property via Villa Secrets.

b. Sales Staff from other Real Estate Agencies

The same as above can apply to any real estate agent, although the Villa Secrets primary network agents will have the first opportunity.

c. Open Sales Mandates

At any point in time, there are several properties for sale on an open mandate, for sale at the right price. Each represents a good option for an estate agent to push for a sole rental mandate, as the owner will be impressed by our prestige marketing initiatives to increase the prestige, value, and desirability of their home.

The effort, in this case, paying double as the prestige marketing increases the likelihood of a sales mandate, once the estate agent’s pack is full.

d. Properties Sold to Clients that wish to rent

Each time the real estate agency sells a villa, there is the opportunity for a mandate; and a good opportunity particularly for overseas or out of town buyers who wish to visit their property on occasions but wish to rent it out at other times, so making a long-term rental impractical.

e. Owners who come direct to the Real Estate Agencies wishing to rent their property

With expensive shopfronts and years of branding, established real estate brands will receive direct client enquiries to rent out properties. Each such enquiry is another opportunity.

4. Villa Secrets Publishing

a. Prime African Properties – Mandate & Management Opportunities

As the first Coffee Table Book is a Pan African experience featuring many fine villas across the content; and as it will be sent to hundreds of targets for future publications, it is entirely possible that some recipients will wish to see what Villa Secrets and prestige marketing can do for their property. Sometimes this deal may be a straight mandate deal; and other times, a deal with Villa Secrets Ltd UK to create their own Villa Secrets company (per Chapter 8).

Either way, as many of these companies are businesses, the opportunity to sell the property arises. Should the primary network owner be interested in the Pan African options, they will receive many international mandate opportunities for both rentals and sale.

More on this in the coming section Experience Africa.

b. Prestige Placement and Branding

Alongside the door to door distribution mentioned previously, the Villa Secrets Coffee Table Book will be placed in many restaurants, hotel lounges, and waiting rooms for accountants and lawyers and other such professionals. As the property owners read the books, mandate opportunities can arise.

c. Buzz

In both Cape Town and across the world, we will distribute over 1,000 books locally and internationally to the leading real estate and vacations rental companies. We know from our last distribution that this action creates a buzz that can mandate opportunities alongside booking and affiliate requests, plus sales enquiries.

5. Prestige Marketing & Branding

a. Condé Nast Traveller & Other Publications

We have, in the past, gained mandate opportunities from small ads in Condé Nast Traveler, one can only assume this number will increase given bigger adds and pages of advertorial.

b. Villa Secrets Film, TV, & Video

One thing villa owners like to share are videos of their properties, which are particularly useful if they have friends who also have properties. Plus, a good video can get a lot of shares on social networks and YouTube.

Taking it up a notch and the ambition to create a broadcast TV series on luxury villas in Africa; if this gets aired and in particular in the locations we are in, it will become a monster mandate recruiting platform.

c. Public Relations (PR)
PR comes in the form of:

c.i. Sending marketing materials including test shoots to luxury brands, for them to shoot their adverts, or to advertise in our publications.
c.ii. Sending marketing materials to magazines and other media companies in the form of original articles, snippets, and videos for them to display or show.
c.iii. Intimate events at the property with a guest list no more than 50, of whom villa owners who are in our sights but have not yet committed will be invited.

Any of the above can trigger a mandate opportunity and/or help to get property managers and villa owners past the finish line.

d. Awards Platforms

Before we begin, a note to say, we did not decide to make awards for personal gain. The idea was created by the poor quality and obvious bias of other awards such as Safari Awards website. Where for the top 20 most popular safaris on the planet, only one was mentioned in their 70 odd different awards.

Villa Secrets sister company, the not for profit ‘Experience Africa,’ is creating its own awards, based on a much fairer system.

Good intentions aside, creating legitimate awards websites/brands will, without doubt, see a lot of quality villa owners and managers approach us for representation, each one a mandate opportunity.

Awards categories/websites to be created including:

ArchitectAwards.org, SafariAwards.org, GlobalVillaAwards.com, WorldVillaAwards.org, AfricanVillaAwards.com, AfricanVillaAwards.org, AfricanSafariAwards.com, Top10Safari.com, AfricanSafari.Reviews, and LuxuryVillas.Review

6. Concierge & Hospitality

As is described in Chapter 12, we are seeking charismatic concierge management and staff sourced mostly from the film industry, with the team working on creating film & videos and other media content when not on concierge duties (which is about half the time).

All concierge staff have the opportunity to recruit mandates, and as they will be invited to parties and events that most would not be invited to, they are bound to run into villa owners from time to time. And much like real estate agents, they are incentivised by 25% of the mandate income if they can bring the mandate home. However, 50% of their income is shared between the department. But even so, it’s quite possible for a concierge employee to make much more from recruiting mandates than they do from salary alone.

Equally, if a guest was to buy a property, one of the first places they would look for representation is the company that provided the exemplary concierge service; and as we mentioned earlier, concierge will lightly present the idea of buying a property to each guest.

7. Deals with Property Managers

There are various opportunities created by our property management initiatives…

a. Chapter Eight – Manager & Owners deals

In Chapter 8, we present a unique and beneficial initiative to create S-Web framework websites alongside S-World software opportunities for Managers and Owners of elite properties. Properties that already have their own well-established reservations and management systems who would not be interested in signing a mandate.

So far, in conversations with 3 such properties: Cousine Island, & Beyond, and North Island; all are interested in seeing the product when its complete.

The basic deal is that, by using our systems, such properties can make bookings for other villas when they are full and can use our systems to provide multi leg options for their clients, turning each company into a small bespoke luxury tour operator.

Whilst this does not bring mandates in directly, it is a critical part of encouraging jet set clients to book. And it has indirect rental mandate opportunities when such companies ask us to add lesser known platinum and diamond class properties to our portfolio, each such property is a rental mandate opportunity.

Plus, in creating such a network for rental properties, we also create a network of properties for sale. The objective here is to join with Experience Africa to create the ultimate portfolio of platinum and diamond class villas, safaris, and private islands for sale. Not specifically on sole mandates, but rather just all the properties for sale in one place, seeking to become the industry standard. And as always, the sales will be done by the Villa Secrets primary network real estate agents; albeit the precise structure across Africa is still under consideration.

b. Mergers

The Villa Secrets Cape Town primary network opportunity comes with eight options for merger websites (at an additional cost), in addition to their original 9 plus S-Web websites.

A merger is when a property management company already has a small rental business alongside their property management business, which makes a residual income. The deal with such companies would be to create a merger of sorts where the property management and property management fees stay in the hands of the company owner, but the rentals side of the company is merged into a new Villa Secrets affiliate company which provides a full S-Web website and gives access to all systems.

In such a case, the property manager receives the 25% of mandate commission incentive previously mentioned for real estate agents; plus, they will be seen first in the list of Villa Secrets property managers, so enabling them to acquire more properties to manage. Plus, of course, they will share in the income from the rentals.

And like all such initiatives, prestige marketing will see most owners use the Villa Secrets affiliate real estate company for the sales.

8. Other Mergers

Continuing on from the point above, there are many other merger opportunities. In particular existing villa rental agencies, most of whom have a few mandates.

Across the world, Airbnb has put pressure on every villa rental agency. In 2015, the CEO of a leading Asian vacation rentals company informed us that a great many small vacations rental companies were going in trouble and looking to sell.

Villa Secrets offers an alternative, by adding what would cost them Millions of dollars in websites and systems, such business can turn around. Instead of bringing in an investor and being left with 50% of their business, a deal with Villa Secrets costs just 12.5%. And for that 12.5%, they get a tonne of technology and systems. Such mergers can also be made by the Primary Network. In fact, it is a quality of the Primary Network that only they or Villa Secrets LTD UK can recruit mergers.

Vacation rental companies are just one example. We present over 25 different niches in Chapter 2, any of which could create a merger. Even real estate agents could become merger targets.

The more mergers created, the more mandates will be held by the network, and the more sale mandate opportunities will arise.

9. Passive Income

Passive income is when someone simply introduces villas to any Villa Secrets company. In short, people who know people; this could be an architect, a property developer or just someone who knows people who own luxury properties.

In this case, they will receive the 25% of mandate commission incentive previously mentioned for real estate agents and property managers. And again, due to prestige marketing and the estate agent’s marketing pack, the primary network wins the sales mandate.

10. Apartment or Resort Development Contracts

Gaining the contract for rentals from a new block of luxury apartments would be a big deal and could bring 10 or more (and sometimes a lot more) rental mandates.

This is of course a specialist discipline, but within our sister macroeconomic project ‘M-Systems’ (www.AngelTheory.org) is the mother of all property developments plans. And because of this, we shall have the ear of property and resort developers.

The exact mechanism for such a deal may change from deal to deal. Some may wish to create their own Villa Secrets companies for rentals, some will give the opportunity and receive the 25% of mandate commission to an existing Villa Secrets company, and often choose the primary network.

11. Villas Cloud – Property Management Systems (PMSs)

The Villas Cloud is described in limited detail in Chapter 5. The reason for the limited detail is due to politics. Our current objective is to connect to many PMSs (property management systems) such as MyBookingPal, Kigo, and NightsBridge.

In tandem, we also intend to greatly improve upon our original 2005 PMS (which was one of the first such systems in the world.) However, we know from MyBookingPal that some of the larger PMSs (maybe HomeAway or Airbnb) will not give access to their inventory if the company has a rival PMS system.

As a result, we need to create such a system as a different company, with mostly different owners. And we are considering collaborating with existing PMSs like MyBookingPal, Real Page, Vacation Roost, Illusions Online, or even HomeAway or Airbnb.

The politics and company ownership aside, owning a successful PMS and channel distribution system is an outstanding way to gain property mandates. One can literally create hundreds of opportunities each year.

12. Safari and other Luxury Accommodations

With over 4000 safari lodges in Africa, the safari sales market must be strong. But there is no company that champions this.

More on this in the conclusion to this chapter, ‘Experience Africa.’

13. M-System 6 – The Theory of Every Business & Grand Networks

S-World M-Systems

Above, we see M-Systems which is the advanced system design.

To put a scale to it, all the 25 chapters presented in The Villa Secrets’ Secret are M-System 1, but there are 16 systems. Relevant to mandates is M-System 6. The Theory of Every Business, which is about creating large-scale resort developments. We shall only touch upon this point, as it is a long way from its launch. However, to see the 4 books written on the subject between 2011 and 2013, go to http://americanbutterfly.org.

American Butterfly is about networks, resort developments, and economic ripple effects; how one action could lead to another, and what could be accomplished in macroeconomics by working in this way.

Hence the name, American Butterfly:

American – The World’s Biggest Economy
and
Butterfly – The Butterfly Effect applied to business and economics

A book about Global Economic Ripple Effects initially created in the USA.

Instead of looking at individual companies, American Butterfly and the first book in the series ‘The Theory of Every Business’ look at what can be achieved when the Villa Secrets network is of sufficient mass to promote a large-scale resort development.

After creating American Butterfly, this work split in 2 different directions…

1. It created the Villa Secrets Network and…
2. It created Angel Theory’s M-Systems www.AngelTheory.org, the name for which will be explained in the concluding Experience Africa chapter. The result is that various investment pays for the creation of combined resort developments and S-World operations centres; and due to the mass of ripple effects and in particular good jobs, we desire to create very desirable resort developments which only the Villa Secrets Primary Networks will be able to sell.

And current thinking is to make the commission high, maybe 7.5%.

For instance, there is a nice plot of 214 acres of beachfront land in Santa Barbra on the market which would be perfect for a small and extremely excusive Stefan Antoni designed resort development, marketed by S-World and Villa Secrets, and sold by Villa Secrets primary networks. However, plans also include larger developments.

14. M-System 7. S-World Virtual Network

Long before American Butterfly’s the Theory of Every Business and its resort development plans, and before even CapeVillas.com became the world’s first virtual tour made using Adobe Flash. Unfortunately, the original is no longer online. But in its day, it was a winner. And in 2004, in collaboration with the South African royalty and Galileo GDS, we were close to creating a global virtual network showing both locations and properties.

The Lonely Planet linked to our original design and it was even offered its own digital TV channel. And whilst it eventually came to nothing, the idea of how to market a Virtual World was probably first thought of by us. Nowadays, virtual technology is everywhere but still there is no virtual world product that mirrors the real world. And that’s what S-World Virtual Network is all about. And amongst the first locations we would render would be Cape Town, and with it a whole new way to see, book or buy property. Creating sole mandates as well as booking and sale opportunities, as we create superior renderings of our client’s properties in a product that is designed to be a global phenomenon.

This project desires collaboration between all of Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and Twitter; all of whom will be approached in time via their philanthropic foundations. And whilst the idea of a virtual world is as big concept, the prototype creation may well get underway in 2018.

Part 5. Luxury Villa Rental Agencies – Scenario 7

(Chapter 19)

Before moving to Experience Africa, a word on our financial forecasting ‘Scenario 7’ from chapter 19 ‘Luxury Villa Rental Agencies,’ and our claim to underestimate and over deliver.

In just the first of the 28 different ways that Villa Secrets and the primary network can attract mandates, we gave an extremely well-researched forecast of 27 mandate opportunities.

For the sake of simplicity, when we add all the other 27 different ways to create mandate opportunities, let’s say we will expect at least 70 opportunities. And of these 70 opportunities lets again err on the cautious side and say 24 ends up as sole rental mandates, and many of the rest end up as preferential STO deals with future mandate prospects.

Villa Secrets - Scenario 7

Previous Scenarios
http://network.villasecrets.com/forecasts-and-scenarios/cape-town-3
http://network.villasecrets.com/forecasts-and-scenarios/cape-town-4
http://network.villasecrets.com/forecasts-and-scenarios/cape-town-5
http://network.villasecrets.com/forecasts-and-scenarios/cape-town-6

Villa Secrets Scenario 7 is a spreadsheet system containing over 1000 variables. Of which, if we do not have historical stats, we always underestimate income and overestimate expenses. It is due to become a dedicated forecasting program within the CRM-CC™ and M-Systems™.

This is not the correct place to present Scenario 7, as it has already been explained in the last section within Chapter 1 (or if that chapter is updated, see ‘Challenger Technology Pitch’) or ask for Chapter 19.

To sum up in just two points, in Phase 2 from villa rentals alone, the primary network should expect to make R14 million / $1. 1million in shareholder digressionary cash flow, of which 50% is returned to the real estate agent who seized the primary network opportunity as profit (with the balance distributed between the stakeholders and personnel).

In Scenario 2, which is set for 2019 but could go into 2020, we work on the principle that if running for two years (at the beginning of the second year), the primary network has 7 mandates rising to 12 by the end, which accounts for 60% of all rental income.

Here we can clearly see the gross underestimate in the number of mandates, 12 by the end of year two, whereas the already cautious estimate in this chapter was 24 a year, so making 48 mandates.

If instead of 12 mandates there were 48, the profit would more than triple, returning well over $1 million a year from an initial investment of only $168,000, which to ease risk aversions requires but a $42,000 deposit.

Part 5. Experience Africa

Experience Africa (Not for profit)

Experience Africa is the conservation sister project to Villa Secrets. It was initially created in 2009 in reaction to Bulgari wishing to be lead sponsor of our Cape Villas magazine distributed by Condé Nast Traveller. For our next publication, we wish to go Pan African and to include safaris and other luxury accommodations. The website, created in 2010, was the one duplicated for Sotheby’s Realty Cape Town which created the idea of Villa Secrets; but not one duplicate… instead thousands.

However, the website was unstable and this story is told in dramatic fashion here:
http://network.villasecrets.com/the-secret/ch1/the-s-web-cms-framework-01#step-4-emotional-impact. So, it was eventually scrapped.

Nelson - Mandela

Experience Africa then surfaced again as the conclusion to the 4th American Butterfly book, http://americanbutterfly.org/pt4/the-butterfly/diary-entries-2-experience-africa; albeit not as a booking platform, but instead as an extension to the resort developments. However, whilst the current plan is very different, the main point is the same…it is to be a loss leader. Whatever money it makes after essential expenses must go to protect the Elephants, Rhino, Cheetah, and other endangered animals.

Experience Africa resurfaced as the sister project to Villa Secrets towards the end of 2015, and a lot of research went into various aspects; in particular its Awards and CMS systems, and the duplications of the macro Villa Secrets plan within the safari sector.
At first, we started with this idea www.experienceafrica.com/experience-africa-2015, which was eventually updated in 2016 with http://www.experienceafrica.com/angel-theory-chapters/chapter-1
http://www.experienceafrica.com/angel-theory-chapters/chapter-2/systems
http://www.experienceafrica.com/angel-theory-chapters/chapter-3/pr.

Another view point is http://network.villasecrets.com/villa-secrets-africa-network/experience-africa-v5, which includes various videos made in 2015.

Now, Experience Africa is being created as M-System 2. ‘Ripple Effects & Elephants’

Nelson Mandela

To sum up, Experience Africa works on 2 fronts, both made possible only due to its free usage of all S-Web and S-World systems.

1. Like Villa Secrets, it wishes to create tens, then hundreds, then thousands of tour operator sites; some charities that we hope will be able to take advantage of Google Grants and receive $10,000 in free ads each month and some standard business.

However, the condition of use for the licencing is not 12.5% of gross profit (which we must point out is the equivalent to a low 2.5% franchisee fee), but rather that 50% of all commission or other profit must go directly to conservation via an approved S-World organization. And note that due to such initiatives, we will (in most cases) be able to achieve better commissions in the first place and for a thousand other reasons; even when giving 50% away, the opportunities are still great money makers.

2. The second front is creating systems for the safaris themselves, using all technologies and all staffing systems. In this case, the safaris themselves pay S-World approved conservation companies and initiatives; 75% and 25% is paid towards commissions for sales persons and promotional expenses, such as the making of quality films and videos.

The exact final structure is not 100% complete but it will be something like 2.5% of turnover to
use the systems. Then, for each 10% increase in turnover, gross profit or real profit achieved; the safari pays 2% more to S-World approved conservation companies and initiatives. Seeking to increase the safaris income by 50% and generate 12.5% of their turnover to S-World approved conservation companies and initiatives.

If this can be done, then the following can be achieved if we get half the safaris to use our systems (and note that currently there is no system for safaris).

Average safari price $200 per person, ($400 per room) (R)
Average amount of rooms 7 (#)
Occupancy equivalent to being fully booked for 150 days (O)
R x # x O = $420,000 per Safari
x Number of Safaris = +/- 4,000 (S)
x 50% enrolment = 2,000 (E)
(R x # x O) x (S x E) = $840,000,000
Licence Fee = 12.5% (amount) (L)
(R x # x O) x (S x E) x L = $105,000,000 given to fighting the poachers and breeding programs

$105,000,000 each year

Which is why we push so hard, and why we hope Paul G Allen and others will become advocates of this project.

Paul G Allen Family Foundation

The Chan Zuckerberg Foundation

Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Unite

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

What this means for real estate agents is that we have our eyes on complete systems integration with over 2000 different safaris, which will for sure include a sale option. And as always, ‘only the real estate agents who take the African primary network opportunities can do the sales.’ The one proviso of course being that 50% of the commission needs to be donated to an S-World approved conservation company or initiative.

However, as the cost to buy a safari is expensive and there may be a huge exclusive marketplace, it definitely wants a horse in that race.

Plus, of course, it’s good to give back from both a moral perspective and a branding perspective as we will seek to gain maximum publicity from each initiative, and companies’ websites will be full of thankyou’s from various organization who received the donations.

Unlike most philanthropic organizations, S-World will seek to maximize all PR opportunities arising from its charitable deeds; as such, PR is one of many ripple effects that makes the systems possible in the first place.

Nick Ray Ball

6. Post Script. Ripple Effects & Elephants.

For the latest on Experience Africa and other conservation, ecological and philanthropic projects first see the ‘Angel Theory’ ambition at this link. www.AngelTheory.org/book1-4/an-ecological-and-philanthropic-theory-everything-plus-space

Then see how all 16 projects are started and a further 10 added as a consequence (as a ripple effect) of the Lake Malawi Grand Network, as told in Angel Theory – Paradigm Shift, books 2 Part 2. ‘A More Creative Capitalism’ and book 3. The GDP Game – African Butterfly.’

www.AngelTheory.org/book3-14/Ripple-Effects-and-Elephants-for-paul-g-allen
www.AngelTheory.org

Chapter 4. S-Web CDS™ Content Delivery System

S-Web CDS - Content Delivery System

Chapter 4a. Is unique because…

Identify Problem /Present Missed Opportunities / Avoid potential Landmines

1. The cost of a dedicated content team to create and continue creating online magazines, blogs, and newsletters.

2. Rental agents don’t teach clients about the location they are visiting or offer other travel options.

3. International sales are less likely to happen, as the client needs to visit the country.

4. Sales agents have few or no options to provide international sales clients travel options, and so the client is less likely to visit in the first place, and a significant amount of residual income is lost as well in the sales commission.

Is Unique Because…

1. S-Web CDS™ creates a system that allows agents to create customised web pages for clients, which can be sent using the clients name; for instance, www.VillaSerets.com/Mr-Forrest.

2. S-Web CDS™ also created the same system but for clients to make their own pages and client suites.

3. S-Web CDS™ allows the team to create online magazines pages usually only seen on a big company’s website in minutes, not hours (or days if you include photography and copywriting).

4. S-Web CDS™ is a system that allows agents to create their own attractive and informative magazine/blog pages in minutes; and, as such, can impress clients and owners by sending them some links to their own pages and continue to send the new pages they make after the client has completed their holiday.

5. What makes S-Web CDS™ completely unique is the system it has created for pulling in information created by copywriters and photographers into their own articles in discrete picture, header, and 60 words of text chunks; and so, creating a new page is as simple as writing a header and adding in the ID numbers one wishes to display.

Is a Solution to…

1. Keeping up with big companies with websites that have budgets for dedicated magazine/blog writers.

2. Improving the respect a client has for the agent via the agent creating their own magazine articles that are clearly considered as authored by the agent.

3. Allows agents to teach the clients about the location, attractions within, and excursions available.

4. Allows sales agents, who receive requests for properties, to not only sell the properties they present but also the location they are in.

5. Allows sales agents to present options for them to handle travel arrangements, so increasing the likelihood of the client coming in the first place, and greatly increasing the chances of the client being loyal to the agency they choose to buy from.

Chapter 4b. Villa Secrets, S-Web CDN™ Sales Tools

S-Web CDN - Sales Tools

Welcome to Villa Secrets’ Sales Tools.’ To kick off, a simple tool that you can use that will improve your online bookings & sales by more than 20%

Please watch this 2-minute video: https://youtu.be/JS8vJQ1KxbM

And please try it out yourself by making your own Villa Secrets webpage.

1. Visit www.VillaSecrets.com.

2. Go to ‘Destinations’ > ‘Best of Africa.’

3. Add a handful of villas to ‘your favourites list’ by clicking the plus symbols.

4. Go to ‘Magazine’ and add some articles.

5. Click ‘MY LIST’ at the top right of the page.

6. From the blue navigation menu under the logo, click ‘Make my Webpage.’

7. Add your client, boss, or partner’s name; email them and click ‘Publish my Webpage.’

8. Click ‘Add Comment’ to start a very organised conversation.

If you or an agent in your team was closing 1 in 5 sales, do you think a system like this would improve the closure rate to 1 in 4?

Consider the following percentage breakdown: It’s copywritten and visually superior 5%, its much better than email or mobile 20%, the client’s name in the URL creates a sense of ownership 5%, and clients are much more likely to share with others 10%.

As all the info is neatly recorded, there’s less room for error or confusion 5%; as the agent took only a few minutes, they have more time to deal with other clients 20%; future correspondence is quicker and more accurate 10%; and as agents can see the client’s list adjustments in real time (including alerts on same), he/she is better able to close the sale 10%.

This adds up to 65% (or 85% via mobile); but we always provide a low forecast as well, so 20% to 65%.

S-Web CDN™ (Content Delivery System) is completely unique, as it pulls content from articles and product pages within the database. Soon, we shall see how S-Web is a fully integrated system,

“One does not plug it into a website, it is the website!”

Chapter 4c. S-Web CDN ™ System Architecture/Design

S-WEB-CDS (Content-Delivery-System)

Above, we can see 15 systems that are created from S-Web CDN. We have seen System 10; now, we shall look at the other 14, and give low and high improvement forecasts.

The percentages presented represent the following: increase in enquires from website, opportunity to make bookings, increase in salesperson closing; for a total improvement of over 101%.

1. Villa Secrets S-Web CDS™ & TBS™ Integrated Website 15% to 100%
2. Villa Owner S-Web CDS™ & TBS™ Integrated Website 15% to 100%
3. Property Management S-Web CDS™ & TBS™ Integrated Website 15% to 100%
4. S-Web CDS™ Publishing 10% to 100%
5. Newsletters Created Automatically 05% to 20%
6. Social Network Auto Posting 05% to 15%
7. My List / My Web Page 05% to 10%
8. My Website / My Client Suite 05% to 20%
9. My Holiday Planner / My Itinerary 05% to 100%
10. S-Web CDS™ Sales Tools 20% to 65%
11. The Disruptive CRM ™(Customer Relationship Management) 10% to 50%
12. The TBS-AI ™ makes and assists bookings automatically 10% to 100%
13. CDS, PMS, and Other Inventory Databases 05% to 50%
14. Bespoke Auto Contact and Deal 05% to 25%
15. S-Web CDS™ & TBS™ Public Systems 01% to 100%

For more details, please watch: https://youtu.be/0V96StU7HnI (35 minutes).

Chapter 4d. The Villa Secrets Online Magazine

S-Web-CDS-Publishing

One of many Villa Secrets USPs (Unique Selling Point) is The S-Web Magazine Creator.”

Please watch this three-minute video presentation: https://youtu.be/X9-o3E4n2Dk.

Whilst this idea can be traced back to 2009, S-Web’s CDS™ Publishing was forged as a response to web developers across the world raising their game and creating increasing more attractive websites in 2015 and 2016. The only way to combat this was to raise our game substantially. One idea was to create individual villa pages that looked like homepages; and, working in WordPress, we created pages like this: Serenity Villa, Ulusaba Game Reserve, and Cousine Private Island.

Whilst these pages were a great improvement on any other travel website and proved very popular with guests and villa owners, each page took about three to four days to create; and, as such, were expensive. So, I had the idea to create a super-fast CMS ‘Content Management System’ for our copywriter to use; and in so doing, after she had written the copy and chosen the images, adding the content and creating the slider was down to a dozen minutes.

Another advancement in other companies’ websites since 2014 was the creation of blogs and magazines. This was as, if not, more time considering than creating a product page, as one needed to get content from a variety of sources. So, we created the CDS (Content Delivery System); and now, an article that took 3 days to make, takes less than a minute, see https://youtu.be/X9-o3E4n2Dk.

To see the article I made in the video, follow this link: www.villasecrets.com/Magazine/6-Exclusive-use-Safari-Lodges-to-fly-for-By-Nick-Ray-Ball/6811.

Lastly, we can see all the pages on www.villasecrets.com/Magazine. The trick to it is in how I call in the content for an article segment by adding the property’s ID Number or take it from ‘My List’.

Now, each Villa Secrets company can go blog and magazine mad, with each sales staff member having their own magazine, featuring their own articles, made in no time at all. This improves the website and is the key foundation of a good content marketing strategy. And of course, the sales staff’s magazines make them seem more knowledgeable to clients. Just one of a great many ways S-Web and the TBS can improve sales staff’s performance, increase the chances of an owner granting a mandate and the company’s bottom line.

Chapter 4e. S-Web CDS™ My List / My Magazine / My Web Page

By Nick Ray Ball 30th April 2017

My List - My Magazine - My Web Page

Welcome to another Villa Secrets USP (Unique Selling Point) which we refer to as My List / My Magazine / My Webpage, in which we give clients the option to turn there ‘my favourites list’ into a magazine display and then a unique webpage.

Please watch this three-minute video presentation: https://youtu.be/2h0NL0oXFfo and please follow the video or this email, and make your own Villa Secrets web page featuring your favourites.

This journey is as unique as the last, and built upon the same principle, but this time we create a tool for guests to use.

S-Web CDS™ ‘My Webpage’ begins with the standard ‘My Favourites’ function and presents a good looking page with properties that can be dragged and dropped into order.

We build upon this by giving clients the option to then see their list displayed in magazine mode, which is a superior presentation. And then the clever bit… We offer a super simple way for the client to create a unique web page, such as www.VillaSecrets.com/NickRayBall or www.VillaSecrets.com/NickRaysVillas/forCaitlin or any name one wishes which he/she can then send to their wife, husband, partner, boss or any others in the group. We are currently creating the functionality to create group functions and create a web site / client suite.

This accomplishes several objectives: It captures the clients email address and lets us know which villas he/she likes. So, increasing the ratio of visitor’s vs enquiries. And it increases the likelihood of a client booking, as the more time they spend amending, showing the web page to others; the less time they will spend looking for alternatives. And in addition, as the list is addictive, when sent to others who can create their own lists (even if others in the group are talking to other agencies), the lists tools can help win the day.

And in further addition, if the person looking is the PA or other employee looking for the client, it’s a great way for them to present it to their boss.

Further to this is a great increase in efficiency, as the Client Suite pages become the main communications method, and within all details are recorded.

Chapter 4f. S-Web CDS™ For Real Estate Companies

By Nick Ray Ball 1st May 2017

S-Web-CDS-For-Realtors

We have heard how the S-Web CDS and My List/My Website will win customers over, so now imagine what it can do for real estate clients.

Let us pretend that a deal has been done and we have synchronised databases. So, real estate companies’ properties (over $2 million) appear on Villa Secrets and whatever website we make for the company. Added to which come all the mandates acquired by all other Villa Secrets companies and all ‘open mandate’ villas, which collectively creates a significant portfolio.

Then we add a customer, which could have come from the internet, a walk in, or any other method. In all cases, it is likely that the agent will at some point send the client an email. If the agent uses S-Web, this email will take only a few minutes to make and is vastly superior to whatever email would have been written; and at the top, it contains the personalised client link: www.mywebsite.com/mycleint/their-list. As before, the client will receive a beautifully presented webpage in magazine format that looks a million dollars via mobile.

On receiving their email, the client can reorder the villas, make different lists, and create the option for their partner, boss, sub agent or anyone involved in the buying process to create their own lists. And a master page is created which presents various ways to look at the collective data.

This is already a useful bit of kit. However, this is only the beginning of what we shall create. In addition, we shall provide the client with a great deal of data and statistics from a construction watch that pinpoints ongoing construction and locations that could be adversely affected in the future, to lists of schools and universities and various raking data. Plus, hundreds of other factors that are important to home buyers; creating a platform so useful and so easy to use that it becomes the new standard in real estate in Cape Town, then California, then the world.

Lastly, if in the future I suitably impress Paul G Allen, Mark Zuckerberg, Will Wright, Larry Page & Sergey Brin; we will build ‘S-World Virtual Business Network’ which will create the technology to create, pinpoint accurate and visually superb 3-D virtual renderings of the property; which present the same data but within a virtual Cape Town.

That is even more addictive, as clients can completely remodel any house they wish, using tools so simple they were designed for 7-year olds. This technology has the potential to completely disrupt the current market, and future-proof business; from a company like Airbnb adding a for sale option to its platform and creating a price war that forces Realtors in the USA and Cape Town (usually about 5%) to lower their commissions to UK standards, which are sometimes less than 1%.

Chapter 5. The Villas Cloud™

The-Villas-Cloud

Chapter 5a. Is unique because…

Identify Problem /Present Missed Opportunities / Avoid potential Landmines

1. Opportunity to make bookings for villas, private islands, resorts, and safaris without the need for an agent.

2. Solve the problem of agents, spending time looking through multiple online databases and/or personally contacting a variety of property managers or owners to present best options to clients.

3. Solves the problem of clients coming to our websites and not finding available options that can be booked there and then, like they would find on sites such as Booking.com.

4. Creates opportunity for agents of one niche, say ‘villa rentals,’ to be able to present options from another niche, say ‘safaris’ that are available for their stay.

5. Creates the opportunity for real estate agents to also present villas to stay in for African Experiences to their international clients.

6. Solves the problem of the need to hire experienced agents.

7. Creates the opportunity for an international call centre and live chat station to make bookings directly.

8. Solves the problem of booking channels not wishing to work with companies that also are a property management system.

Is Unique Because…

1. The Villas Cloud will be unique as it will become a handful of different S-World companies separately owned, thus avoiding existing big players insisting that one cannot be both a distribution channel and a property management system at the same time.

2. The Villas Cloud is unique as it has a one price suits all function, where a client has only to entre one price, which is seasonally adjusted to the different seasons.

3. The Villas Cloud is unique due to the scale of the commander’s intent, to connect to all, or at least 100 Property Management Systems about the same amount of booking channels, and as many channels again for safari & hotel channel management systems.

4. Create APIs for at least 1,000 real estate companies’ databases and more than 1,000 villa rental agencies.

5. The Villas Cloud is unique as it is part of the S-World VBN™ Virtual Business Network that in time will seek to connect every inventory database on the planet.

Is a Solution to…

1. Some existing big players in the market, will not connect to systems that are both distribution channels and property management systems.

2. Being able to hire staff with good sales skills, but no experience in the real estate and luxury travel industries.

Chapter 5b. The S-World Villas Cloud

S-World Villas Cloud

Thus far on Network.VillaSecrets, the business development presentation for Villa Secrets, the Villas Cloud, has had only the slightest of mentions with under 250 words presented.

However, if we were to go back in time to mid July 2015 and the beginning of this Villa Secrets presentation, we find that after a broad introduction, the first system specified was the ‘ Villas Cloud’ in a 44-page document called ‘Villas Cloud – PMS 003.’

The primary reason for barely including the ‘ Villas Cloud’ on Network.VillaSecrets has been primarily, as we found from MyBookingPal, that some large players in the industry would not give them access to their systems if they were actively marketing a competing PMS (property management system) product.

However, in answer to this potential landmine, the Villas Cloud is to be a separate company to Villas Secrets and will most likely be a broad description of a number of different companies, each independently owned focusing on different parts to the equation.

Since July 2015, the Villas Cloud has set its sights on accomplishing the following:

1. Villas Tech: Connecting Villa Secrets Network companies to existing property management systems & booking channels.

2. Villas Cloud: A Property Management System (not unlike Kigo) for owners, managers, and agencies to add their inventory to.

a. Villas Cloud for Property Sales

3. Villas Specialist: Is the Agency system that inspired what is now the CRM-Ai App.

4. Luxury Villas Pro: Giving individual villas and property managers systems to book alternate villas when their villa is booked or is otherwise unsuitable.

Since creating the 2015 spec, we have so far connected one system, ‘MyBookingPal,’ to Villas Secrets; and in so doing, created our system in such a way that we can connect to most any system given enough programmers.

We have made little development headway on the Villas Cloud, aside from a clever pricing system. However, we are experienced in this field, having developed the Cape Villas property management system in 2005. We have more than proven our metal in CMS creation, and we can expect the Villas Cloud to be as equally simple, functional, and beautiful as our other systems.

Villa Specialist is well under way, as is Luxury Villas Pro.

In addition, we require Villas Tech to also connect to real estate agencies and vacation rental agencies’ databases, often on an individual basis. Eventually leading to thousands of individual connections.

In further addition, under the broader scope of M-Systems, we need to connect to databases in other industries. One ace up our sleeve for this seemingly impossible of tasks is My S-Web described later.

For all Villas Cloud systems, we are using commander’s internet; in that for this system, instead of creating detailed specifications (except for the Villas Cloud PMS), we present the broad objectives and seek to find partners who can accomplish the task.

Chapter 6. S-World CRM-AI ™ Agents APP

S-World-CRM-AI-Agent-App

Chapter 6a. Key Challenges & Unique Solutions

Identify Problem /Present Missed Opportunities / Avoid potential Landmines

1. Agents typically work 9 to 5, whilst many customers from Europe and the USA enquire or would like to speak in the evenings or during weekends.

2. A star agent will often view the properties they see, attend viewing events, and network with the industry, so they are out of the office often even in the 9 to 5.

3. Due to the above, new agents, even if they are superb at sales, find it hard to get availability; as their knowledge of what stock is out there is limited to the company’s database of villas and website.

4. Whilst nowadays many villas are on one booking system or another, there are still a lot of great options that are bespoke and require a phone call or an email to ascertain availability. This is a task often performed poorly, as agents may choose to contact a handful of such villas, but far from all options; and as the bespoke villas are not on the systems, they are more likely to be available and the owners are more likely to be flexible on price.

5. A good reply to a client can take an agent 15 to 30 minutes or an hour to prepare; and by that time, the client will (in all likelihood) have enquired with a number of competitors.

6. Given that, at any one point, an agent may have 20 different ongoing enquiries on the go at any one time; half of which should be addressed each day, there are simply not enough hours in the day; and every correspondence is written and researched in less time that is needed to really get it right.

7. Staff leaving for new jobs or to start their own business.

8. Staff doing ‘outside deals’ (making a deal for a villa they know and receiving the commission directly from the owner, and not declaring it to the company); whilst not quite qualifying as a landmine, as in my experience this happened rarely, this trait could cripple a small or new business. And this practice is so common that it even has its own name… ‘Outside Deals.’

Is Unique Because…

1. S-World CRM-Ai ™ is created specifically for rental agents; it has removed all the unnecessary features that multi industry CRMs, such as Salesforce, offers and so is much simpler. The S-World CRM-Ai ™ is created to be suitable for children over 7!!!

2. S-World CRM-Ai™ is the way an agent receives their enquiries, there is not a separate enquiry system, the CRM is the enquiry system.

3. S-World CRM-Nudge Ai™ automates the entire booking process and often will work without the agent’s input; in particular, it will send a very attractive and well composed email to a recipient 5 minutes after their enquiry, so keeping the agent focused on your company, not looking for others.

4. As the S-World CRM-Nudge Ai™ does most of the heavy lifting, agents can work on the move from their cellphones, and as it reduces the time it takes to prepare a quality email reply to a few minutes, agents do not mind keeping the app on in the evenings and weekends.

5. S-World CRM-Nudge Ai™ is so useful that sales staff and networkers, become dependent on it, and so the idea of jumping ship to another firm, or starting their own firm is less likely.

6. S-World CRM-Nudge Ai™ can and will be converted to property sales and other travel items such as safaris, private islands, and resorts; allowing agents to become specially competent providers of such options, increasing the likelihood of becoming the provider for the entire trip not just the local villa hire.

7. Real Estate agents can use the system to send international enquirers both options on renting villas, booking hotels going on safari to their international clients; who in 99% of cases, will need to visit the locations before operating with money to buy a home.

By providing travel options and including articles from the magazines, agents can sell the client on coming to their location which (I would say) must increase the chance of making a sale from international enquiries exponentially.

8. The original component to the S-World CRM-Nudge Ai™, which added the ‘Ai’ to the system, was that the Ai can create automated responses from bespoke villa owners and safaris, where bespoke villa owner’s availability is not on a system; and where safaris are spread across so many systems, it will take years to make all the connections.

Is a Solution to…

1. Rental agent’s inexperience.

2. Rental agents receiving enquiries while away from their desks or out of work hours.

3. Immediate and consistent replies to clients.

4. Rental agents not following up on all ongoing enquiries.

5. Rental agents not replying to ‘big enquiries’ at the weekend or in the evening, and so decreasing the chance of a booking dramatically.

6. Having agents at all.

7. Training agents.

8. Monitoring agents.

Chapter 6b. S-World CRM-Nudge Ai ™ Villa Rentals Assisted AI Demo

S-World-CRM-Nudge Ai

Welcome to the S-World CRM Nudge Ai integrated behavioral economic CRM and AI system, packed with more unique selling points than I’ve had hot dinners, created to make one person perform the job of two in half the time with twice the efficiency.

In fact, half the time is a gross underestimate; as if one pretty much leaves the enquiry process to the AI and only has a hand in villa selection, it takes less than a minute to create a very detailed highly professional reply. However, like our other systems, this simplicity of use is only created by incredibly complex back end functionality.

To create this CRM-Nudge Ai ™ App design, we are working ‘Mobile First’, as it is simple to convert a mobile design to desktop but hard to convert a desktop design to an app, not in a way that makes a difference.

The S-World CRM Nudge Ai is built on top of our completely unique S-Web CDS ™ (Content Delivery System). If you have not yet seen this system, see Chapter 4. S-Web CDS™ Content Delivery System – Chapter 4e. My List / My Magazine / My Webpage and follow the demo to see how, in just one minute, one can create their own webpage (a webpage that would take days to create in a CMS such as WordPress) or create a magazine article in less time still.

S-World™ and S-Web™ focus on simplicity and lightning speed. We see a process that takes hours or days and we find ways to spectacularly speed up the process. In this demonstration, we are looking at the enquiry process of renting a villa, but the system could as easily be for selling a home or booking a safari, private island or luxury resort; or for that matter, yachts, jets, or other such luxury items.

One big fat reason the S-World CRM is superior is the Nudge Ai. Basically, we are creating a system that does not need human interaction and so core reps in Live Chat or in call centres (who have no knowledge of any of the products) can do a great job on their own. And seasoned star reps can do the job of three staff members in half the time. And further, as reps get used to or even dependent on these systems, it makes for less staff turnover keeping your star reps in place.

Chapter 5C. Nudge Ai – 2018 Insert

Since writing this book in the first half of 2017, I followed up with 7 complimentary books in Angel Theory – Volume 1. Paradigm Shift. Whilst researching Books 2 and 3, ‘I came across the work of 2017 Nobel winning economist Richard Thaler and read his book, ‘Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics’ and I am currently ready his previous book ‘Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness.’

Richard-Thaler

Behavioral economics will become entangled with the CRM Ai, hence I have rebranded the CRM Ai as the CRM-Nudge Ai after the concept and book by Thaler; and significant equity will be offered in Villa Secrets USA and The TBS™ Total Business Systems for Thaler and other’s assistance with the projects.

Unlike macroeconomics, which principle deals with governments and GDP Accounting; behavioural economics, when practiced in sales, can also be described as the science and psychology of selling.

This book, ‘The Villa Secrets’ Secret,’ marked my journey into behavioural economics; as it was written whilst researching David Hoffeld’s ‘The Science of Selling: Proven Strategies to Make Your Pitch, Influence Decisions, and Close the Deal.’

Hoffeld is a behavioural economist and quotes Thaler in his work and vice versa, Thaler mentions Hoffield in his work.

There were a few places where I was a little stuck with the plan for the ‘now named’ CRM-Nudge Ai. For instance, how long should an email be? Some say very short, but some say detail is everything. This problem has now been considered; and with the aid of Hoffield and Thaler, it would seem prudent to do both. The system (or an agent using the system) can, within 10 seconds of the enquiry, send a super short reply that would work great on mobile like this.

Dear Mr Forrest,

Thank you for your enquiry, please follow this link

www.VillaSecrets.com/cs/Mr-Forrest to edit your client suite.

 

Now I do not, in any way, claim to be good as a copywriter. But that’s the great thing, I don’t have to. Once the system is created, it’s up to the behavioural economist to choose the actual wording. And here’s the rub, as we have a network that will soon have hundreds of different businesses and websites, it’s the perfect hunting ground for experimental behavioural economists to use different wordings in 10 different control groups and see which wins the day. And a number of complex rules will be created to nudge the client nearer and nearer to us. For instance, we can tell whether an enquiry was made on mobile, tablet or laptop, and can send different emails depending on which device was used.

We will later see my 2017 preferred S-Web email from template and it’s long; and in part, it’s long because we had a lot of great stuff to show and questions to ask, but I knew it was probably too long. However, via experiments continually from behavioural economics, we will turn the CRM-Nudge Ai into such a sales tool that it dramatically increases performance and revenue.

Even down to the order of button options that we see next, and how best to make the system for agents and users alike.

End of insert.

Chapter 5d. Menus and Controls

At the top left, we have a main menu (the 3 stripes) which will link to many page options. On the right, a second menu (3 dots) for mandatory tasks such as logging in and links to other systems or website pages. In addition is a key word search.

However, the objective is to make the system without need for the main menu or search, the functionality of a desk top application with the sort of ease of use you would find in a mobile game.

To create this functionality and avoid the need for having to scroll the main menu, we create a (on page) navigation system. Starting with the ‘3 main options,’ these options will be specific to the user type; and for vacation rentals, it is ‘Home | Search | List.’

menus and controls

To complement the 3 main (top navigation) options, comes the bottom navigation stripe, which changes for different pages. In this example, the user has the option to check the ‘enquiry details,’ ‘the source of property’ (system/bespoke), ‘to display/adjust commission,’ and the user’s ‘My Magazine’ options.

In this example, the user has clicked ‘Enquiry’ and this creates 4 new icons: ‘a general summary,’ ‘the email,’ ‘new comments,’ and ‘client’s client’ options. If one now clicks the clients option, three sub options would be displayed in place of the other 3 icons. All told, creating 48 different ‘quick tap’ options available for each individual page.

Chapter 6e. Home Page & New Enquiry

Ok, now we start the enquiry journey; and for this example, we are working on the principle that the sales person is not in the office (maybe viewing a villa, it’s in the evening, or the weekend).

On the left, we see the ‘screen saver’ and this is how the phone will look when inactive. The idea for this and for all pages is that we create not just a great tool but a great experience. We want users to not only use the CRM for their work but for it to become an operating system of sorts, from which all other apps and functions the phone has can be accessed and integrated.

S-World-CRM-New Enquiry

As soon as the phone screen is touched, the dark mask appears, and we see that the phone is split into the most important communications at the top, and user icons at the bottom. One navigates this page by the up and down options to the left of the time. Up will show all icons, as seen on the first phone in the previous graphic; and down makes the page show only messages and tasks, as seen on the right-hand phone.

At the top of this right-hand phone, we see a new ‘priority 8’ enquiry has just come in, and the App has made a ringing noise, until it was answered. We see the timer in red shows 3.25 minutes, this is the time until the Ai automatically send the enquiry, or until is assigned to Live Chat operators. Note also the text in blue, in this case, the user is using the CRM to keep track of their appointments as well as work data. As is desired, the more the agents use the app, the better they will perform and the less likely they are to ever jump ship.

(Note that the blue and red line is an indication of workload, if an agent has too high a workload, enquires may be sent to other agents.)

Chapter 6f. Search Results Page – part 1

Having received the new important enquiry, the sales agent clicks the ‘search 7/55’ option and sees the very basic information from the Ai, being that the search is 77% complete, that there are 7 villas available to ‘book now’ and 55 bespoke options that may or may not be available.
And just a note that the ability to make one’s enquiries part of the CRM is very important and is not a standard feature of any mainstream CRM. This task is important as it gets agents stuck in old habits to use the CRM in the first place, as this is how they receive the enquires.

The Search at 77% indicates that there is enough data provided by the client, and villas are available to book online. Although there are a few items that need further clarification.

S-World CRM

Before we look at the My List 4 (2-2-4), a note on villa lists; each location requires a portfolio manager, whose job is to create and continue to improve a master list of villas. So that when one filters, one is left with villas in the order that the portfolio manager thinks are best. Or an alternate version of this list is made by each booking agent, putting their favourites at the top.

The My List (2-2-4) is the function that experienced and new agents will really love. This is the format of the email that will be sent; and in many cases, all the agent has to do is go to ‘List’ option check the order of the villas and press send, everything else can be handled by the Ai.

Lastly, on the second picture, the agent has clicked the Enquiry tab (at the bottom) to have a look at the specifics of the enquiry, should they wish.

Chapter 6g. Search Results Page – Part 2

This set of pages is for the average agent and this is the first place where they will start. In the first picture, we see the villas presented in almost the exact same way we do on Villa Secrets mobile, with the exception of the ‘add to list’ button (the tick) being a bit more pronounced.

Searching first through the 7 villas that are available to book online, sourced from various property management systems, the system has set itself to pick two. But it may not pick the top two, depending on the price entered by the client. If there is a big difference between low and high, or if there is no price set, it will seek to offer a higher priced villa, a mid-range, and a lower priced villa. In this example, in the middle, we see that the system has not chosen the second villa.

S World CRM

Here is where the agent has the choice to now include that second villa by clicking the ‘x’ option.

On the right-hand picture, the agent has chosen to display the commission by tapping the ‘Com.’ Option, and we can see it displayed as commission percentage (20%) = $700 x 7 nights = $4,900; which is higher than the top option even though the villa price is less, due to the top option only being 15%.

For any agent or any company seeking to create the maximum yield, this is very useful data. However, currently, the system itself is set to offer the best options, not just the ones with the highest commission. The CRM-Nudge Ai shall factor for commission, but it would not be the only factor, rather it will be one of a few variables.

5g. Edit My List

To edit the order of the villas made from the search in the graphic below picture one, we use the top menu ‘List’ option. Then by clicking ‘Order’ from the bottom navigation, we see numbers 1 to 7 appear; and by clicking a number, the villa will move to that position in the list.

Clicking the ‘Order’ option again (or double tapping) changes the view to the one seen in the middle picture. In this case, showing all 7 system villas. But equally, by clicking ‘Display,’ one can change from 7 system villas to the 55 bespoke villas. From this view, one can drag and drop the villas into a new order simply by touching a villa with a finger and moving it around, or up and down the screen.

Note that also on screen 2, we can see that in position 3 and 6, are villas that cost less but make more commission; or in the case of 6, much more commission; either as they are on sale, in low season, or the owner has chosen a high STO discount strategy. In the cases of villas 3 and 6, a 50% STO (discount) is offered. Usually we would expect the agent to pass some or most of the discount to the customer but not always, depends on the option the owner/manager chose when making the mandate.

S World CRM-TM

On the right-hand phone, we can see the user has clicked the bottom navigation ‘More’ option, which gives the option to browse through and select relevant magazine articles to appear at the bottom of their communication. We have already demonstrated in the S-Web CDS ™ that agents can create their own magazine articles in minutes and adding one or two articles about the location written by the agent can only increase the confidence of the client that the agent knows their stuff and helps inform and educate the client about the location, activities, and excursions.

Chapter 5h. Compose Email and Send – Part 1

Now, we come back to the compose feature, the ‘The My List (2-2-4)’ we saw presented at the beginning of ‘Search Results Page – Part 1.’

The exact options will be the result of exhaustive behavioural economic study. It seems to make sense if the enquiry has come from a mobile, to first send the quick one liner saying something like.

‘Dear Client,

Please follow this link to your client suite.’

Regards,
Krissy

There will be a be a number of options for the client to see and sort, and questions to answer. And if they engage, we know that they are active and there is no need for a longer email, and one communicates via the client suite. But if that email did not prompt a reply, a much more thorough and detailed email can be sent in the following way; starting with the email template, which is chosen via the options below, the dots in place of how many photos are in a row.

S-World-CRM-Email-Send

Choosing one of the above option decides the email template conditions, the default setting, the setting that will be sent by the Ai, or presented by call centre agents; will change according to the enquiry and the villas available.

What happens next depends on what properties are available and is definitely not a feature one would be able to get on any other CRM as we start to follow ‘The Science of Selling’ by David Hoffeld. Starting with ‘how many properties should one send?’

Ideally, one should not just send one property, as neuroscience tells us that the brain does not like to have only one option, and two is better, or even better still is three; but with the third not as good as the first two, so focusing the brain to be surer about one of the first two options.

However, we will not blindly follow the science rather use it is a guide that we will experiment with and refine per analytics of results, over time, and more research. And it should always depend on the initial enquiry data and what villas are available. And note that in case the client is interested in quantity as well as quality, we add a link at the end of the villa presentation (before the magazine articles) that presents many more villas like this:
‘For 26 more villa choices, follow this link.’

If the client requested one villa and it was available, and there are no other villas that are clearly superior (per attribute point scoring), the first reply would be just to present the villa in rich format, with a few photos, the main article text and relevant articles from the magazine. This seems to contradict the logic Hoffeld made, saying one is better than sending 2 options. But from my own experience, I’ve found that if a client has requested a specific villa and it’s a good one, then it’s best not to confuse the client by offering more options.

Note, however, it is rare for a client to choose and want to book a villa without a conversation.

And even if they do and there is a villa or villas that are in the same location that are superior at about the same price, then it is in the customer interest that we inform them of the better options.

But what if the client asks for one villa, and there are others that are equal to it, some having better scores for one attribute and worse for another? What helps in this scenario is a summary of how the client browsed the website and their favourites list. As if one can see that the client has spent some time assessing many options and only picked one, then one can be sure the client has already chosen well, and one should guide the client into the buying process. But if the client has spent little time looking at other options, then it would not hurt to present one or two alternatives and seek to home in on what the client’s primary buying motives are by asking the right questions.

However, here comes a curve ball; as we have two types of availability: We have ‘system villas’ that we know the availability for and we have ‘bespoke villas’ that require an email or a phone call to the manager or owner.
At popular times of the year, especially for bookings within a few months, there will be a lot more ‘bespoke villas’ than ‘system villas’ (as all the system villas are booked and so will not display.)

If the client has chosen a ‘bespoke villa,’ the system will automatically email this villa. However, the chances of that email being instantly read and replied to are low. And as a reply of any kind is necessary within 5 minutes of the enquiry originating, often the first reply will need to start by telling the client that we are contacting the owner and to present options that are available in the meantime.

So for this example, we are assuming the villa that was requested is bespoke and had been auto emailed but had not yet received a response. In this example, for this enquiry, there are 7 villas available from the system and 55 bespoke villas.

And in this case, we may choose to send in 1-2-3 format, the requested bespoke villa first with a big photo with explanation that we are waiting on availability, followed by 2 big photos of the best 2 system villas; followed by 3 magazine articles in portrait format, side by side so as not to take up to much room and to differentiate them from villa options; in an email template that is 600px wide, left aligned to make it look like an email, not a newsletter.

However, the agent can choose to customize this in many ways, you can see the shortcuts below, and how the template are completely customizable from the 1-2-3 format to 1-1-1-1, to variations of 1-2-3 using smaller pictures for the middle section. Or by clicking the ‘next’ option, one changes from a 600px wide email template to an 800px wide format.

S-World CRM-Email and Send

Once the formation is chosen, one can customise the number of rows of each set and easily change between system, bespoke or magazine articles.

Once one has chosen the style (format of the template), one continues by pressing the ‘reply’ option from the bottom menu.

And of course, in many cases, one will just have a few different styles set up for different clients; based on device used and villas available and can cut out this step altogether. But it is very useful to the behavioural economics (the science and phycology of sales) to be able to try many different formats and analyse the responses.

Chapter 5i. Ask ‘Powerful’ Questions

In this book, so far, alongside, I have used a bespoke version of the presentation methodology of The Challenger Sale, the bestselling book on B2B complex and bundled solution selling by Matthew Dixon & Brent Adamson; in which it is advised that questions should be replaced with well researched insight and teaching. And whilst this may well be correct in B2B complex and bundled solution selling, it’s far from correct in B2C (business to customer). And particularly, in the niche luxury villa rentals, as the client is not looking for a solution to a problem, but rather is acting on a want or desire. Imagine going to a doctor and without asking any question, he/she just hands a prescription to you. You would not feel very good about things, and its equally true for travel and real estate.

In ‘The Science of Selling‘ by David Hoffeld (which most of this section of the CRM-Nudge Ai chapter quotes and paraphrases), Hoffeld reveals that questions have such potency that behavioural scientists have found that by just asking people about their future decisions significantly influences those decisions, a phenomenon known as the Mere Measurement Effect. And that by asking questions, this helps to focus a customer or recipient on the point the question was about.

For instance, ‘What colour is your house?’

Did you just think about the colour of your house? I sure did when Hoffeld asked this question whilst I listened to his audio book.

Because questions focus and guide the mind, you can use them to direct the sale as well. However, all questions are not created equal. Just asking a lot of questions will not make you more successful at selling, what matters is the quality of questions you ask.

The most effective way to construct high value questions is to mirror how the brain reveals information and ask questions in levels or layers that you need to peel off one layer at a time. There are 3 layers or levels of questions one can ask. Each level is based on the previous one; be it in 3 successive emails, or on the phone, or via other such instant messaging formats.

Level 1

Preliminary Questions

First level questions are preliminary questions that open up a topic by revealing thoughts, facts, behaviours & situations. They are used to gain a basic undertaking of a subject and are the best questions to use when beginning conversations. However, whilst they are necessary, they are not enough, they must be used in combination with other levels of questions. Most sales people predominantly ask first level questions, and most CRMs if they offer a questions section at all, will mostly or only prompt 1st level questions.

These are questions that can be generated automatically by the CRM-Nudge Ai, in answer to enquiry data.

Here are some examples of preliminary questions: some in relationship to enquiry data, and some for the call centres to use to answer 1st contact telephone enquiries.

• Which of the villas presented do you prefer?
• Is this your first time visiting Cape Town?
• What is your budget for your accommodation?
• Is it important for you to be able to walk to the beach?
• When do you wish to arrive in Cape Town?
• Are you flexible on your dates?
• Are there any other services you require?
• Do you already have any villas in mind?
• What are the requirements you have established for your holiday?
• What is your process for deciding which property you will choose?
• How many other agencies are you considering?
• What is your timeframe for completing the booking process?
• When it comes to choosing a villa, who else is involved in the decision process?
• Are you aware that Camps Bay is often windy?

Level 2

Elaboration Questions

Second level questions guide buyers in assessing and explaining 1st level responses. These questions are vital because they prompt prospective customers to think through a though fact, behaviour, or situation. These powerful questions have been analysed in numerous recent scientific studies. For instance, a study at Harvard University revealed that answering second level questions, which prompted participants to state their opinions, increased neural activity in the areas of the brain associated with reward and pleasure! These good feelings caused a change in the brain that naturally enhanced the participants emotional state. In other words, potential customers enjoy answering second level questions.

This tier of questions is linked to high levels of sales performance, because they guide you in obtaining an awareness of the beliefs that are shaping buyer’s behaviours. Since these questions are based on how the brain naturally discloses information, formulating them will seem intuitive. For example, just ask customers to either assess or explain a first level response.

Here are some examples of 2nd level elaboration questions:

• Which of the villas presented did you prefer?

• Why did your group decide to go in that direction?

• Would you consider booking a villa that was not in Camps Bay?

• May I ask why did you chose that villa?

• Are the attributes ‘Exclusive Location,’ Children Friendly’ & ‘Private’ your main criteria?

• It sounds like this is very important to you, may I ask why?

• If you could change one thing about this property, what would it be?

• Based on what we have discussed, does it make sense why so many clients are choosing to book within our network?

• Why is it important to solve this concern right away?

• Based on what we have discussed, does it make sense why property prices are higher in Clifton, compared to Camps Bay

• It sounds like Dreamtime is your favourite villa, may I ask why?

Of the above, different questions will be relevant to different situations, and the choice will be thinned out, showing the agent only the relevant questions relative to enquiry data. In addition, note that as customers have already answered several 1st level questions via the enquiry process itself. If one has enough enquiry data, one may go straight to 2nd layer questions, or combine the two. And the Nudge-Ai will help with this by prompting various questions, giving the choice of both 1st level and second level questions.

As mentioned before, if no agent or call centre agent has taken charge of the enquiry within 5 minutes, the Nudge-Ai will answer automatically. However, when it comes to replying to the reply from the Ai, it needs human action to process the client’s responses into the system before more 2nd and 3rd level questions can be prompted.

Well….. er….. not if we get a supercomputer like IBM’s Watson; as with the correct programming, it could answer and hold conversations with clients without them knowing they are talking to a computer. See here for a short video on how Watson won Jeopardy.

But for now… back to version 1.

These questions and the automated systems can greatly improve the usefulness of a call centre, as by following this process, they are increasing the clients disposition towards our company; leading either to direct booking from the call centre, or at the least by the time a local agent who knows the villas first hand becomes available; then a lightning fast response by the Ai and call centres, followed by questions that both teach the client something new, plus add to the wealth of insight gained via the questions entered into the CRM-Nudge Ai, which gives them a huge head start, in comparison to no action commencing since the enquiry.
At this point, is it more effective to work from desktop, as one can see more question prompts without scrolling, but it can be done by agents on their cellphones.

But before we look at some more screenshots, let’s start to put together a set of 1st and 2nd tier questions.

Sales Person

Which of the villas I presented do you prefer?

Client

You now I like both of the first option you sent me, but the Dreamtime villa is my current favourite.

Sales Person

I appreciate that this is a very important decision, which feature or features about Dreamtime villa are most significant to you?

Client

Well, it really helps that it’s a walk to the beach, but at the same time has a really great view. And in general, I just like the feel of it, it seems very spacious with a generous swimming pool.

The psychology here is that in thinking about and disclosing exactly what it is that they like about the villa, they are reinforcing their like of that villa. One needs to remember, one is not just competing against the other villa presented, but all other villas presented by all other companies. The more one can get a client to think about what they like about the villa presented by Villa Secrets, the more chances there are to win the day.

However, as insightful as second level questions are, there is still another level that penetrates even deeper. It is the most consequential of all the levels of questions because it addresses buyers on an emotional level. And when it is leveraged, it will often reveal information that will transform the entire sale.

Note by Nick Ray Ball (2017)

Currently, the use of level 3rd questions is under review. It makes a lot of sense when presented by David Hoffeld. However, for level 3 questions, he only gives examples of B2B (business to business) sales not B2C (business to customer), and it seems hard to transform the examples into every day villa-agent villa-client questions without seeming overly ‘salesy.’ That said, maybe that’s the point. So, for now, the passage will remain; but will be reviewed as and when feedback on the chapter comes in, or if Hoffeld himself wished to contribute.

Level 3

Trust Questions

Third level questions excavate the final layer of information by guiding potential customers in thinking trough, and verbally disclosing their dominant buying motives. As explained in Chapter 24, dominant buying motives are the emotional reasons why potential customers would purchase your product or service. They are comprised of 2 potent behavioural stimulators: the desire for gain or the fear of loss.

However, that’s not all 3rd level questions do; as buyers answer them, their feelings of trust towards you will increase. The very process of disclosing their emotional responses will enhance their trust, as they will feel you understand them. And this bond will separate you from your competitors.

Creating 3rd level questions involves asking potential clients to reveal something they fear losing or desire to gain. Here are some examples:

Note that these are the original questions from ‘The Science of Selling’ slightly adapted for Villa Secrets

• If we could reduce your cost as we have discussed, how would that positively affect your company’s profitability?

Villa Secrets Version

If we could reduce your cost as we have discussed, how would that positively affect your groups decision?

• If the problem you have described is not resolved, how would it impact your organization’s sales?

• This seems like a very important issue to you personally, may I ask what it would mean for you and those on your team if this issue is not resolved?

• If your end users were thoroughly trained and were using this platform effectively, how could that increase company productivity?

The following is the complete Level 1 to 3 questions in series, converted to Villa Secrets

Level 1
Sales Person

Which of the villas I presented do you prefer?

Client

You now I like both of the first options you sent me, but the Dreamtime villa is my current favourite.

Level 2
Sales Person

I appreciate that this is a very important decision, which feature or features about Dreamtime villa are most significant to you?

Client

Well, it really helps that it’s a walk to the beach, and at the same time has a really great view. And in general, I just like the feel of it, it seems very spacious with a generous swimming pool.

Level 3
Sales Person

I hear that a lot from our clients who booked this property. And you’re right, it does tick all the boxes, unobstructed ocean views, in a walk to beach position with a giant swimming pool. May I ask how would it affect your plans if we were to lose this villa to a booking from another agency?

Client

Well I’m not as pleased with any other options I have so far, this villa ticks all the boxes where others do not, so I would not be happy about it.

And that’s where you ask the closing question.

Conclusion
Sales Person

Would you like to secure this villa? Shall I send you the paper work to look over?

Client

Sure, send it over.

Or alternatively, if one can make a 2 or 3-day option for a client, that’s another way to go. That said, if the sale can be concluded there and then, then its best to do so. Over 99% of people who receive the paperwork, book the villa; whereas only about 50% of clients who are given options, end up booking.

Important note in general, one should not offer a discount on a villa unless asked.

S World-CRM

Above, we see the questions presented on mobile so an agent can create a sophisticated email in seconds, and / or the questions can be presented to the client when they entre the client suite.

There are 2 distinct advantages to the above that go beyond the advantages to the sales process and buyer’s mindset presented by Hoffeld; one is that by using this system, the agents will themselves get better at asking questions and can add their own to the system, and will become adept at asking them and so will be able to deliver this kind of pitch on the phone without the need for prompting.

The second advantage is that during the enquiry process, after the enquiry form is complete, we can direct the client to the ‘more info – client suite’ page and ask them to fill out such questions, which can lead the client to level 2 questions automatically. And thereafter, lead to a small selection of villas that are most appropriate for them.

Lastly, from David Hoffeld and ‘The Science of Selling’:

“Whether you are trying to inspire someone to embrace new ideas, or sell them a product or service, the insights derived from meaningful questions are an essential part of influence. By embracing the scientifically validated model of 1st, 2nd & 3rd level questions; you will be equipped to ask questions that are aligned with how the brain instinctively reveals information. This will guide you in understanding a full and relevant understanding of your potential customers and will enable you to adapt your sales presentation to address their needs. Sales people who ask effective questions thrive and likewise so do the organization they represent.”

Chapter 5j. Compose Email and Send – Part 2

Next, we will see how this email looks. On the left, we see the icons that would show after clicking the ‘Reply’ text option at the bottom of the phone. The icons for this link are ‘Ask,’ which adds questions to the email. The next icon ‘comments’ is more for replies and ongoing conversations.

The ‘Text’ icon creates the introduction and the conclusion which can write oneself, or one can click the ‘Auto Fill’ icon to choose a prewritten script. The first script you see will be the Ai choice that would be sent by auto pilot. Clicking the Auto Fill button will scroll through different text options.

S-World-CRM-Compose-Email-Send

Lastly, on the right, we get to view the email, but only how it will look via the weblink that is created by the S-Web CDS, which will feature the client’s name; so, for instance, www.VillaSecrets.com/Mr-Forrest.

Once one is happy with their email, one clicks send and then is advised to call the client. Or with the exception of the telephone call, one can just leave it to the Ai and a perfectly acceptable reply will be sent automatically.

Chapter 5k. How the email will look?

Dear Mr Forrest,

Thank you for your enquiry. I am looking into the availability of the Bond House Villa (ID:517) you requested and will revert ASAP.

Please find below two villas that are available to book, alongside two more from our bespoke collection (which require us to email or call the owner for availability) and some of my magazine articles on Cape Town, which I suggest you have a look at to see just how wonderful it is in Cape Town and Africa.

I have created a client suite webpage for you at www.VillaSecrets.com/Mr-Forrest.
Working within our client suite is a safe and sophisticated way to really tick all the boxes when it comes to the perfect customer journey.

Open my Client Suite

1. ID 6003 | $4,500 per night    Crystal Ocean, Clifton, Cape Tow

Crystal Ocean-Clifton-Cape Town

Crystal Ocean is a Cape Town luxury villa designed by highly respected architect Stefan Antoni. The private Clifton residence is situated along Nettleton Road, a most affluent suburb in the coastal area of South Africa. Its remarkable contemporary architecture as well as its amazing scenery is what makes this sea facing luxury villa an extraordinary place for rest and relaxation.

2. ID 6003 | $2,500 pn    Aqualina Villa, Constantia, Cape Town

Aqualina Villa-Constantia-Cape Town

The Aqualina is a luxury villa set in the beautiful Constantia Valley in Cape Town. It is an exclusive and secluded estate with private gateways to the Tokai forest. The exquisite residence features colonial-style architecture with open living areas and classic furnishings. It is an escape in the Cape Winelands near the Constantia Wine Route with stunning mountain views.

3. ID 6020 | $6,000 pn

Benguerra Island Mozambique

Benguerra Island, Mozambique

4. ID:6050 | $9750 pn

Lion Sands South Africa

Lion Sands, South Africa

Villa Secrets Magazine Articles:

Villa Secrets Magazine Articles

Clifton Beach        6 Exclusive use        Table Mountain        Camps Bay

Cape Town        Safari Lodges        Cape Town        Cape Town

See all the options above and more in beautiful detail from your Client Suite: www.VillaSecrets.com/Mr-Forrest

Be assured, ‘Villa Secrets’ is a member of ASTA the American Society of Travel Agents and we are specialist at providing accommodation, service and concierge for discerning property buyer/investors. Our systems are light years ahead of the pack and our customer service is second to none.

Please can you assist me by answering the following…

1. Is this your first time visiting Cape Town?
2. Can you give me a little more guidance as to your budget?
3. Are you dates fixed or an approximation?

Best Regards
Nick Ray Ball
Nick@VillaSecrets.com
+ 44 1372 724 844

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Chapter 7. The TFS™ – Total Financial System

The TFS - Total Financial System

By Nick Raymond Ball Summer 2017

Originally written in the summer of 2017
With additions from May 2018 found it the latter sections

Since 2011, the primary objective of S-World Villa Secrets, in terms of systems, has been to create a simple but all-encompassing financial systems as part of the core software design.

In 2011, the first version of this business plan (found here) combined a CRM (Customer Relationship Software) alongside a financial system, and a GDS (Global Distribution System) which provided access to online availability, as is now presented in the Chapter 5. The Villas Cloud™.

Before we delve in, a quick summary of the development timetable; which would be about 6 months to an alpha version, which will be all that is needed to give management the correct overview, showing monthly income vs expenses and profit and loss.

First, a brief description of the 5 points that were identified in the TFBS design from 2016, found here: Network.villasecrets.com/total-financial-business-marketing-system/tfbms-part2-total-financial-business-system.

Part 1. Data Entry

To avoid human error &/or fraud since the original ‘SIENNA Software’ plan in 2011, the software has been specified to capture financial data from the bank; this is in place of an admin or the financial staff members copying data from the bank’s website to a financial system or spreadsheet.

Banking APIs (connections from a bank’s system to yours) are becoming more readily available and cheaper in the UK. However, we are not starting in the UK, and we need to make our system connectable to any bank in the world, so we are creating a simple bank CVS spreadsheet download and upload system.

In short, any staff member with access to the bank’s website can download a CVS spreadsheet. And we also ask that they take a screenshot of the bank’s online page that includes the running balance (for added security). Then, the spreadsheet and screenshot are uploaded into the TFS™, the running balance is entered, and the data is in the system.

The one problem we have is when two payments for exactly the same amount with the same reference are made on the same day. In which case, the running balance will be incorrect, and one must look for the duplicate payments or debits and add them manually. However, this event would not occur often, especially not in high-end real estate and travel.

Also note that the initial data from all agent and online bookings is already a part of the system, the data is already in the CRM. So, for almost all expenses, except one off purchases, there is no data for financial admin to add.

There is a significant time saving cost to this method, so one staff member can do the job that used to take a whole team. And of course, a system that is free from data capture errors is priceless, as it makes the system very hard to trick or defraud.

Part 1. Data Entry – 2018 Update

A lot can happen in a year. In my case, after completing the first draft of this book, in August 2017, I started work on American Butterfly (2012/2013) edition 2; this time under the title Angel Theory – Paradigm Shift.

After a number of breakthrough chapters, I am now confident that (one way or another) I will get the development team I wish for and that I can create the TFS (Total Financial System) directly with a bank or banks. It may not immediately cover every country, but as long as it can cover every currency and receiving money in that currency does not invoke an exchange rate cost when the payment is also in Rand, it should be fine.

So, the plan is to create a system that draws its data straight from the bank; which creates an added advantage of making it possible to make auto payments, significantly reducing admin hours, making a better service as suppliers are paid as soon as the money hits the bank, and further reduces the risk of fraud.

Part 2. Data Sorting

Once the data has been fed into the TFS™ and the running balance is seen to be correct, that data is sorted into sections and sub sections, just like one would usually see from an accountant or accounting software, separated into different columns for different types of expenses and inputs which can be customized anyway we wish. This system is not just for recording accommodation payments in and out, it is for every expense from personnel to light bulbs.

For all transactions that have a specific recipient code or name (such as ‘John Smith Salary’ or if a villa payment with a reference number such as ‘#2613’), the receipts and payments will automatically be assigned to the correct section. And in the case of income from clients, the system will create a message about the payment to send to the owner.

There will always be a degree of human sorting, credit card payments for instance. However, with most data being auto sorted, the list of available matching payments to choose from will be small and easily managed. The system will try to exact match the amount. And if it can’t, it will provide a list of potential matches, most likely at the top, really making the banking child’s play.

This system is designed to work for every single transaction, making the entire business banking process simple and extremely efficient. Of course, it would be better off if all payments were made automatically; but this is only possible with banking APIs, which are a later version of TFS™. Stage one is purely about making an accurate system that is almost impossible to fraud or create errors in, that can be presented simply to the C-Level managers. And so, S-World Villa Secrets can see the almost real time financials of all the business, presented simply and more complex, depending on who is monitoring.

Part 2. Data Sorting– 2018 Update

As previously mentioned, we are now aiming at an integration with a bank; auto banking can automate most payments saving time, increasing accuracy, and lessening the opportunity for fraud.

Part 3. Data Reporting

The TFS - Total-Financial-System

With all the banking data now placed into the correct categories and sub categories along with required fees presented for payment, updated 3 times or more each week, the system comes into its own when it comes to reporting.

An accurate report of debits and credits presented as management accounts is essential in business when it comes to making, spending, and hiring decisions.

This is so the CEO and the management can clearly see the profitability (or not) of the company in almost real time.

In addition, in business transactions where payments are not uniform; for instance, payment may be in full or a deposited amount. And in the case of some booking channels like Airbnb, bookings are paid in arrears. The TFS™ will provide the all-important ‘stand still’ figure. (If all credits are received, and all payments made, what is the balance?)

To further assist, using past data, the TFS™ will also provide reports that compensate for seasonal trends.

In addition is the ability to provide up to date financial reports to clients as soon as their payment hits the system or is paid to the villa owner; or if a concierge payment is made, it will update the Client Suite.

Part 4. Sales Funnel and Enquiry Stats

The CEO and management will be able to see a very real picture of how one is doing in a month. Judged not only on income received but by how each sales agent is doing. One also has a very good indication of the value of enquires and each sales person’s enquiry VS closer ratio. Drilling down deeper, one can assess which agents perform best with which enquiries, and better order the allocation of enquiries based on such data.

Part 5. Auditing and Tax

Once one has the organised data, we desire the final part of the system to correctly present and pay taxes and be ready for an Audit if necessary. Each country has different tax and filing guidelines as well as rules which everyone should abide by. However, this is simply another set of rules to add to the system. It’s simply reporting in a specific format.

Part 5. Auditing and Tax – 2018 Update

Actually, experience now shows that the tax system in the UK has proved to be not fit for purpose. I have added a significant update to this ‘Auditing and Tax’ after the following sections: Emotional Impact, and Key benefits and/or is a Solution to.

The TFS™ Design from 2012

Below, we see the original TFS™ design from 2012, from the first S-World Book ‘American Butterfly – The Theory of Every Business’ http://americanbutterfly.org/pt1/the-theory-of-every-business/ch7-s-world. One needs to replace the word ‘S-World UCS’ with The TFS ‘Total Financial System.’

S-World VBN - S-World VSN

To conclude this section of this chapter, we present the usual ‘problems, opportunities, unique systems and solutions.’ But this time with a little more passion, as we describe the mountainous problems I had with accountants and accounting software between 2004 and 2010 that almost crippled the company.

If one is reading this from the perspective of ‘The Challenger Sale,’ this section provides data that one can use to create an ‘Emotional Impact’; albeit, this will only really hit home with smaller companies, as most big companies (and in particular established real estate companies) will most likely have fixed the following problem long ago.

However, I have extended this section to include the problem of key staff and agents leaving to join competitor’s companies or creating their own; which is a significant problem in the travel and real estate industries, particularly at the top end.

Challenger Sale Step 5. Emotional Impact

Emotional Impact

In the early days, all was fine with the accounts; which I did myself after some initial guidance. Until the end of 2004, when we were robbed, including my laptop that I had not backed up for a few months; where after, I was so behind we hired a bookkeeper who worked at our accountant’s office. Unfortunately, the company boss, who was my contact, was going through a very messy divorce and was completely distracted. So, instead of working from the spreadsheets we had created, they used the accounting software Pastel, and did not account for final balances. So, a few months into 2005, we realised that guests had not been invoiced for final payments, and this was an expensive lesson.

But nothing in comparison to the following 5 years…

I shall tell this story framed within Problem vs. Unique Solution Points.

Identify Problem – Present Missed Opportunities – Avoid Potential Landmines.

1. The landmine of ‘Accounting so Negligent it may as well be criminal.’

Leaving one’s accounting and admin to professional accountants, or an in-house bookkeeping team is a risky business. In my experience, in both the UK and South Africa, from bookkeepers to experienced financial officers at BDO, to the 5th biggest firm in South Africa, they all get it wrong.

And in some cases, they get it badly wrong, then rub salt into the wound by becoming the single largest expense in my company (at 25% of Gross Profit in 2010,) that their actions threaten the very business they are paid to assist.

Like lawyers, accountants are not paid to help or fix your business in any way, accountants’ priorities are to create reasons for billable hours.

A real example of this was for BDO for Cape Villas in 2010, who started with a $150,000 VAT error; as either they did not check or know that there is no VAT for foreign holidaymakers, or they did know but decided not to share this information as calculating the VAT was worth $25,000 for them. And at the same time, the CEO said he loved the business and would offer business advice not specific to accounting; but neglected to suggest that as our property management division was causing 95% of admin and admin and property management was costing 20% of gross profit, if we outsourced the property management (which would have been relatively simple), we would save 20% a year from the department, and another 25% from the financial department. A 45% saving that really would have made a massive difference.

But of course, when the CEO said he loved the business and would offer business advice not specific to accounting, what he forgot to say was, ‘so long as any advice I give does not decrease the amount of accounting you need.’ As a result, 45% of all 2010 gross profit being about $250,000 was, in one way or another, wasted as a result of BDO accountants.

This came just 18 months after the previous financial manager resigned after making a plus minus $150,000 reporting error; which lead to $150,000 of spending on offices and launching a new brand that we would not have done had we been given the correct financial stand still.

The above very true scenario is probably the biggest landmine any company could face.

2. The problem of poor accounting software.

Even after spending hundreds of thousands of dollars setting up the Pastel accounting system (preferred by accountants in South Africa), the accounting software did not account for moving clients from one villa to another, if for some reason the first villa is not suitable. I personally tested this in 2010 by asking the financial team if they had reconciled such an event and was amazed to find that the system could not detect such actions. And if not for my personal intervention, we would have lost $4,000 which, on its own, was not a make or break problem. But, as we would regularly change villas, this problem adds up to a significant problem.

3. The landmine of accounting fraud.

And yet the woes continue. As before the big accounting firm and the financial manager; in 2007, we had our best year to date, but had lost money. When we called in the financial manager, he reconciled the books and found about $80,000 missing, and fraud charges were placed against the previous financial manager. But this could not be investigated, as the fraud squad wished us to pay $250,000 to Price Waterhouse Cooper to investigate, and we could not afford it.

4. The unexpected large landmine of not receiving month end financial reports.

To the credit of BDO in 2010, they provided month end reports. In over 7 years, I was never given a month end repot. Only when BDO came did I receive this. Month end reporting is a completely essential tool that should be the first thing anyone with any experience in accounting or bookkeeping should know that they need to produce.

However, like many business owners, I simply did not know to ask for this, having paid money to others to take care of this department. I buried my head in the sand under the expectation that the people, who did this for a living and where trained for this at the university, knew what they were doing.

Big mistake, as by the time BDO did present monthly financials, there were some very big unnecessary costs that needed to be trimmed. And due to the other losses, or in the case of 2009 and the misreporting which lead to $150,000 of spending on offices and staff that was not necessary, we had to create such a massive contraction that it sucked most of the talent out of the company.

All told, it’s a wonder that Cape Villas did not go bust. It surely would have done if not for my ability to find new ways to improve, to the point that when the recession of 2008 and 2009 and 2010 were affecting the rest of the world, Cape Villas had its three highest grossing years.

But as night followed day, for every new way to increase income, came an accounting blunder or accounting cost that lost as much or more.

Of all the systems presented, it can be reasonably argued that a simple financial system that offered month end reporting to the CEO is the system needed the most and is certainly a system that can travel into every industry.

Even if one has the most up to date software, one is vulnerable to the liabilities of whoever is using the system, whereas the TFS™ (Total Financial System) is designed to elevate this worry.

And it’s not just in South Africa, and whilst I’ll not get into great detail about the need to depart from my UK accountants other than to say in 2016, they made a £4000 error, and then tried to charge me for fixing their mistake; and in 2017, they were about to make the same error and were likely to charged me once more, so I quit.

However, there was another reason, and that was my wish to see how easy or hard it was to create and pay corporate tax and VAT.

However, what I did not know is that the HMRC government systems used to pay tax are not fit for purpose.

We shall return to this point after the following solutions to the points just raised.

Is Unique or performs better than competitors because…

1. The TFS™ (Total Financial System) is designed to be unique; as it, like every other S-World software system, is a part of one system, it is not various systems added to each other. I know we have head to this point before, related to other systems. But the importance of creating one system and not try to attach many different components together really is infinitely superior, and more so when made for a specific industry niche.

When one goes down, the many software systems linked together route. One can either go ‘CRM’ first like Salesforce, and then add to it financial systems that are not as good as dedicated financial software, and certainly do not provide a simple end user experience. Or one can go ‘Financial’ first and choose a package like Sage, which granted has its own CRM, but such CRMs are light years away from Salesforce.

And of course, as in both the case of Salesforce and Sage, both are created for every industry, so there is a tonne of functions that are of no use and just get in the way.

Further, neither are connected (out the box) to the website of the business, and so the enquiry data has to be copied from the enquiry forms onto the financial record, and every time someone data captures is an opportunity for making a mistake.

It’s taken a long time to create the framework that can avoid all these uses; and once we create the TFS™ as a part of that framework, it will be unique and better than all competitors’ systems.

2. The TFS™ (Total Financial System) is also unique, as within its design is a rather unorthodox and ‘old school’ manner of collating the data from the bank and putting it into the system without fear of data capture error. And whilst this is now designed as a backup for whatever countries can’t access a banking API, it’s a useful backup to have.

3. The TFS™ prevents agent fraud, which is so common it has a name… ‘outside deals,’ which is much harder to do because the enquiry is tracked through the CRM-Nudge Ai from the word go, and a disproportional amount of near end of deal fails will immediate raise red flags, either the agent needs final deal stage specific training and a number of books to read, or there stealing, either way, its useful data.

Key benefits and/or is a Solution to…

1. Solution to “the landmine of accounting so negligent it may as well be criminal.”

The landmine of ‘Accounting so negligent it may as well be criminal’ is solved by the TFS™, which is a system that has been a pivotal part of the Villa Secrets design since the get go in Feb 2011.

It would be very true to trace back the ‘Accounting so negligent it may as well be criminal’ in 2009 and 2010; as the nudge to my choice in 2011, to step back from the frontline of Cape Villas to create a system that eliminated the need for accountants. This point is highlighted in the first business plan created, as seen within an early version on the CRM connected to a financial system.

And from this point on, for over 7 years, we have been developing the systems. And now, with the framework of the CRM- Nudge Ai coming together and when the enquiry data being added directly, it will take but six months to create the financial systems as presented in http://network.villasecrets.com/total-financial-business-marketing-system/tfbms-part1-total-marketing-system; and in so doing, avoid the landmine of reckless accounting in all the ways previously presented.

And like the CRM-Nudge Ai™ and CRM-Nudge CC™, the TFS™ (Total Financial Systems) will be created mobile first and the entire accounting process will be performed on mobile, which has the knock-on effect of making it super simple by design.

2. The solution to the problem of poor accounting software.

When it comes to the software that we struggled with Pastel for 8 years and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to set up; few would argue that it has been created in a way that is deliberately complex, so that the accounting industry knows their clients can’t use the software without the accountant’s assistance.

We did consider QuickBooks, but as (in South Africa) most accountants did not use it, it made little sense for us to use it.

There are now a good number of accounting software products that I’m sure are pretty good, but none of which are integrated.

The best solution is to create one’s own software, maybe at first connected to a system such as Sage via API, but in time built out as a standalone system. At this point, one may feel that an accounting software is typically hard to create. This maybe so for a system that can work for every business type, and so needs tax info from every company type and every country kept up to date, and to comply with each country’s regulations. Then sure, that’s a lot to do.

But when it comes to collecting data from the bank, reconciling the booking made, and making staff and other cost centres; there really is not that much to do, one has already created all the database fields, most of which are created as part of other systems.

Accounting software in terms of the math is very simple indeed. Take the spreadsheet that has been created to present the Scenario 7 forecast, this is infinitely more complex than what we are talking about.

There is a basic rule to programming, if one can do it on a spreadsheet, it’s simple to do in a database. In fact, it’s easier in a database. All one needs are the skills and design to create the CMS pages to display the data in different ways, and no one is denying our CMS creating capabilities. Creating the system, as specified, is simply a case of basic math and CMS skills.

By creating the system ourselves, we can add special alerts and conditions for items like the guest moving scenario described earlier. And of course, as all the data is already in the system from the enquiry process, including the prices and all data that one would need to add to an accounting system, the accounting person has no such data inputs to make; saving time, increasing efficiency, and making the system very hard to manipulate.

The only missing element that one would wish to include is connectivity between the bank and the system. But as we have heard in the 2018 updates, such connections are now being researched.

3. Avoiding the landmine of accounting fraud.

Having already eliminated the accounting staff ability to manipulate the data relating to the client and each deal, as such data is all collected before it gets to admin; the other area where unmonitored admin cheats and could manipulate the data is in the banking. I’m sure there are a number of ways to cheat in this regard; but if one eliminated the data capturing from the bank to the system, then it really cuts down options. And in most cases, as it’s not easy to start to steal, most simply one won’t steal in the first place.

When it comes to connecting one’s bank to one’s system without data capturing in a way that works for every bank, there is only one solution.

Our solution, in this regard, may not be sexy; and to many it will sound outdated. Many will say, there is a better way; but that would be correct in Western countries. But in the rest of the world, in 2017, it’s really the only possible way. And unlike other methods and products that create banking APIs like https://kontomatik.com that charge one Euro per transaction, our method is without cost.

Our initial solution to this, the ‘data capture error’ problem, is that we simply download the latest banking data as a CVC spreadsheet and upload it into our system. As I said, it’s not sexy but it’s simple to do, it’s free; and importantly, in fact, critically for the Villa Secrets network, it works for every bank on the planet. We have already tested viability and there is a small bug, that if two payments are made for the same vendor at the same price on the same day, then a manual correction is required. But this happens very rarely if at all.

This solution not only stops data capture errors, it all but eliminates ways that accounting staff can defraud a company. So, really, it’s 2 solutions for the price of one. Then there is the time saving as well, so three solutions in one.

As previously mentioned, route 1 is now to automate the banking.

4. Solution to the landmine of accounting fraud.

As there is little data capturing except on one-off purchases, and as all individual costs will be neatly presented in specific categories; where any new unexpected payment out is flagged for attention, combined with the bank double checking in the form of the screenshot which must tally with the system, it makes fraud very hard indeed.

More can be done and will be done if we uncover any ways to trick the system. But in general, the TFS™ is a system that is designed to make it almost impossible for the financial controller or anyone else to commit fraud.

HMRC System Errors (UK Gov Tax)

Personally, I do not believe a tenth of the stuff the Russians seem to have recently been blamed for. But if I were Russia and I wanted a way to decrease the UK’s wealth and so destabilise it, one sure way would have been to spy my way into making the systems that collects tax so bad that the losses to HRMC are in the many billions, and the cost to business is as much again.

We are now jumping from The Villa Secrets’ Secret 2017 to Paradigm Shift June 2018 and the document I have made for the attention of Nick Down’s, whose job it was in 2008 to find ways to improve tax income, and David Halpern, head of the Behavioural Insights Team affiliated to the cabinet office.

Angel Theory V1. Paradigm Shift

Book 4. The TBS ™ Total Business Systems

www.angeltheory.org/book4-1/total-business-systems-v1
www.angeltheory.org/paradigm-shift-quick-summary-v1

4 Barriers to entry

A Software, Systems, and Behavioral Science Critique of the UK Corporate Tax & VAT Systems

An S-World TBS™ (Total Business Systems) subset TFS™ (Total Financial Systems) research paper for Angel Theory – Paradigm Shift.

By Nick Ray Ball 1st June 2018

To HMRC, Companies House, David Alpine, Richard Thaler, and Nick Down,

I have found 4 significant barriers to entry that would negate most of the hard work yourselves and BIT have done for the problem, ‘How can we increase tax receipts?’ as described in the penultimate chapter of Richard Thaler’s book, ‘Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics.’

The Making of Behavioral Economics

I shall present the critique and then offer solutions. But first, a summary of the 4 problems; from which if one prefers, one may skip straight to the solutions section.

Barrier to Entry 1

There is a fatal error on the corporation tax form’s auto fill. It only works with Microsoft IE, and it appears that an entire department has been set up just to help people log in, when all that is needed to fix the error is a few days of programming.

Barrier to Entry 2

The same problem is found on the VAT form. But this time, in testing, we found 2 completely contradictory responses coming from the same support team. Responder 1 suggested that one needs to clear their password’s cache (which is incredibly inconvenient as one would need to add every single password for every single site that requires a login); or alternatively, ‘use a different browser.’

After trying 3 different browsers and none working, another call was made. This time the respondent said they have a problem and he would need a new ID, that would be sent in the mail.

That 2 completely different responses were given, it shows a complete breakdown in training and the information given to support staff.

Barrier to Entry 3

From a Mrs Richards whose email exchange which include the following …

If I don’t pay my tax…
“The registrar will not seek delivery of the overdue accounts and no further action will be taken.”
But if I do pay my tax, “a penalty will be issued.’

One does not need to be a behavioral economist to see the above is the opposite of what one should say if one wished to maximise government revenue.

Barrier to Entry 4

In ’Barrier to Entry 4,’ we see the actual tax form is so complex that the support staff can’t help with it, and that there is no online support, help pages, or tutorial videos.

The full account from ‘Barriers to Entry’ 1 to 4 follow.

I will start with the system that, in my opinion, is the biggest barrier to entry; and it certainly is the easiest to fix.

However, please note that as this critique developed, it became evident that the entire system needs to be re-created putting logic, simplicity, and www.behaviouralinsights.co.uk at the core of the system design; from software to support staff systems. We shall find my comments on this at the end of the article.

Before we dive in to the critique, a quick quote from 2017 Nobel prize winner Richard Thaler author of ‘Nudge’ and ‘Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics.’

From ‘Misbehaving’:

Richard Thaler

“The meeting with Nick Down was atypical. More often, the minister or some agency head needed to be sold on both the value on behavioral science and the need to experiment. In many of our meetings, I found myself repeating two things so often they became known as ‘Team Mantras.’

1. If you want to encourage someone to do something, make it easy.

This is a lesson I learned from Danny Kahneman, based on the work of Kurt Lewin, a prominent psychologist of the first half of the twentieth century. Lewin described the first step in getting people to change their behaviour as ‘unfreezing.’ One way to unfreeze people is to remove barriers that are preventing them from changing, however subtle those barriers might be.”

Ok, thanks prof, congratulations on the Nobel.

Let’s go. But before we do, note that for speed, I am working from memory. However, I do have hours of video, audio, and emails that will back up everything I say except in barrier 2.

1. Fatal Error in Auto forms on Chrome Browser.

1. I have found a critical error in the online forms for the UK corporate tax collection.

This problem is when using Google Chrome as a browser, using Windows 7 (and as I later found out it also fails on Firefox and Safari when working on an older Mac). So far, it’s fine on IE (Microsoft Internet Explorer), however, I expect the system was programmed using IE and the programmers/engineers did not test other browsers (an amateur mistake if ever there was one).

a. On the sign in page, https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/cato/start-filing/eligibility/select-organisation-type

On this page, if you add the correct User ID, for example, ‘592753295037’ and the correct password; the auto form’s function on HMRC’s servers changes the User ID ‘592753295037’ to your email address. And even if you then add the correct ID back ‘592753295037,’ the auto forms will replace it with your email address every time you click the ‘Sign In’ button.

This is particularly troublesome because to the eye, one does not notice the problem at first. For me, personally, as soon as the system told me ‘Invalid user ID or password. Try again,’ I looked at the username and password and presumed they were correct and tried again, but this time continuing to use the email address that was displayed. And when I could not make it work, I requested a change of password, and started again. Only to be baffled again. This happened three times. And each time I requested a new password, it also gave me a new ID. And each time I added the correct ID and password, the auto forms’ erroneous code would change it to the incorrect user email address. Eventually, I gave up and moved onto another task.

A couple of weeks later, I came back to it. And when I read my notes, I noticed that I had 3 different User IDs. So, I was immediately aware that there was a problem with the User ID part of the website, not a password. But now, I had another problem, as I had requested 3 password changes which created 3 different IDs, it would not give me another. Instead, I needed to contact HMRC and the new ID would be sent by post within 7 days.

A week later, the new ID was delivered. But this time I knew to be very careful on the login page. And this time, I noticed that where my email was in the user ID, it was in fact supposed to be the ID number. So, I added the correct number and clicked ‘log in,’ but again was faced with ‘Invalid user ID or password. Try again.

But this time, I noticed that it had replaced the 12-digit code with my email, and that it did this again and again, a typical auto forms coding error.

So I phoned HMRC and pointed out the problem, and the lady told me I had an auto forms error. I did not point out to her that actually the error was that the HMRC system was incorrectly populating my auto form, but it was obvious to me that this was the case.

Also, the language was a tell, that she knew to tell me it was my auto forms that were at fault. She obviously knew this problem well, then she suggested scrubbing my password’s cache, which was crazy; as if I did, all of the 100 or so passwords that Google has stored for me would all need to be re-entered. When I protested, she suggested I use another browser (which should have been her first suggestion), and I said I can use IE, and she said that would work well.

Again, the language here (which I have on video) suggests that this is a common problem that they have to deal with all the time. And of course, it does not help that she and other call centre staff have seemingly been told that the auto fill’s problem is a client problem. Obviously, somewhere, someone made a solution and told the staff what to say, and that someone had no idea that the problem was theirs to own and would not take long to fix, if only they presented their developers with the error.

Solution to this problem

Prevention
a.i. Let me and my team fix it for you for free.
a.ii. Send your development team this critique and let them deal with it.
Cure
a.iii. Inform all staff of the problem and have them be a little nicer about it, admitting that they are currently having development issues. Like Barclaycard did a few years back, when they launched their new online banking website only to find login problems. I did not mind so much because they owned the problem and were apologetic.

2. Same Problems for VAT but Much More Income Lost.

I shall not labour this point, as the problems are much the same as above. My source for this insight is my father who often struggles with his VAT online filing.

I did not record the incident from yesterday, but I did make notes.

Firstly, my father added the correct ID and Password into the HMRC login https://online.hmrc.gov.uk/vat-file/trader/217390568/return/period/478.

What followed was a 30-minute exchange between him and a customer assistance officer discussing the same problem per point 1; but in this case, it was Firefox on a Mac.

Again, the HMRC assistant suggested that it was an auto forms error on his computer, not understanding that the error was the way the HMRC system populates forms.

HMRC asked my father to clear his password cache; and luckily, I was there to tell him not to. Then, HMRC asked him to swop browsers, so he used Safari and got the same problem.

The representative gave no hint of an apology. HMRC likely does not even realise they are doing anything wrong. They may as well have been ‘Currys PC World,’ trying to get out of giving a refund after selling dodgy high-end laptops that don’t work with Microsoft Office.

This said, it’s not the fault of the HMRC staff, it’s a catastrophic breakdown of reporting within the department.

In the end, I suggested that my father use my PC and IE, and he got in. But then, it got itself stuck by asking for a second phone number to send the 6-digit verification code to. At this point, we went around in circles for a while and gave up.

Conclusion…

Whilst there is a good argument that not many people try to do corporation tax returns themselves, most using accountants; to find that the system is even more unstable for VAT is surely a billion-dollar problem.

When I first started CapeVillas.com in 2002, I was advised not to register for VAT unless I absolutely had to, as it was a cost and a lot of admin. I’d expect a lot of start-ups get the same advice. Given that there are likely a lot of people who should pay VAT that don’t, the barrier to entry (as presented) will be enough in a lot of cases to nudge many to continue the status quo of not paying VAT.

Especially as from a behavioural sciences perspective, the status quo is hard to shake in the first place.

Indeed, there may have been many great initiatives thought up by Richard Thaler, Nick Down, David Alpine, and the www.behaviouralinsights.co.uk team that did not work out as well as expected due to the barriers to entry. You may have nudged some or even a great many to compliance, only to see them fail to pay due to the barriers to entry and lack of support, which returned them back to the status quo bias of not declaring VAT and other taxes.

Update! (1st June 2018)

As an update to the above, my father tried again after a few days, but this time received a totally different response from the support team. This time, when Dad told the support guy his problem, the guy instantly said that he would need to issue Dad a new 12-digit ID number.

Dad informed him of what the previous fellow said just 3 days earlier about clearing his password’s cache. And when Dad refused the suggestion to change to a new browser, and the new guy clearly stated that as Dad’s company was not a corporation, sometimes they just deactivate your login. And that he was 100% sure that no matter what Dad did, he could never get access without a new ID.

He gave Dad the new ID, and he gained access???

This point, that one has two different support officers accessed via the same phoneline and quite possibly in the same office, who have completely different answers is a complete breakdown in logical systems.

And that the IDs sometimes just expire out of the blue is not much of an answer and not necessarily true. It’s more likely that by trying to access the same account on a number of occasions, a system not dissimilar to Hulk Force protection has terminated the ID as it was used so many times without gaining access. Albeit I can’t be sure.

Either way, having two staff give completely opposite advice on something that should be simple is, in my opinion, the nail in the coffin for the current software and support staff.

And further, that it really does seem that there is an entire department of staff dedicated to solving the login problem is absurd. Just fix the problem, it’s easy.

3. Do not encourage clients to move their companies abroad.

And never incentivise them to do so.

Ok, so after two mostly technical points, we will do a pure behavioral science point that I have on email.

The general problem was the timescale that was suggested was not enough to cover the time it would take to receive the various mandatory snail mails, plus the ongoing login problem was still unsolved at that time.

Companies House,
Ref: NUM639173X
Date: 24/03/18 10:03
From: nick@villasecrets.com
Dear Mrs Dawn Richards

Correspondence included:

I will have to close the company and re open a new company in another country, after all my website for http://www.villasecrets.com is not in any way including the UK.

To which she replied

“If you no longer wish to keep the company you can apply for it to be removed from the register by completing a Form DS01 along with the fee of £10, on acceptance of the DS01 the registrar will not seek delivery of the overdue accounts and no further action will be taken.

If however, you wish to keep the limited company you will be required to file the accounts to Companies House were a financial late filing penalty will be issued to you.”

Yours sincerely
Mrs Dawn Richards
Compliance Case Officer

This is, of course, hilarious to any behavioural scientist and could end up being the Behavioral Insights Team’s ‘best example’ of how not to behave. Mrs Richards is making it easy for me to avoid paying tax to the UK, by moving my business abroad, and actually threatening to fine me for staying put???

And from the language,

If I don’t pay my tax…
‘The registrar will not seek delivery of the overdue accounts and no further action will be taken.’

Mrs Richards is presenting what could be used in a legal argument for one to think she is actually saying ‘I do not have to pay any outstanding tax owed as long as I fill in a DS01.’

Which is completely incorrect, and should never nearly be alluded to.

Then hits me with…

But if I do pay my tax, “a penalty will be issued.’

However, as I was reporting a loss due to borrowing for the development of Villa Secrets, Angel Theory, American Butterfly and other projects; there was no motivation for me to avoid tax, I just needed to register the loss.

And in case someone is wondering why I don’t just get an accountant to fill in the form, I needed to know how to pay the tax as a part of the design for our financial systems, the S-World TFS™ ‘Total Financial Systems’ (this chapter). And in addition, my 17 years of experience with accountants has taught me to avoid them.

A quickly thought Solution

It’s very difficult to motivate staff to change in a culture where good service does not see any reward.

Further, it’s hard to motivate staff to make more money for the government departments if no one in the entire organization is financially incentivised, from call centre agents to the CEO (or whatever equivalent position that is).

If this were my job to fix, I would use past data and whatever else we can find to plot total receipts each year and see the curve. Maybe it’s up 2% this year, but in good years can be more. There will be an average and this can be used as a benchmark.

Then, in an arrangement not completely different to the Behavioural Insights Team and number 10, one creates a well financially motivated unit that can pay super manager salaries and incentivise this new unit with as much as 9% of additional income gained (above the curve) to bolster the team; including teams that are dedicated to getting companies all over the world to re-register in the UK.

Then assign one or more percent of the additional revenue made above the curve as profit share per the S-World CRM-CC (Company Controller) between all personnel. So, everyone is motivated to see the UK tax office is making as much money as it always could.

To end, I will quote Richard Thaler again:

“When the stakes are in billions of dollars, small percentage changes add up, as one famous United States senator famously remarked, ‘a billion here and a billion there and soon your talking about real money.’”

4. No tutorials or videos on a highly complex system.

Having mastered the art of navigating the browsers and other barriers to entry for the Corporation Tax online form up to the page ‘Balance Sheet’ (AC42 to AC 81), the form was easy enough.

But to me, the Balance Sheet’ (AC42 to AC 81) does not make logical sense, and the standard staff at HMRC do not understand it either. To get assistance, you need to give the specific points such as AC68 and AC80, and they will call back a few days later.

The page starts of by asking the value of AC42:

‘Intangible Assets – The value of the company’s non-physical assets, for example, patents, trademarks, licences, goodwill (taking account of depreciation).’

This was a bit of a curve ball, as the accountants that did the previous year’s return did not ask me about this. So, either they did not have the same form, they skipped it because they knew no one worried about this, or they were negligent. I have the form they created called CT600 (2008) Version 2 which does not seem to have an option for ‘Intangible Assets,’ and is on reflection, it’s a different form all together. A form that would have taken me about 5 minutes to complete following their example from the year before.

Why have I been guided by HMRC website and staff to the much harder form, I wonder?

Pressing on with the online form for now, it asks the value of for trademarks and intellectual property, this is very difficult to assess. What was the value of American Butterfly in 2015 as a new economic system? Potentially trillions, but it was not complete in 2015 so I just added £1,000,000 for AC42.

The next is AC44 Tangible assets – The value of the company’s physical assets used in the business, for example, machinery, fixtures and fittings, office equipment, vehicles, buildings, land (taking account of depreciation).

So, taking this to include the websites www.capevillas.com, www.villasecrets.com, and www.cape-town-luxury-villas.com; where the last was valued at £180,000, I guessed at another £500,000 for the websites and $4000 for my laptops and cell phones for tangible assets. But again, this was not a factor in my previous years’ return and has nothing to do with tax payments. It actually seems like some bright spark had the idea to add a load of survey questions to the form. This is not making anything easy.

The next step is to allocate the assets into: Land and buildings, Plant and machinery, Fixtures and fittings, Office equipment, Motor vehicles; of which none apply to websites? So, I just added office equipment for the laptop, which was a big error, but there were no ‘other’ option.

Next, AC50 to AC61 Current Assets are all zero.

Next, in AC64 Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year. Debts you expect to settle after more than one year, for example, bank loans with instalments due after more than a year. I added the £23,468.39 loan I took out that year.

Next, in AC68 Total net assets or (liabilities), £1,979,531.61, it deducts the money owed to the bank from the valuation of intellectual property AC42 and AC44, the ‘for sale’ value of the websites plus the laptops and cell phones.

Next, in ‘AC 79 Called up share capital – The total value of all company shares issued at this date. For example, if you issued 100 shares at £1 each at incorporation, and a further 50 shares at £1 each in this period, your called up share capital for the period would be £150.’ This information I do not have, and again it is not apparent on the previous tax return, I will have to guess at £100.

Next, in AC47 Profit and loss account – Running total of profits, retained by the company and not paid out with dividends. Here, I added the losses made in 2015 which are equal to the bank borrowing -£23,468.39.

I click save and continue, and of course I am timed out….
I re entre the info and after another glitch, I came to the barrier to entry from last time.

Make sure ‘Total net assets or (liabilities)’ (box AC68) for the period you’re filing for matches ‘Total shareholders’ funds’ (box AC80).

So, I have ‘Total net assets or (liabilities)’ (box AC68) = £1,980,532 and ‘Total shareholders’ funds’ (box AC80) = -23368.

Which are obviously miles apart. I have come to this same problem 3 times now, and even with writing everything as I have, it does not help.

To compound the problem, there is no tutorial information anywhere that I can find, and the system is well beyond the scope of any one at the Help Desk for filling in form at 0300 200 3410.

They have a ‘Get help using this service’ form that I filled in and I got a short reply a week later. And they have ‘Get phone support,’ but that is the 0300 200 3410 which does not offer help; and instead, you may make an arrangement for someone to call you 3 to 5 days later.

Let me look at the advice given in the email I received from the form.

From: hmrcsupport@tax.service.gov.uk
Sent: 08 May 2018 11:07
To: Nick Raymond Ball
Subject: RE: HMRC online support request WFYJ-8444-DCSM

Note that the email did not display at all, this is another error. It’s not hard at all to create e-mails that are seen on Microsoft Outlook, every single email newsletter one has ever received is proof of this.

Indeed, someone has already identified this problem, as in the header is a note saying of you can’t see the email, click here to see it online.

This again is quite ridiculous, if millions of small companies across the planet can send out content management generated emails, it’s obviously a simple operation.

Note further relating to ‘Barrier to Entry 1,’ that when clicking the prompt, the email opens in Microsoft IE, overriding my preference setting for Google. This tells us that someone within the development company knows there is a problem with other browsers.

From: hmrcsupport@tax.service.gov.uk
Sent: 14 May 2018 12:42
To: Nick Raymond Ball
Subject: RE: HMRC online support request WFYJ-8444-DCSM

HM Revenue & Customs

Hello Nick

Your enquiry has now been passed to my team to deal with. please also accept my apologies for the delay in replying

If you are completing micro-entity accounts, then Cap[ital and Reserves are entered in Box AC490. This box does need to march AC68.

AC490 will be the total of the Called up share capital (total value of the company shares, which should be a minimum of £1) and the profit and loss account for the period. These figures are basically the company assets which is why they need to be the same as AC68 which also display the company assets

I hope this helps

Kind regards
Jackie

HMRC User Support Team

Unfortunately, this email is not helpful. It mentions Box AC490 which is not on the page. I consider maybe Jackie meant Box AC49, but this box is for 2016 and I am doing 2015.

Maybe Jackie is trying to say that the value of the shares in AC70 (Called up share capital) or AC76 (Revaluation reserve) should be equal to the AC68 Total net assets or (liabilities). But if this was the case, surely Jackie would have mentioned these options more specifically?

Call Back

As well requesting the help by email, I also requested a call back (which was said to be 3 to 5 days, sometimes more). And I know that the call back came, and its message is on the answerphone. And of course… He did not leave his name, and the phone number he gave was general enquires who cannot help with this page.

Ok, so I will instead reply to Jackie by email, and include this entire critique of the system.

This chapter is not over.

Solutions

At the least, one really needs to create a detailed written tutorial webpage and a video of someone following the instructions that clearly explains this page and others, that are so complicated that the general staff at 0300 200 3410 cannot help with.

It’s not that I can’t do this, that’s not really the point. The point is the full-time staff who are paid to help (the first line of defence) do not understand it either. If simple tutorials were made, all staff will be able to help all client’s needs.

Due to the incredibly bad systems, staff are overrun, it takes 3 days for an assistant to contact you. If you remove all the barriers and simplify, then the same staff would likely be 90% less busy.

There are other problems, like fix the browser and email problems. But really one should not only make the tutorials, one needs to remake the entire form, making it super simple that one can do it via their cell phone.

Let’s go back to Richard Thaler’s point that we heard at the beginning.

“If you want to encourage someone to do something, make it easy.”

If the idea of the www.behaviouralinsights.co.uk is to find ways to nudge the UK citizens to do things like pay their tax, the 4 barriers to entry above should be addressed before applying the behavioral economics. I can receive the best worded generic letter that nudges me to pay tax on time, but if it’s not possible to pay tax, the carefully worded nudged letter will have no effect.

Chapter 7. Part 2. TFS Tax Systems

In this concluding section, I seek to demonstrate to 2017 Nobel prize winner Richard Thaler and colleagues some of the advantages of our system, and how it can be used in tandem with behavioural science.

I suggest an adaptation of the S-World and S-Web systems be created for the UK tax office (HMRC). This would will be ‘Sienna.Gov’ software, last discussed in 2013 as part of ‘The PQS.’

S-World PQS

Which for all intents and purposes was the original version of Paradigm Shift Book 1. M-Systems.

S-World M-Systems

Before we see some ideas and solutions, a quick overview of why we need to do this in the first place, via an edit of the full article seen above.

To HMRC, Companies House, David Alpine, Richard Thaler and Nick Down.

I have found 4 significant barriers to entry that would negate most of the hard work yourselves and BIT have done for the problem, ‘How can we increase tax receipts?’ as described in the penultimate chapter of Richard Thaler’s book, ‘Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics.’

Richard Thaler is seen below in the movie ‘The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine’ by Michael Lewis.

Richard Thaler - The Big Short

I shall present the critique and then offer solutions. But first, a summary of the 4 problems.

Barrier to Entry 1

There is a fatal error on the corporation tax form’s auto fill. It only works with Microsoft IE, and it appears that an entire department has been set up just to help people log in, when all that is needed to fix the error is a few days of programming.

Barrier to Entry 2

The same problem is found of the VAT form. But this time, in testing, we found 2 completely contradictory responses coming from the same support team. Responder 1 suggested that one need to clear their password’s cache which is incredibly inconvenient; or alternatively, ‘use a different browser.’

After trying 3 different browsers and none working, another call was made. This time the respondent said they have a problem and he would ned a new ID, that would be sent in the mail.

That 2 completely different responses are given, it shows a complete breakdown in training and the information given to support staff. And again, it seems that there is an entire department dedicated to logging in, simply due to errors that would literally take a few days to fix.

Barrier to Entry 3

From a Mrs Richards whose email exchange which include the following …

If I don’t pay my tax…

“The registrar will not seek delivery of the overdue accounts and no further action will be taken.”

But if I do pay my tax, “a penalty will be issued.’

One does not need to be a behavioral economist to see the above is the opposite of what one should say if one wished to maximise government revenue.

Barrier to Entry 4

And in ’Barrier to Entry 4,’ we see the actual tax form is so complex that the support staff can’t help with it, and that there is no online support, help pages, or tutorial videos.

The-TFS - Total-Financial-System

The TFS Solution

Whilst I will fly through the solution, please don’t confuse guarded exuberance for flippancy; there would be a lot more to a complete spec, I have only created an outline, which will be further developed as a full chapter in ‘Paradigm Shift’ Book 4. The TBS™ Total Business Systems, somewhere down the road.

The hardest part is making the new website and software work with the old website and legacy systems; a lot of developers have trouble with this, but once you know what you’re doing, it’s just more of the same. I expect there will be many accounting companies that are used to the old system and would not wish to change. As mentioned, fortunately, this is not rocket science and we have been working on similar functionality to this; making data from thousands of odd properties from this 2002 website www.capevillas.com synchronize with this website www.villasecrets.com. Once the synchronisation is done, it matters little if you have 1000 different units or 50 million, you will need bigger servers to handle the data. But that’s about all, from a programming perspective, it makes no difference; 1000 or 50 million, it’s still the same code, just used more times.

Once the connection is created and the old legacy system entries are synchronised with the new web and software framework (which we call ‘S-Web’), we can get to the task of creating a super simple and uniquely logical set of tax collection options for the new online tax experience.

TFS Tax Systems

Much of the web framework can come from systems already developed for S-World and S-Web, but the equally important ‘uniquely logical content’ would come from www.behaviouralinsights.co.uk/our-people/staff who would assist in careful planning, careful testing, careful analyzation of test data to create a near perfect or perfect solution.

The planning is from the default menu options, to the user flow, to the quick tap options, to the tutorials, to the monitoring, and improved productivity and utility of all personnel.

Of course, nowadays, everyone is mobile and app mad. So, the solution must work on mobile, and the only way to do that efficiently is to work Mobile First, with the objective of making the completion of VAT or Corporation Tax (or any other tax) so simple that a 7-year-old child could do it

I’m not saying, at this stage, that we will literally be able to make it so a 7-year-old child could complete the Tax form. However, if we aim for years 7 and above and we end up making it for 10- year-olds, then it’s a win for most adults and certainly an improvement on the status quo.

So, we need to work Mobile First. Why? Because it’s easy to create a desktop version of a mobile app, but very hard to create a good mobile version of a desktop system.

We will start with the S-Web mobile navigation with the basic ‘ default options’ of the app/website.

Let’s here again from 2017 Nobel winner Professor Richard Thaler. But this time, from his New Your Times Best Seller, ‘Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness,’ co-authored by Cass Sunstein.

Nudge:

Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness

Nudge

“The ‘status quo bias’ is a fancy name for inertia. For a host of reasons, people have a strong tendency to go along with the status quo or default option.

When you get a new cell phone for example, you have a series of choices to make. The fancier the phone, the more of these choices you face; from the background to the ring sound, to the number of times the phone rings before the caller is sent a voicemail. The manufacturer has picked one option as the default for each of these choices. Research shows that whatever the default options are, most people stick with them, even when the stakes are much higher than just choosing the noise your phone makes when it rings.

Two important lessons can be drawn from this research:

1. Never underestimate the power of inertia.
2. That power can be harnessed.

If private companies or public officials think that one policy produces better outcomes, they can greatly influence the outcome by choosing it as the default. As we will show, setting default options and other similar seemingly trivial menu changing strategies can have huge effect on outcomes; from increasing savings to improving healthcare, to providing organs for lifesaving transplant operations. The effects of well-chosen default options provide just one illustration of ‘nudges.’

So, after creating the framework, we start a new application. And from the very beginning, we should work hand in hand with behavioural scientists to choose the default menu options.

In the prototype design, I have accounted for 48 different mobile usage ‘quick tap options,’ but we should not need nearly as many. The S-Web mock up we see further down the page is designed to make many different systems work as one, mostly guided by the Ai. And it would not be incorrect to say that every function the Ai does should be done so only after the behavioural sciences unit have approved the action/flow.

The S-World CRM-Nudge-Ai

CRM-Nudge-Ai

Note that only recently has the word ‘Nudge’ been inserted into this system’s name, and it will only remain if Thaler and Cass have approved its usage.

For the full article, go to, Network.villasecrets.com/the-secret/ch6/crm-nudge-ai.
What follows is the section on the mobile navigation options.

The Villa Secrets’ Secret

Chapter 5. S-World CRM-Nudge Ai™

Chapter 5d. Menus and Controls

http://network.villasecrets.com/the-secret/ch6/crm-nudge-ai

At the top left on the image below, we have a main menu (the 3 stripes) which will link to many page options. On the right, a second menu (3 dots) for mandatory tasks such as logging in and links to other systems or website pages. In addition is a key word search.

However, the objective is to make the system without need for the main menu or search, the functionality of a desk top application with the sort of ease of use you would find in a mobile game.

To create this functionality and avoid the need for having to scroll the main menu, we create a (on page) navigation system. Starting with the ‘3 main options,’ these options will be specific to the user type; and for vacation rentals, it is ‘Home | Search | List.’

S-World CRM

To complement the 3 main (top navigation) options, comes the bottom navigation stripe, which changes for different pages. In this example, the user has the option to check the ‘enquiry details,’ ‘the source of property’ (system/bespoke), ‘to display/adjust commission,’ and the user’s ‘My Magazine’ options.

In this example, the user has clicked ‘Enquiry’ and this creates 4 new icons: ‘a general summary,’ ‘the email,’ ‘new comments,’ and ‘client’s client’ options. If one now clicks the clients option, three sub options would be displayed in place of the other 3 icons. All told, creating 48 different ‘quick tap’ options available for each individual page.

End of Extract

The cleverness is not in the amount of quick tap options. The cleverness is how the Behavioural Insights Team will allocate the options, in essence, creating a ‘default’ system that can be navigated with ease.

However, before we get to the menu options, first prize is making a simple system that works almost exclusively on screen; one should not need to use any navigation other than on screen prompts, and the quick tap options are there mostly for tutorials and options that only the support ream would use, which would not be seen by the public.

Quick ideas to begin the conversation…

TFS Tax Systems

A proper spec would require meetings and weeks of prep. For now, these are just starter ideas, many or even most of which would not make the final version.

Page 1, on screen should simply ask which type of tax one wishes to pay; Corporate Tax, VAT, Income Tax, and others.

Next the login page, which is currently the biggest cause of problems, is actually very simple to get right; cross browser access is a very basic part of web and app design, especially if you have your own web framework.

Next, we should add different options based on the following…

1. One must create all system as one; the website, the app, the CRM used by the support, the oversight reporting for management and anything else one can possibly think of. All need to be the same system, these are quick and extreme laws of limiting returns if you use a handful of different systems created by different programmers or companies.

2. One needs to make different versions of the website and software for different user types. Consider for example, ‘Salesforce’s’ software, a CRM program. This software has been created to work with every business type there is, and because there is a lot of clutter, and there is no specialist product made for any specific industry.

The S-World solution to this is to make hundreds of different types of the same CRM, Software & Websites for different industries and then different niches within each industry.

By working in this way, we can throw away most of the clutter and make a clear and instinctive path to guide the user through the paying tax experience.

And of course, it’s really up to the Behavioural Insights Team to choose both the different sub groups and creating the ‘clear and instinctive path.’

It may sound like a lot of work, but really, it’s not. One starts out with a version with every possible option (all the options of the current system). And then one creates different versions of the same system but does not include any options that are not relevant. And of course, one can make different versions for the same users and see which is most effective after analysing the results.

In ‘Barriers to Entry Point 4,’ we saw how the options are so complex that the support staff don’t even understand what to do. And they have to get someone to call you back in about 5 days; who does not even leave a name or any way for them to be contacted, then save the basic login support phone number, who are only trained to help with logging in. An entire division of staff employed to solve the problem of the login complaints, all because of the login problems as presented in Barriers to Entry 1 and 2. Which, if we remember, are not more than a few days’ work to fix, if it even takes a day.

Making the systems simple and providing high-end tutorials, written and on video, added to the fixing of the login problems, would reduce the need for the ‘login support team’ by as much as 90%.

All of whom can by using the S-World UCS™ tutorials to advance their position to form completion support, reducing that five-day wait to immediate assistance.

Not to get to focused on S-World UCS™, as when you go down that rabbit hole, one could end up writing 100 pages just in its basics. There is a short summary available here: www.angeltheory.org/book7/s-world-ucs-simulator-v1. However, for this exercise, we only need to focus on the S-World Company Controller and S-World UCS™ Hawthorne Effect System.

I will just touch on the basics. Firstly, the S-World Company Controller or ‘S-World CRM CC.’

S-World-CRM

The system can be adapted to give tutorial or exam tasks to personnel when they are not dealing with clients. And if they are completely busy all of the time, then time should be set aside for them to learn; plus of course those who wish to move forward in their careers, they can always look at the tutorials at home, on the tube or other…

When they are dealing with clients, a deal stage can be brought up with a step by step walk through all the parts of the process, keeping an exact record of how far the users have got. The below example is for recruiting mandates, but the same step by step logic can apply to each and every tax client, and the different steps… 1. Login > 2. Form > 3. Other > 4. Etc.

S-World-CRM-tm

Next, we move into S-World UCS™ Hawthorne Effect System, which is based on an idea gained from behavioural scientist David Hoffeld’s book ‘The Science of Selling: Proven Strategies to Make Your Pitch, Influence Decisions, and Close the Deal.’

David Hoffeld

In which Hoffeld presents the ‘Hawthorne Effect,’ which in a nutshell shows that personnel work harder when they are being monitored.

As the task planner assigns pages of tutorials when the call centre is not busy and created exams based on system knowledge; at the same time, each deal made (each tax client seen through the journey to pay their tax) can be easily assessed, one can easily assign a point score to each task which can be seen on a scoreboard that starts from zero each day, which creates a winner and a loser each and every day.

In S-World and in particular for S-World Grand Networks, at least half of all the personnel’s remuneration is assigned as profit share that will be paid out to winners. So, each day is a new day to win the day (by being on top of the scoreboard). And profit share is paid to those who win, and those that lose would make less than half of another staff member in the same pay grade.

I have fleetingly mentioned profit share before. But I can see that this, being a big decision, is not likely to be made any time soon. However, we can incentivise in other ways. The most obvious being promotion from junior login support to senior form support and other positions.

Another idea is simply to get a 50-inch TV in the office that only shows ‘the scoreboard.’

Are you seeing it yet? Of course, by applying the above, we create a Hawthorne Effect as everyone will (in fact) be monitored by the Ai and all their peers every second of every day.

As mentioned, persistent winners can be promoted, and persistent failures can practice in their own time to get up to speed or can be retired.

Getting back to the different systems for different industries, in addition to this, I would suggest having different systems for different sizes of business.

Survey data?

As far as I can see, someone thought it would be a clever idea to use the tax form filing process to add a bunch of survey questions that are not necessary and are not covered in the tax forms that accountants use.

This extra data should be collected at different times, as we saw in ‘Barrier To Entry 4.’ The form now asks people to estimate the value of one’s trademarks and intellectual property, which is useful data. But these questions were not on the form my previous accountants submitted in 2015, and are not relevant to how much tax one pays. Further, it’s very hard to estimate the value of trademarks, patents, and intellectual property. Route one is get the client to the end of the form and receive the tax as quickly and as simply as possible, all data asked for that is not needed should to be stripped away. There are other ways to incentivise tax payers to assess the value of their businesses.

The Villa Secrets’ Secret – Relevant Chapters

For more details on the core systems, which as shown can be used as the framework for many industries and studies, see the following Network.villasecrets.com chapters:

1. Network.villasecrets.com/the-secret/ch1/s-web-cms-framework-step-6-our-solution
6. Network.villasecrets.com/the-secret/ch6/crm-nudge-ai
7. Network.villasecrets.com/the-secret/ch7/tfs-total-financial-system
9. Network.villasecrets.com/the-secret/ch9/crm-cc-the-company-controller
10. Network.villasecrets.com/the-secret/ch10/s-world-ucs-tutorial-and-incentivization-game

And as a farewell note, a quick graphic from last year which shows my ambition to make the S-World UCS simulation software played as a game to better make the systems for the NHS.

S-World UCS - MNO Simulator

For more information on S-World UCS, arguably the most significant S-World system, see the following:

www.AngelTheory.org/book7/s-world-ucs-simulator-v1 (2018)
www.AngelTheory.org/book/1-3/the-s-world-ucs-m-systems (2017) (requires login)
Network.villasecrets.com/the-secret/ch10/s-world-ucs-tutorial-and-incentivization-game (2017)
Americanbutterfly.org/pt1/the-theory-of-every-business/ch8-s-world-universal-colonization-simulator (2012)

A far more in depth view will be presented in Angel Theory Book 7. And note that Books 2. Part 2 ‘A More Creative Capitalism’ and Book 3. The GDP Game are in themselves S-World UCS Simulations.

Chapter 8. Property Managers and Villa Owners Systems

Property Managers and Owners

This chapter is not about property management as such, rather it is created for property managers and property owners to make residual income from booking other properties, either when they are full or to create a multi leg option.

Identify Problem /Present Missed Opportunities / Avoid potential Landmines

1. Particularly for top of the range villas, exclusive use safaris, and private islands, bookings lost to tour operators who can offer an all in one service.

2. Despite receiving as many as 25 solid enquiries for peak times of the year, a property owner can only rent out their property once.

3. Some great booking opportunities are lost due to property managers or owners’ villas being deemed unsuitable; for example, it’s not children friendly.

Is Unique or performs better than competitors because…

• We create the websites and systems that enable property managers and villa owners to make bookings for other properties.

Key benefits and/or is a Solution to…

1. Can double the net income for exceptional villas, exclusive use safaris, and private islands.
2. Can make property managers amongst the top 1% of US earners (or the top 0.1% of African Earners).
3. Makes the process of booking other properties simple and profitable.
4. Can increase occupation of the existing in low season.
5. Lessens dependency of big tour operators.

Villa Secrets Property Managers and Villa Owners

Property-Managers and Owners

First things first, and that is that we need to protect the Villa Secrets companies who recruit mandates, and because we are not offering a service for villa owners or property managers to add their villas directly.

As without the villa companies and their concierge and hospitality departments, there would be no difference to Airbnb, HomeAway and every other VRBO (Vacation Rental by Owner) website out there.

Instead, the Villa Secrets property managers and owner’s system is for:

1. Owners and managers who wish to complement their property with others to create a tailored holiday option for their clients.

2. Owners and managers who wish to make money from their overflow, by booking other villas when their property is either booked or otherwise unsuitable.

3. Active villa owners may know other villa owners who would likely give them the sole rental mandates if they had the website, systems, marketing, networking, concierge, and infrastructure that Villa Secrets can provide.

In each case, the initial step is to create the property manager or owner their own S-Web websites with their own domain. The website created will be similar to www.VillaSecres.com, from which they can pick and choose which properties and services they would wish to display.

Where after, when a booking request comes in that they cannot book, as their villa is full or otherwise unsuitable, the manager or owner simply uses the ‘super simple’ S-World CRM-Nudge Ai™ to present their clients with the options they wish. And as we saw in the S-World CRM-Nudge Ai™ chapter, this process is dead simple, takes only a minute or two, and creates both an online magazine-styled webpage for the client, such as www.YourWebiste.com/CleintsName; and a beautiful email to match, presenting villa/safari/private island suggestions, and some useful and enticing articles from the online magazine.

S-World CRM AI

In some cases, if the managers and owners wished to get a head start and get going straight away, we would give them access to Villa Secrets itself; from which they make all the same bookings under the same terms, until their website is ready.

Chapter 8a. How Much does this cost?

We bring up the question of ‘How Much does this cost?’ early in the conversation as this is a big plus point, as there is no cost. We consider deals with qualifying property managers and owners in the category of ‘Mergers’ as the manager/owner already receives enquiries that can be used to generate bookings, and we see value in this. And so, we are more than happy to bear the initial cost of creating the website and pay for all hosting and technical support on an ongoing basis, as we are sure to make the money back from the bookings that are created.

Chapter 8b. What percentage does Villa Secrets take from each deal made?

Again, we bring this up early, as our solution offers at least twice the value offered by most villa or safari agencies, who typically offer a 50/50 commission split for a serviced property rental.

The first point we should make is that, unlike most agency agreements, we are not the middle man. Yes, Villa Secrets will have different companies representing it across Africa, but owners and agents do not deal directly with those companies. Instead, managers and owners pay only a technology and networking contribution to Villa Secrets Ltd UK (The Holding Company) of 12.5% of the commission.

Plus 12.5% of the commission goes to the dedicated concierge and hospitality, 24/7 live chat, and logistics call centre; which is an essential expense that any platinum or diamond villa would not only be happy to pay. Indeed, they would not wish to do business in the first place if this department was not a key feature within the Villa Secrets ranks.

Both of these charges are in the family of ‘Nash Equilibriums’ specifically, they are charges that one would wish to pay without regret. In the case of the technology and network contribution, one only has to see what we already have developed and our development plans to see that our technology is well worth the 12.5%; as it simplifies the process and greatly increases the chances of making bookings in the first place…

And as for the 12.5% to hospitality and concierge, we will get to this essential component shortly.

The total cost is 25% of the total commission made from the deal.

Chapter 8c. How much will the Manager &/or Owner Make?

Now, we don’t have a crystal ball and there are several variables in play. But we can show you the math and strategy for a typical booking scenario; and after, show that if 2 good bookings were made each month, then it’s almost possible for the villa owner to double their net profit before tax and the manager to generate a bonus that would put them in the top 1 % of Africa’s earners.

For this example, we consider a client, representing a group of 7, is interested in a two-week African vacation; where budget is not as important as the experience, i.e. they have lots of money and want the best. And they have come to the manager and owner’s website, and the venue is available. But experience tells us that the clients may well end up booking through a tour operator, as they want a professional itinerary and a one stop shop for booking the land arrangements. And further to that, they know that if the client goes to a travel agent or tour operator who has a better relationship (or better STO) with an equal competitor, the booking may be lost all together.

And so, after talking to the client about their property, in part to make sure they don’t lose the booking, and in part as there is ‘gold in them there hills’ (money to be made by booking the other land arrangements); the manager or owner politely asks if the client would like to see their recommended partners in Africa, and the client agrees. A few questions are asked about the client’s ideal experience and which locations they are particularly keen on.

The manager adds the info into the S-World CRM-Nudge Ai ™ and sends the client a link to their unique website (which from now on we shall call AfricanSophistication.com), so the link would be www.AfricanSophistication.com/Mr-Forrest; from which the client can create subpages such as www.AfricanSophistication.com/Mr-Forrest/MyPartner or My Boss and seek a group consensus. This whole process also mirrored in email format.

As this is a superior way to book, in comparison to any other, the client books all the land arrangements through the manager and owner’s ‘unique website.’

Chapter 8d. Let’s look at the math on this scenario…

A two-week holiday in 4 legs: Safari / A Safari Villa / Private Island / Cape Town Villa, in which the client stayed in the manager and owner’s venue for 4 nights, and the clients stay 10 nights in venues provided by the manager. If the average price per night was $10,000, then $100,000 is the holiday cost for the 10 nights. If the commission was 25%, the manager or owner would receive $25,000; from which Villa Secrets receives 25% – $6,250, and the manager & owner net $18,750 in residual income and $40,000 directly, or $30,000 if booked by an agent at 25%; in which case, for every two-residual bookings they make similar to the example above, they make more than a single direct booking.

Next, we consider the exact same scenario, but this time we consider a repeat client of the manager and owner’s wants to return. But there is no availability for their dates and they can’t move their dates. But as the guest obviously trusts the venue as they have returned, they would be more than happy if the venue they trust can give them some recommendations on alternate properties. This time the commission is higher as its 14 nights not 10, and the manager and owner make $26,250.

Whilst it is up to the owner and manager how they remunerate this money, we have found 20% to be fair in the past. Albeit as there is almost no expenses for this income, a 50/50 would also be fair if split between the management and reservations team and the owner.

Looking specifically at the 20% model, I have created the scenario in Game Theory, the tool of choice for business strategists and economists.

Game Theory: The Manager and Owner’s Game

Business Strategy

The above game works on the previous figures, and that 2 such bookings are made each month. And the result for the owner is an additional $504,000 and the manager makes an additional $126,000 which is just shy of two thirds of the salary that gets paid the British Prime Minster, so not bad as an extra income.

And in the scenario below, we see that of the $504,000, if the venue was making $1,500,000 a year and of that turnover 35% was left as net profit before tax, the owner will be just shy of doubling their profit. So, that’s pretty good too.

The Owners Game

A cautionary note, while we really can’t say how much an owner and manager would make without knowing how many enquires they had, we would suggest that these are figures to build to in 2020; when the network is fully international and diverse, in that it offers properties for sale and all forms of luxury travel, and the manager and owner’s website has started generating bookings directly from some content and video marketing.

Chapter 8f. 3rd Party Tour Operator Commissions

This section is about the commission we generally receive from luxury African properties. This can range from 15% to more than 40%. In most cases, we are seeking for a 25% commission from the most luxurious venues.

However, we wish to go further and create a very exclusive club, made up exclusively between companies who are using this system and have a $10,000,000 plus property.

Chapter 8g. What does Villa Secrets provide for its 25%?

The Villa Secrets Secrets

Before getting to the specifics of what Villa Secrets does for its income, we know that 25% is better than the standard ‘split in commission,’ or less than 50% that one would receive in a partnership with say Rhino Africa.

Typically, 12.5% is spent on web and software development; making sure our superior systems stay superior. And 12.5% is spent on the ‘Famous Concierge,’ helping to make sure clients have the experience they wanted, with a suitable safety net in place to handle almost every emergency, from missed flights to legal assistance.

In addition, this technology is being developed for our ‘safari system’ for safari venues, but with the exception that the S-World safari company ‘Experience Africa’ gives back.

Experience Africa (Not for profit)

Experience Africa is a non-profit that has plans to make tens, then hundreds, then thousands of websites and companies. Of which, 50% of all turnover is bound for the protection of elephants, rhinos, & cheetahs which we deeply hope will, in time, be assisted by elephant and ripple effects fan Paul G Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft.

See: Ripple Effects and Elephants for Paul G. Allen

Paul G Allen Family Foundation

So, not only is one creating significant residual income; at the exact same time, one is helping to fund the project that seeks to become the most ambitious African consideration initiative of all time. The potential is ridiculously high, consider 2000 safaris (about 40% of them) all contributing 12.5% of turnover, and add our plans to create a next generation booking and software for the actual safaris themselves; on a plan that only takes a commission when turnover is more than was expected. And this initiative can make more money for the fight against the ivory poachers than is contributed from all other sources.

We need to complete the Villa Secrets system and make a few modifications for it to work with safaris and off we go. Of course, it will be great to get Microsoft on bard from a technical perspective. With technology partners like Microsoft and Facebook, this project has a better than average chance of fulling its mighty ambition.

Mixed into the 12.5% contribution is the growth of the network internationally, which has many benefits. For instance, if a client wished a Private Island holiday or wedding, they would not necessarily be looking for an Island in Africa. And as such, private islands can book other private islands across the globe.

The Villa Secrets ‘Famous Concierge

Concierge and Hospitality

One can now see the ‘ Famous Concierge’ in the Angel Theory – Paradigm Shift presentation. The second 12.5% is for hospitality, concierge, logistics, and 24/7 live chat and call centre services.

Our founding company, Cape Villas.com, has been in partnership with arguably the world’s leading concierge company ‘Quintessentially’ for over 10 years; albeit our partnership has been quiet of late as we have focused on development. But you can be sure we will be reigniting that relationship when the time is right.

Later, we present an entire chapter on the concierge and media department. But to sum up, we are creating the ‘Famous Concierge’ by twinning the concierge and hospitality with the media and video departments; who, in season, mostly work with clients; and through the lower season work mostly on media and video.

And because of this and that we can offer time off for auditions and shoots, we can recruit and motivate a proper concierge team; who really do know where it’s at, who surf, enjoy Cape Town, and climb mountains regularly and are more than happy to have guests join them on the journey.

I was very impressed with www.luxuryrentalgroup.com/concierge, a company who we are looking to work with in LA. In particular, their comment:

Some restaurants in Los Angeles only accept reservations certain times during the month, and the best of the best are usually full months in advance — unless you know somebody. Now you do.

Whilst there are fewer restaurants booked up months in advance in Cape Town, the effort required to get such a restaurant to make plans take a very charismatic and very locally famous person. And so, we recruit accordingly, with attractive looks, charisma, and confidence as a prerequisite.

Such people don’t only know how to get the reservation, but also the best tables. They know where the private villa events are, and they are invited to yacht expeditions and all sorts of events; which special clients will be invited to, should they wish.

Of course, it’s not just one big party, we need stability and strong logistical support. But the commander’s intent is to make Villa Secrets synonyms with beauty and glamour; and, at the same time, create a huge amount of broadcast quality films and video.

Of course, if one is booking a safari or private island, there is no need for concierge. We shall only set up office in popular locations such as Cape Town, Seychelles, Mauritius, and locations that we have a lot of partners.

However, the logistics, 24/7 Live Chat, and call centre in different languages is a huge support; in case the guest needs assistance at any time, and in particular for the ‘missed flight’ emergency. This assistance helped mightily by the systems we are creating for this service.

Chapter 9. S-World CRM-Nudge CC ™

Customer Relationship Software – Company Controller

Taking control of the entire company

S-World CRM - TM

Key Challenges:

Identify Problem /Present Missed Opportunities / Avoid Potential Landmines

1. Organizing a villa rentals division has proved difficult for many real estate companies.

• Whilst there are hundreds of software products for property management companies, there is no dedicated software for villa rental agencies.

• Even when one has organised a rentals division to coordinate and get the best out of the team, one needs solid and usually expensive management.

• This system is designed to navigate the procurement of the mandates process.

• Allows for staff to work from home and yet still be coordinated.

Is Unique or performs better than competitors because…

• S-World CMS-Nudge CC™ is specifically designed to run and manage all the staff within a vacation rentals business.

Key benefits and/or is a Solution to…

• Makes the running of a villa rentals division simple

• Keeps costs down

• Increases productivity

• Allows for greater collaboration

S-World CRM CC ™ (The Company Controller)

S-World-CRM - TM

Welcome to the S-World CRM-CC ‘Company Controller,’ taking control of each Villa Secrets partner company.

In Chapter 6, we saw how the S-World CRM-Nudge Ai™ allows a good sales person (without experience in the industry or niche) to take control of the booking process in all waking hours; effectively doing the job of a small sales team on their own with great efficiency. This not only saves the company money on the sales team, it also saves money on your ‘star rep’; as if they are doing the job of three with greater efficiency, their net income will be more than double. And as such, one can present a lower commission rate in the first place, and this single point can be considered a 10% saving to the bottom line, 10% that may be used to incentivise mandate recruiters.

In this chapter, we look at the CRM user options and the S-World CRM-CC™, the ‘Company Controller’; which, at this point in time, is set for creation straight after the completion of the CRM-Ai™ and before we create the S-World TFS™ (Total Financial Systems). Our reasoning for this is that we are currently approaching big companies who have adequate financial knowledge to manage the bookings and salaries. Whereas when it comes to the same company guiding/managing their new mandate recruiting rentals company, one either needs an expensive MD or C Level manager. Instead, we extend the S-World CRM to manage the entire department, in the same super simple and effective way it is set to manage the booking process.

This solution I have named the S-World CRM-CC™ and this is again part ‘Nick-Ray-bot,’ as it automates the tasks that we need to accomplish, per my desire. This system also incorporates the M-System 11. QuESC, which will improve the systems after judging the actions performed in different ways, processing the data, and changing the advice presented to the company’s personnel based on prior experience, continually improving.

This has been a desired feature of this system since 2011, and was a key factor in 2012 in the book Spiritually Inspired Software and now Angel Theory – Paradigm Shift.

M-System 11. QuESC – The Quantum Economic System Core (Ai)

Quesc-2012

To know where you’re going, you need to know where you’ve come from, before we get into detail, let’s have a look at the history…

1. In 2011, after 8 years running www.CapeVillas.com (2002 to 2010); and in 2010, creating a copy of our website for Sotheby’s Realty Cape Town on a profit share basis, it did not take a genius to figure that creating many such websites for different companies across the world was a good prospect. However, it was pointless trying to grow the business in this direction without a solid software platform that was a cross between a financial system, a CRM, and a hospitality department. So, in March 2011, I designed the first basic system design.

2. About 18 months later, after much work on how to grow the network, I took influence from the butterfly effect, string and quantum theory; the results of which were presented within two books: Spiritually Inspired Software. & The Network of a String. This was the beginning of the Ai, and the idea that we would learn from the humans who used the system, analyse their data, and create improved advice and options for future actions in a continuous cycle of improvement, as is illustrated by the butterfly on the graphic above.

3. In 2015, after developing the Villa Secrets web framework, the CMS, various systems and a JQueryMobile website; I started to plan the CRM, seen here in over 4 hours of video, in a product called ‘The Divergent CRM.’

4. In 2016, this design was updated to the TFBMS and the Sienna- Bot, including the S-World TMS™ (Total Marketing System) which added 21 systems that either saved money, made money or mitigated risk, and the TFBS™ (Total Financial & Business Systems) which added a further 20 systems which either saved money, made money or mitigated risk. These systems are now found within ‘The Villa Secrets’ Secret,’ Chapter 14. The S-World TBS™ and Book 4 of Angel Theory – Paradigm Shift (2018)

5. In early 2017, the S-World CRM™ Ai and TBS™ functions were presented with the Technology Summary.

6. Soon after we completed the S-Web CDS™ (Content Delivery System) which became the foundation of the CRM-Ai™, now the CRM-Nudge Ai™.

S-World CRM-CC ™ (Company Controller)

Like the CRM-AI™, we are developing this system ‘Mobile First.’ And by designing in this way, we create the functionality in a way that is perfect for mobile.

Below, on the left, we see the design for the CRM-CC™ (Company Controller). The second icon you see, ‘Rentals,’ would lead you to the CRM-Ai™. The rest of the icons lead to different user types or functions including; Training, Villa Rentals, Portfolio Management, Mandate and Best STO acquisition, Concierge, Hospitality, Media Production, Marketing Objectives, Property Managers, Magazine Creation, Partner Deals, Admin, Financial*, Stats and Sales funnels, Managers, & the Board of Directors.

In the initial product, we are only including functions we can create quickly; whilst one may think that creating 15 additional user types would take 15 times as long as it does to create the CRM-Ai™, that may be the case in the long run. But all we require right now is a calendar & planner with deal steps and targets.

S-World CRM-tm

In a way, this is another version of the ‘Nick-Ray-bot’ (Nick Ray Ball is a box), a tool designed for me to assign tasks and monitor progress. I have been working like this (albeit is a less sophisticated manner) with my copywriter in the Philippines and my programmers and designers in India for years.

Day Planner and Alerts

One of the big tricks is to create the calendaring in a way that has ‘important tasks’ and ‘tasks that are useful, but not essential.’ So, if a task takes longer or is delayed, the entire timeline can be shifted back, keeping the important date sensitive tasks, and tasks that require collaboration in their original dates. To accomplish this, we start by spreading out the essential tasks with plenty of time in-between each, which is filled with useful tasks such as prospecting for new villas and mandates. And if there is a delay, all the non-essential tasks get moved back, whilst the essential and time sensitive tasks stay in place.

S World CRM

Above left, we see the day planner in task mode, which assigns different colours to different task based on importance. Green is for an important regular task that should not be missed. In blue, we see tasks assigned that can be put back if a more pressing task arises, or if a previous important task has overrun. Then in red, we have tasks that are very important, usually involving a meeting, collaboration, or a deadline.

In this scenario, the staff member with the dual role of copywriter and portfolio manager has a meeting with a property manager at a villa at 11 a.m. to 12.30 a.m.

Above right, we see the alert that beeps and pops up at the end of the task time, from which the user can click ‘Task Complete’ (which will update the corresponding deal), or ‘Go To Deal,’ ‘Extend Time,’ or ‘Reschedule.’

Sole Mandate & Best STO Deal Preparation

STO stands for ‘Standard Tour Operator Discount’ and is the difference between the ‘public rate’ charged by the property and the discounted rate offered to the agency.

In the graphic below, we see the ‘deals’ page which will have automatically updated as soon as the copywriter / portfolio manager has clicked ‘Task Complete’ on the previous page; moving deal stage 8 from Red ‘not complete’ to ‘green complete.’ As the deal stage is currently in progress, it is in blue.

There are 11 different stages to this process that happen before we pitch for a mandate: 1. New property identified, 2. Basic details received, 3. Got images, 4. Qualifying assessment 1 to 10, where we prioritise higher numbered properties; 5. Sunset photo shoot, 6. Daytime Photoshoot, 7. Add photos to webpage, 8. On site article, 9. Publish web page, 10. Owner edits/ approval, and 11. Magazine article & Homepage.

S world - CRM

This last deal stage is where magic can happen. Not only will the villa webpage look this awesome; but in just a few minutes, we can create an online magazine article, presenting it as the featured villa in an illustrious company within a pan African mega article, which (sometimes temporarily) adds the property to the homage. When the web page, mega article, and homepage are presented; this is the point where the owners see Villa Secrets as the company that goes the extra mile. And that’s the time to start the pitch for a mandate, as an experienced and seasoned sales mandate specialist joins the portfolio manager to help bring home the opportunity, following a different deal path specific to the task.

Even if a mandate is not secured, one will have made better friends with the owner and may get a better STO or better bespoke discounts for quality bookings, and we have more great content.

This Concludes the S-World CRM-CC™ presentation.

However, we conclude with some graphics from the overall S-World CRM™. However, it needs to be pointed out that icons not previously presented are a job for ‘down the road.’

Villa Rentals Agent Options

Below, we see 2 pages of user options for Villa Secrets Rental Agents. On the left phone, we see the following: Search, My Lists, Messages, Enquiries, Telephone, Clients, Tasks, Modes, Magazine, Contacts, Bookings, New Bookings, Portfolio, Concierge, Deals, and Settings.

S World CRM-tm

On the right phone (accessed by swiping to the right), we continue with the following: Sales Tools, Training, S-Web CMS, S-Web CDS™, Partners, Finance, Travel Options, Stats including sales funnel, Property Managers, Jet Set Options, Safari options, Admin, Marketing, Media, Managers, and Mandates.

All Travel Options and Contacts

To conclude this presentation, we will take a look at two more pages due ‘down the road.’ On our left, we see ‘All Travel Options,’ this page is designed to offer the same experience as seen in the S-World CRM-Ai™ but substituting the journey from ‘Villas’ (vacation rentals) to the following options: Concierge, Villas, Jets, Safaris, Hotels, Private Islands, Resorts, Flights, Car Hire, Yachts, Trains, Cruises, Skiing, Romantic and Honeymoon experiences, Family options, and Weddings and Events.

No doubt this will take a lot of time to complete, not in terms of creating the App, but in creating all the APIs (connections) to travel databases (as is the job of the Villas Cloud team in chapter 5), then collating all the data, and presenting it within the websites. Plus, in many cases, we also need a firm grip on the logistics, particularly in areas such as safaris, jets, yachts, honeymoons and weddings; in which case, many services will not be on any form of database and we would encourage the services to use ours.

However, in the end, we will have a product from which anyone in any discipline can simply and with confidence book travel arrangements in any other discipline.

S-World CRM tm

Above right, we see a very cool function indeed, albeit this may turn out to be the most complex of all functions to program. This is the ‘all messages page’ which collates messages from all possible sources; email of course but also live chat, SMS, Facebook, Messenger, Skype, What’s App, etc.; with all the messages presented together a master messages page.

The Villa Secrets’ Secret

The Villa Secrets’ Secret

Business Plan & Operations Manual

img0720017_001

By Nick Ray Ball 17th July 2017

Illustrated Super Summary
25 Chapters in 1,568 Words

Version 1.01

 

 

Chapter 1. The S-Web CMS Framework

The S-Web CMS framework is different, because instead of creating a website and adding complex software; our software is created within the website. This enables us to do amazing things and create websites that look awesome, and are ultra-simple to create or update.

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Chapter 2. Villa Secrets Network

There are hundreds of primary network locations such as Cape Town and California. In which we create a primary network (usually with a real estate agent) and add networks of many small local companies in different real estate & travel industry niches, with their own S-Web site & software.

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Chapter 3. Mandate Marketing

Over 50% of rental commission from mandates is spent on increasing the desirability of each property. And because of this prestige marketing, rental mandates turn to sales. There’s a lot at stake for Real Estate agencies, as they make all the sales for all the companies in the network.

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Chapter 4. S-Web CDS™ (Content Delivery System)

An entirely unique system. Watch this two-minute video https://youtu.be/JS8vJQ1KxbM to see how agents and clients can turn their ‘favourites list’ into a unique webpages, and watch https://youtu.be/X9-o3E4n2Dk to see us create an magazine article in less than a minute.

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5. The Villas Cloud™

The Villas Cloud currently gives online availability to clients & agents via the PMS (property management system) MyBookingPal. The Villas Cloud will grow to include tens, then hundreds of PMSs creating a magnificent collection of the world’s leading luxury villas and private islands.

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6. S-World CRM-AI™ Agent’s Assistant and Automated Booking System

Automates the booking process, created to make one person perform the job of two in half the time with twice the efficiency, removes the need for agents to have experience & and allows agents to easily answer enquiries on the road or outside of work hours.

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7. The TFS™ – Total Financial System

A primary objective of S-World Villa Secrets is to create a simple financial system as a part of the web framework, that provides managers with weekly management accounts, and avoids human error. Stage 1 due for release four months after the sale of the first primary network.

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8. Villa Secrets Property Managers and Owners

For industry leading villas, safaris, and private islands where a mandate is not an option; we create S-Web solutions enabling them to make multi-leg bookings or bookings in other properties when they are full, and generating significant residual income for managers and owners alike.

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9. S-World CRM-CC ™- The Company Controller

From bookings to the mandate recruitment process, the CRM-CC™ applies ‘The Hawthorne Effect’
(people work harder when they are being observed), organises, and motivates the whole team; exponentially increasing efficiency as a few do the job of many (due in March 2018).

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10. S-Wold UCS™ – Simplicity, Addictiveness, Fun Level & Ease of Use

S-World UCS™ applies points to bookings made, mandates won, and tasks completed within a gaming environment between all personnel. Each day is a new day and a day that anyone can win. More wins, more profit share (created within S-World CRM-CC™ – due in March 2018).

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11. Social Networking & Newsletters

Because the S-Web CDS™ can create in-depth visually rich articles in minutes, mangers & staff can frequently and automatically deliver this content to social networks, and make newsletters for clients scoring points for each syndication.

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12. Concierge, Hospitality, PR, Film, and Social Media

Creating a world class concierge department is expensive, logistically challenging, and requires strong owner-led management. By creating this department as its own company and extending its directive to film, PR, and social media; we can build a first-rate and very productive service.

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13. Call Centre, Live Chat & Content Marketing

The multilingual Villa Secrets call centre, powered by the CRM-Ai, recruits great writers who are not afraid to sell. Who, when not answering calls or on live chat, can create increasingly more content from the CDS™ to distribute. Starting simply and in time moving to 24/7 365 days a year.

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14. S-World TBS™ – Total Business Systems

An itemised collection of all 81 systems under one roof, giving each Villa Secrets company equivalent or better systems vs. the big boys. Allowing stakeholders to focus on their strengths, realize their potential while avoiding problems & landmines. Greatly increases ROI from adverting.

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15. Marketing, SEM & Advertising

As the TBS™ is designed to increase enquiries received from adverting efforts and bookings made from enquiries, all the advertising is more effective. Complete domination of Google AdWords and other SEM (search engine marketing) opertunities is just the beginning.

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16. SEO – Search Engine Optimization

With over 5000 views from just a single photo from Google’s (free) search, Villa Secrets.com and other S-Web products have all the makings of a great SEO product. S-Web is a long-term strategy building for the future, working strictly within Google’s ‘create great content’ links SEO guidelines.

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17. Content Marketing & SEO

Fuelled by S-Web CDS™ and our content team, content marketing is the only link building SEO strategy Google advocates: Create well written & visually superb content. Syndicate it and wait for the doorbell to ring. Plus, clients are more likely to buy in the first place if products look superior.

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18. S-World Publishing

Following on the heels of our last Condé Nast distributed publication, Villa Secrets is moving from magazine to Coffee Table Book; featuring multi-leg exclusive use luxury vacation experiences, architect profiles, private islands, and luxury brands product placed within the properties.

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19a. Luxury Villa Rental Agencies (Primary Network Opportunity)

Now for the product itself, the Primary Network bundled solution: 9 gorgeous agency websites
(50% of which will eventually be owned by key staff and directors), a mandates initiative that can provide over 50 mandates opportunities per year, and the 81 TBS™ systems.

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19b. Luxury Villa Rental Agencies – Scenario 7 – Phase 1

Scenario 7 is a financial forecast with over 1000 variables. For each variable, we either use real world values from our 15 years’ experience in the field; lowball estimates for theoretical income or a higher than expected cost for theoretical expenses. Always seeking to under estimate and over deliver. For instance, in phase 1 (which we wish to complete by 2019) we cautiously estimate only 6 mandates from the 50 opportunities, whereas in reality we should expect about 25.

Phase 1 is to make R10million / $750,000 in commission (Gross Profit) within a year, we desire to achieve this in 2018. However, because phase 1 is all about getting to phase 2, we recommend all of the 25% profit that is forecasted be used as profit share incentives and for prestige marketing.

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19c. Scenario 7 – Phase 2

Phase 2 continues the under promise over deliver formula of phase 1, and adds only 6 mandates a year to create 12 mandates by the end of 2019. This, plus the 9 agency websites and the TBS™ software, plus the human power of the 8 or more directors who own equity in the agency websites pushing as hard as they can to unlock their potential; creates an extremely prestigious primary network that at the latest count generates R14million / $1.1million discretionary cash flow. Fifty percent of which returns $550,000 to the primary network investors each year. This includes all pre-corporation-tax expenses including the ongoing +/- 2.5% of turnover development contribution, which Villa Secrets Ltd. receives.

 

20. Price and Value

There is no way one could make the systems design, all the websites, and all the software fully complete for under $10 million. However, this opportunity costs just $168,000. A $42,000 deposit with the balance paid relative to systems completed and websites delivered over 16 months.

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21. Prestige & Jet Set Marketing

Prestige marketing sees properties in lifestyle magazines & our coffee table book, broadcast quality videos & luxury brand association made into a ‘real estate agents’ packs,’ so turning rental mandate into sales mandates. Jet Set marketing brings more jet set buyers to our locations.

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22. Real Estate Systems and Wins

In Cape Town we strategize that in 2020 rental mandates turned into sales will generate 12 new sales, which would increase the number of luxury villas sold by a leading estate agency by 70%. However, if we deliver on our Jet Set marketing initiatives, sales could be a lot more…

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23. Development Timetable

Given a October 2017 start systems will be ready by: S-World TFS™ in Dec 2017, CRM-Ai™ in Jan 2018, CRM-CC™ & UCS™ in Apr 2017, CRM-Ai™ App in June 2018, Website 4 in Jun 2018, Websites 5 & 6 in Aug 2018, Websites 7 to 9 in Oct 2019, and CRM-CC™ & UCS™ App in Dec 2018.

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24. Be Easy to Buy From

From a eureka moment in 2009, eight years of refinement and development makes not just a great value product but also a simple product; that does not create disruption within the investing real estate agencies organization, is fantastically low risk, and extremely easy to buy.

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25. Gain Consensus across Partner Organization

The final stage of ‘The Villa Secrets’ Secret is about gaining a ‘hell year’ from each department within the investing organization, with different chapters created for different departments and stakeholders; chapter 1 for IT to assess, chapter 3 is for stakeholders & agents, and so on.

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The S-Web CMS Framework

Chapter 1. The S-Web CMS Framework

By Nick Ray Ball 2nd July 2017

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Prologue…

Before we delve into chapter one, a quick focus point for to the two principle recipients of this book: The ChanZuckerberg Foundation and leading high-end real estate companies.

We are not providing websites, CRMs, or software to replace an existing company’s systems. We are providing bundled websites and systems for companies or individuals to start new ventures. In this example, we focus on creating a vacation rental division for a real estate agency, including a bouquet of nine agency websites and 16 individual villa websites for use when gaining sole rental mandates, plus access to significant systems and software that we have made and are making that make the venture simple to manage and extremely profitable. We call this option ‘the primary network,’ which for various reasons we prefer to be run/owned by a successful real estate company in the locations we are focusing on: Cape Town, California, and Hawaii.

Once the primary network is established, we create web and software packages for other individuals & companies to join the network. Most of whom will focus on the acquisition and marketing of sole rental mandates, which due to what we have labelled ‘prestige marketing’ and ‘the estate agents packs,’ will mostly turn into sole mandates for sale by the real estate company’s ‘primary network’ when it’s time to sell.

For the real estate agencies, these systems make the job of managing what many real estate MDs & CEOs have traditionally considered a very manpower intensive division a lot simpler to run, with potholes and potential landmines avoided. A fundamental component of Villa Secrets primary and other networks is that until they become as profitable as to warrant C-Suite management interest, they can pretty much run themselves. And the only reason they can do so are the systems presented in this chapter and throughout this book.

In terms of for sale mandates, in chapter 19 ‘Real Estate Systems and Wins,’ we break into game theory and present the hypothesis of how many property sales will be made by the primary network in future years. Not exclusively from the mandates won by the real estate agents new ‘primary network’ but instead all the companies in the network.

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In chapter two, we listed dozens of company types that can recruit sole mandates. For instance, an architect’s portfolio of current and previous clients; a property developer who has completed a new set of luxury apartments; private Islands and leading safaris providing multi leg options to their clients or making money from their ‘overflow’ (options to book alternate venues when their venue is booked); and a villa owner or property manager who is already making residual income from their ‘overflow’ can turn this side-line into major income stream.

Or for instance, a relative or friend of a luxury villa owner who has jumped on the Airbnb property manager bandwagon promised/expected a good return, but has found that it’s not that easy at the top end; or a villa rental company that just has not kept up with technology and is struggling with the new breed of competition that VRBO (vacation rental by owner) websites have caused.

The list goes on and on… but the headline is ‘Most companies will recruit mandates that only the real estate partner can sell.’

When we estimate property sales in chapter 19, we do so from the mandates, clients and opportunities gained by all companies in the network. And it is for these companies and the monitoring of them that the following systems are essential for.

Lastly, in creating these systems we fulfil on our initial claim to the Chan Zuckerberg Foundation that we can create the environment necessary for people to reach their potential, as all the pitfalls and landmines associated with starting and running a business have been cleared away, and the individuals and teams running them can focus on developing their strengths, not admin and businesses administration. And they can do so from the starting point of having a better web presence and superior systems to their competitors (or at least equal to big spending competitors), safe in the knowledge that over time the web framework and systems will continually be improved upon, pressing home their advantage.

Chapter 1. S-Web CMS Framework

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In this, the first chapter we follow the ‘Challenger Sale’ prescription which demands five discrete steps before presenting our product.

To recap, The Challenger Sale is the best-selling book on B2B complex and bundled solution selling by Matthew Dixon & Brent Adamson; Managing Directors with The Corporate Executive Board’s Sales Executive Council, which serves more than 200,000 business leaders across roughly 4,800 organizations in more than 50 countries, which gives them a wide angle on any business issue.

For each of the 6 steps recommended by Dixon & Adamson, we shall begin by highlighting their advice on what each step should contain,

in a bolder font

.

 

S-Web CMS Framework

Challenger Sale Step 1. The Warmer

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Dixon & Adamson:

‘Build credibility and show your prospective partners you understand their challenges.
It’s an approach we have dubbed ‘hypothesis based selling’ rather than leading with open ended questions about customer’s needs, instead lead with hypothesis about customer’s needs, informed by your own experience and research.’

With a touch of irony in making the case for this action, the first research we shall present is from the CIO Executive Board. It’s a little old but it makes the point.

In 2009 the CIO Executive Board found that only 26% of business leaders rated their IT departments as effective. And in a study of 5,000 staff members 76% of staff disagreed with the statement “has their job performance improved due to a new system delivered by IT.”

 

Websites, Integrated Software & ‘Wow & Awe’

When it comes to creating a new business or product line (in this example vacation rentals) in a market that is internet and affiliate driven, in most cases the first thing most customers see (be them direct or trade) is one’s website. The more engaging and awe-inspiring your website, the more of an emotional connection you will make and the more likely a customer is to enquire and book. We call this ‘Wow & Awe.’

Once a client has enquired, it is then down to the skills of a sales representative to use the systems at their disposal to source and present stock (villas/exclusive use safaris and private islands) to the client, and seek to make the booking.

Before going into further detail, we need to describe what our definition of a system is. In context to S-World Villa Secrets, a system can be a software, a part of the website, a human resource (staffing), or anything that assist the sale process, even just ‘picking up the telephone,’ if this action is prompted by the software, or part of the operations manual.

Whatever systems one uses, one will almost always refer to a website. On the telephone, one will ask a client to look at pages ‘x, y & z,’ whilst talking the client trough the options. By email one will provide links to the website. CRM software (customer relationship management) should be intrinsically connected to the website, and your accountancy software should be equally connected.

Why should CRM & accountancy software connect to your website? Well there are many reasons but for one there is no need for data inputting (from website to CRM or accounting software), and this adds a layer of security that greatly reduces errors and fraud, it saves staff time and enables one to do the job of many. In addition, if financial and CRM data is connected to your website, one can present the data to the client in real time in their client suite.

Getting back to the website itself & ‘Wow & Awe!’

If one was in the mood for a new website suited for a large vacation rentals or real estate company, one needs a website with a CMS (content management suite) that is not only simple for staff to use, but also it should be kind of fun, and if possible addictive. As in our 17 years of experience with various companies and websites, from www.CapeVillas.com to www.ExperienceAfrica.com & www.Cape-Town-Luxury-Villas.com to www.VillaSecrets.com, we have found in all cases that a company that adds about 100 properties a year will double the performance (gross profit) compared to a company that only added a dozen or so properties. The more engaging, simple, and quick to use the CMS is; the more it will be used by staff.

As David Hoffeld presented in his book ‘The Science of Selling,’ one must avoid anything boring, and as neuroscientist John Medina confirms, “When the brain deems something uninteresting it will disengage from it.”

In short, Bored Clients don’t buy and Bored Staff don’t use…

Be it the CMS or the CRM, getting staff to use the systems in the first place is often a struggle. And chances are whoever created their CMS was not thinking about how to also make it fun and addictive. In many cases it’s as much as one could expect, for it to just be simple.

 

There are three types of CMS:

  1. CMSs like WordPress which help web designers make very attractive smaller websites.
  2. CMSs within bigger custom-made websites, so staff may add products to the website.
  3. CMSs for creating mobile websites often used to upgrade older websites and legacy systems

1. CMSs like WordPress which help web designers make smaller attractive websites.

In the case of WordPress, the CMS is very powerful and adaptable, and when using it one can visually create just about anything. It comes with thousands of different themes that create the most up to date look for a website. However, as the CMS for WordPress has been designed for any situation, it has a thousand functions that are not needed to add a property/product that can get in the way, and so one needs to spend time teaching each staff member how to use it, and even with training some staff still struggle.

We did this a few years back when we created the Villa Secrets Blog, http://blog.villasecrets.com. If we look at an individual product page such as this one: http://blog.villasecrets.com/african-safari/ulusaba-african-luxury-safari-in-sabi-sand we can see it really does make the property look good, and these enhanced pages went down very well with clients, gaining an emotional ‘wow & awe!’ response every time.

The trouble was the pages took a long time to make even when one has all the photos and copy. To add all the photos and copy to the websites took over 90 minutes, and to make the image slider at the top took over two hours for an experienced WordPress web designer. So, we could not add a page quickly and we could not add the image slider at all without assistance from an expert.

In addition, WordPress is not built for many products, unless you create your own theme one can’t customize the file structure. It does not have a nice clear list of pages/properties added, and the way photos are stored is not ideal either. But the bigger problem was that despite having a standard MySQL database that one can fetch data from, when it came to connecting systems or another website to WordPress and adding data to the WordPress website, one needed to create a dedicated plug in, each time, for each system which is a time-consuming specialist discipline.

And for these reasons, despite the great looks and versatility of WordPress for making smaller websites, blogs or bespoke displays (if you are reading this on a website, then you are reading this on WordPress), it’s not a solution for creating larger websites that require multiple API and other web based connections to software and systems. Unless one is happy to only use the systems that have already been created as plugins, which are an awful lot, but not nearly what we desired or needed.

Maybe in a few years this may change if everyone makes a plugin for WordPress for every system, and people made theme’s specifically for bigger companies. But right now it’s not the right tool.

2. CMSs within bigger custom-made websites, so staff may add products to the website.

With WordPress and similar CMS web solutions off the table, to add a simple to use CMS for staff to use, one needs to look at a custom-made website, or an adaptation of a custom website already created by a web developer.

In many cases for large custom-built websites, a web developer will use a web framework such as Zend. A web framework is designed to support the development of web applications and alleviate the overhead associated with common activities performed in web development. In other words, for items like CMSs, enquiry pages, currency convertors and other functions or pages one customizes a page that has already been made within the framework. And whilst this is useful, the pages created are mostly uninspired, and often boring, and in particular the CMS and other back end systems.

To customise the framework to create the product pages to the same degree of ‘wow & awe!’ as seen in our WordPress experiments would take a long time, require various experts, and be expensive. In addition, if one wishes to add to the website, say for instance an ‘online magazine’ or a system for agents to create dedicated webpages for clients (particularly useful in the mobile world we live in), the reliance on the web framework by the developer may hinder such progress. And of course, unlike WordPress, it’s completely impossible to add to or adjust the website design in any way without the web developer.

Lastly, websites get old both in look and code, and only the most successful companies can afford to completely overhaul the website every few years.

3. CMSs for creating Mobile websites

Lastly in the world of web frameworks and CMSs we have the increasing important mobile frameworks, and in this category http://jquerymobile.com is the market leader and like WordPress is free to use.

One does not need such a framework for WordPress and other ‘all industry’ modern CMS web frameworks, but one does if one needs to attach a quality mobile component to Zend and other frameworks, or custom-built websites that did not build for mobile, or legacy (old) websites that are all poor on mobile.

We tested JQueryMobile in 2015 and created a good looking mobile website for Villa Secrets. See http://m.villasecrets.com (only view on mobile, only 80% complete), but despite its good looks and simple functionality, working in this way was not ideal, as one effectively has two different websites. And when it comes to development of adding a new section such as the previously mentioned ‘online magazine,’ one needs to develop it two times, once for desktop and once for mobile so increasing the cost, and the chances of something going wrong. Plus, its poor SEO, say Google as a link to one page on desktop, will not count to the same page on mobile and vice versa.

In Conclusion

To create a large-scale website with more than 100 products, including a custom-built attractive simple CMS that staff can use without need for training, that has the very best design as featured in the best WordPress themes, that can be connected via API to booking systems to provide online availability & booking, which also performs and gives ‘wow & awe’ across the variety of device sizes from desktop and hi-res laptops, to tablets and mobile; you need to hire a top web development company who already have such websites in their portfolio, and that will cost a lot of money.

If only there was a system that has the best of all worlds, the Wow and Awe of WordPress, the simpler XML connectivity of custom websites, the mobile presence of JQueryMobile with a CMS that was simple, kind of fun to use, and even addictive.

 

Step 2: The Reframe

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Dixon & Adamson:

“Building off the challenges presented in step 1, introduce a new perspective that connects those challenges to a bigger opportunity than hadn’t been previously considered. This is not the place to be timid as the entire approach rests on your ability to surprise and make readers curious for more information.

However, the reframe is not about the incite itself, it’s just the headline, and like any good headline your goal is to catch your customer off guard with an unexpected viewpoint, to surprise them, make them curious and get them wanting to hear more. The response one is seeking is for the reader to say: ‘Huh, I’ve never thought about it that way before.”

 

Limited only by our imagination

At the end of the last step we postulated: If only there was a system that has the best of all worlds, the wow and awe or WordPress, the simpler XML connectivity of custom websites, the mobile presence of JQueryMobile with a CMS that was simple, kind of fun to use, and even addictive.

However, that’s not all he wrote. In creating a system that has the qualities that WordPress provides but with a custom-made CMS that is not only simple it’s fun to use and addictive, one actually creates a framework from which you can develop software into the system in a way that no other big company has. And in a way, that’s infinitely simpler than working with a handful of different systems by different developers connected together to create a complete solution. And in development simplicity is a very valuable commodity.

If one develops software inside the S-Web framework, so that the software was an extension of the website, one could build a CRM into it. If one could do that one could automate the website, one could use the enquiry data and search criteria to create automatic communications with clients that looked and appeared human, and it could automatically email bespoke villas (properties not on property inventory systems), and as soon as the availability was confirmed it could send the client an update.

One could automatically create the perfect email for a client, and present it to agents who are out of the office or out of work hours, which would only take them a minute or two to check on their mobiles and send as a reply to the client. We know from experience that agents that answer enquires and respond to communications out of work hours can double the sales figures of those that don’t. So, it’s no small point.

In fact, one could do just about anything if there was just one system instead of many. If the software was a part of the web framework, one’s limitations are no longer technical in nature, rather they are only restricted by one’s imagination.

What if one could create a company controller within the CRM that organised the functions of all staff and management, and what if it could give a score so that each day each team member had the opportunity to score more points and win the day.

What if… What if…

What if when one added a product to the CMS, it gave 10 points, and more points each time someone viewed the page, and 100 points every time someone booked it, and those points were liked to profit-share, bonuses, and commission. This changes the dynamic of adding properties and searching for mandates, and brings the whole team on board, and focus them on finding properties that will make bookings, as each booking made adds points and so more profit share.

What if there was a management game running in the background that showed everyone’s score and a bunch of tutorials in how to increase it? That when acted upon improved the bottom line of the company in over 80 different ways?

Would that make the CMS fun?
Would that make it addictive?
Would that focus the team on tasks that were important to the bottom line?

Dixon & Adamson:

So what’s next…

You have shown your customer a different way to think about websites CMSs and systems, now you have to show them why it matters!

 

Step 3: Rational Drowning

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Dixon & Adamson:

Next, show prospects the numbers behind why they should think differently.
Rational drowning is where you lay out the business case for why the reframe in step 2 is worth your customer time and attention.

In 2015 in a meeting with Rhino Africa (arguably the world’s No1 safari orientated tour operator), Rhino Africa revealed that their ROI (Return on Investment) from Google AdWords was over 600%. This was at first puzzling, as we fancied ourselves as masters of Google AdWords, but were only getting a 300% to 400% return. This puzzle was made the more perplexing due to greater completion for African Safaris vs Cape Town Villas.

However, it did not take long to work out why they were getting this 600% return, it was their systems, which they made mention cost more than $1million. It was Rhino Africa’s systems that turned what would have been a 300% return into 600%.

All one needs to do to move that 300% ROI to a 600% ROI was either double the number of enquiries one received from their website adverting, or double the amount of bookings made from each enquiry.

And if one could both double the amount of enquires one received from their website, and double the amount of bookings made from each enquiry one would turn that 300% ROI into 600% ROI and then 1200% ROI (a 400% net gain on the status quo).

Intrinsically linked into the S-Web CMS Framework is what we call ‘The TBS™’ (Total Business Systems), which is all the web components and all the software described in this book, as summarised in chapter 14. This chapter provides over 80 separate systems, from CMS, to CRM to staffing. For instance, a call centre and live chat open 7 days a week in European and US time zones speaking different languages to assist the sales process we believe may increase ROI as follows:

Villa Secrets Call Centre & Content Marketing Max Effect   Phase 1 Effect
24/7 365 Call Centre and Sales Team

40.0%

13.2%

Foreign language Sales Teams

35.0%

11.6%

24/7 Live Chat (USA, Asia Time zones in Multi Languages)

25.0%

8.3%

Content Writing 1

20.0%

3.0%

Subtotal

100.0%

33.0%

Note: The figure on the left (100%) is the figure we feel can be achieved after a few years with an experienced 24/7/365 team. Whereas the figure on the right 33% is what we expect at the end of phase 1 (when gross profit = R10milllion / $765,000, expected by the end of 2018).

Please note that 33% is a low estimate considering the huge advantages it would bring, we always err on the side of caution when making software ROI forecasts.

Next we see the ROI that is expected from the web framework itself, again a low estimate, as this is in comparison to the prototypes www.capevilas.com and www.cape-town-luxury-villas.com which are now both outdated and are just awful on mobile.

S-Web Villa Secrets Web Framework Max Effect   Phase 1 Effect
Superior Visual Experience

15.0%

11.3%

Greatly Superior Mobile Experience

20.0%

10.0%

Advertise on Mobile Platforms

10.0%

7.5%

Subtotal

45.0%

28.8%

In total, there are currently 88 different single systems presented in full in chapter (14) that combine to make the following:

Total (Complete or in progress Systems)

699.5%

248.6%

     
Other TBS™ & M-Systems

488%

64.5%

     
Competitors and Other Negatives

-225.0%

-113.5%

     

Total

1122.0%

208.90%

‘Total (Complete or in progress Systems)’ are the systems that are described in the various dedicated chapters in this book, that have either been developed or are being developed, items in development are due for completion in 2017 and 2018 per the development schedule found in chapter 20.

‘Other TBS™ & M-Systems’ are items in or due for development that have not becomes part of a specific project/chapter

‘Competitors and other Negatives’ are significantly overestimated items that may negatively affect performance such as the rise of Airbnb and other competitor improvements.

What this is telling us is that when working on lowest success probabilities, at the end of phase one we should expect to increase ROI from online and other adverting by 209% and that by the time we have completed the entire system it can create a much greater affect.

A 209% increase to an average 300% ROI from Google AdWords changes the return to 627%, and as importantly makes lower ROI adverting such as advertising in Condé Nast Traveler into profit making advertising choices.

 

Primary Network – Villa Rental Agency Returns

Scenario 7

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In 2014 we launched the prototype for Villa Secrets www.cape-town-luxury-villas.com, and in 2015 using only Google AdWords it created almost as much income as www.capevillas.com which had 13 years of trading experience. Collectively the duo of websites had only one rental mandate and no systems whatsoever. The combined GP (Gross Profit) was just over R3million / $230,000.

In 2016, we created 6 forecasting scenarios that used different strategies, and as we did the Villa Secrets business plan became more detailed, to the point where it is now longer the average novel.

In chapter 18, we present the 2017 ‘Scenario 7’ and the first phase of the Villa Secrets primary network offer which adds 7 more websites, all of which will use the new ‘wow and awe!’ web framework. In addition, we desire the managing company to secure 6 exclusive rental mandates each year (see chapter 3) and we have the S-World TBS™ systems improving all returns by up to 209%.

Phase one is to achieve R10 million / $765,000 within a 12-month cycle, and given all the above, that’s a simple enough statistic to agree upon, given that just two sites with one mandate and no systems made R3million / $230,000. Then 9 Agency websites, 6 mandates each with their own website and dedicated marketing, multiplied by the 209% worth of systems, can make over R10 million / $765,000

In scenario 7, stage 1 share holder profit is estimated a R2.7million / $200,000. However, it is recommended that all profit in phase one be used for profit share and mandate marketing, as the point of phase one is to arrive at stage two as quickly and efficiently as possible.

By rights, in stage 2 we should increase the S-World TBS™ profit multiplier from 209% as more systems will be completed, improved upon, or added to. However, as we really did not need to, we just left it at 209%. But even with this limitation, when including another 6 rental mandates stage 2 gross profit (estimated for 2019 or 2020) is just shy of R40million / $3million, with shareholder profit before profit share at R14million / $1million. At which point, the division becomes worthy of the attention of the real estate companies C-Suite officers.

The complete cost for the primary networks agency websites and all software systems (chapter 20) is R2.2million / $167,772 plus a 12.5% of GP (equivalent to only a 2.5% of turnover franchise fee ) ongoing development contribution. With only 25% R550,000 / $41,943 payable on signing with the balance paid in 12 discrete steps over the following 18 months, each step liked to a website or software system being completed per the development timetable.

Skipping past stage one, as profit is desired to be reinvested, if we compare the cost of the primary network R2.2million / $167,000 to the stage two scenario 7 projection of R14million / $1million we have a ROI (Return on Investment) of 670%.

To put that into perspective…

If one were to put $167,000 in a US or UK bank, one would receive between 1% and 2% interest each year.
A good return from investing in the stock market is 10% per year.
A fantastic return from the stock market is 25%.
Villa Secrets Primary Network 670%

Sounds too good to be true? Well really that’s the point, that’s what disruptive change is all about. So long as the real estate agent can bring in the 6 rental mandates each year, which given we present 19 different ways to acquire mandates and most agents at the real estate company will likely know at least one prospect, is more than achievable. In fact, it could be doubled, or even trebled.

However, another way to look at it is not that one is making a 670% return, but instead that one is making a reasonable return on an opportunity that should cost over $1million in the first place. So instead of a 670% return, one is initially receiving a 670% discount (See chapter 20 for valuations of the true value of the primary network opportunity).

Further… according to ‘The Challenger Sale’ the best-selling book on B2B complex and bundled solution selling by Matthew Dixon & Brent Adamson; Managing Directors with The Corporate Executive Board’s Sales Executive Council, which serves more than 200,000 business leaders across roughly 4,800 organizations in more than 50 countries.

“In a recent survey of B2B customers the marketing leadership council, found only 35% of companies able to establish themselves as truly preferred over the competition.

And still more troubling, even among preferred companies when we tested the impact of each of the benefits they believed to be unique, we found that customers perceived only half of them to be relevant to their needs.

When you put it all together, only 14% of companies so called unique benefits were perceived by customers as both unique and beneficial.”

It’s astonishing…

“Only 14% of companies so called unique benefits were perceived by customers as both unique and beneficial.”

That means that 6 out of 7 companies have nothing unique or significant about them at all. Whereas throughout this book, we present well over 50 unique systems that are all beneficial to the bottom line.

As such the math says that statistically the Villa Secrets’ Secrets is 350 times more innovative compared to the average company. And this before we even get to the advanced M-Systems design.

If a company is 350 times more innovative than its competitors, it is truly disruptive.

 

Chapter 19. Realtor Systems and Wins

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Unlike the 7 villa rental forecasting scenarios, which are based on decades of expertise and various prototypes with various managers, when it comes to for sale mandates we do not have a crystal ball. But we can be sure that most rental mandates will turn into sale mandates for the following reasons:

Villa Secrets has a unique ‘rental mandate turns to sale’ commission system, where over half of the rental commission is used for what we call ‘Mandate Marketing’ and half of that is spent on ‘Prestige Marketing’ which puts the villa in magazines like Condé Nast Traveler and Vogue, and prime placement in the Villa Secrets Coffee Table books, to be compiled with other items into estate agent’s packs. For use if and when the owner wishes to sell, or if a high roller buyer is interested and offers top dollar for a villa that is for sale, but only at the right price.

This being so, we can apply a formula that is relative to how many mandates the entire local network is estimated to gain, to estimate how many for sale mandates will be achieved

In chapter 19 we break into game theory to see how this will impact real estate agents, below we see a game we are developing. The initial conditions are that in Cape Town including the Atlantic Seaboard, City, Waterfront, Constantia and surrounds 100 villas are sold a year for over $2million. And that there are 3 market leaders that account for 50% of sales and a collection of about 7 other companies that account for the other 50%.

 

The Estate Agent’s Game 1 – Capture Market Share

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Above we zoom ahead to 2020 and assume Villa Secrets has delivered on its network ambition and a large network of companies and individuals have collectively amassed 100 villa rental mandates, of which fifteen are sold via the Villa Secrets partnered real estate agency (the primary network).

In this scenario, we deduct the 15% loss in market share evenly across all agencies, so the three-big agency decrease their market share by 2.5% each. Which is the cost of not joining the network. There is a dominant strategy for only one real estate agency to join the network, and in that case it would increase its market share by 12.5%, increasing their sales of villas over $2million from 17 to 29 and an increase of 75% to the agency itself.

If two agencies joined, both would increase market share by 5 villas over $2million from 17 to 22, an increase of 30% per agency.

This would be a great result for any real estate agent, a 30% or 75% increase in sales of the most expensive properties, and as success breeds success this figure could increase as owners come to Villa Secrets ‘primary network’ not just to rent but also to sell.

Another more ambitious game is created, that includes the factor of ‘Jet Set’ marketing, which seeks to connect with private islands, exclusive safaris and other expensive properties to bring more Jet Set clients to Cape Town in the first place, not taking market share, increasing it.

If we get this right and double the amount of Jet Set clients, we expect a far higher return for our partner real estate agents, and a Nash Equilibrium (a win/win) for all real estate agents, regardless of whether they are in the network or not, albeit as we can see the benefits of this scenario are colossal for the estate agency or agencies that join the network.

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For more details, see chapter 19.

 

Step 4. Emotional Impact

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Dixon & Adamson:

Emotional impact is all about making absolutely sure your customer sees themselves in the story you are telling. Now you’ve got to make it personal, this is where story telling really comes into play. As the name implies, emotional impact isn’t about the numbers, it’s about the narrative, you’ve got to paint a picture of how you and other companies, went down a painful path, that the customer will recognize.

Later in this book we present two emotional Impact stories, which for now we shall just touch on, before presenting our ‘Emotional Impact’ narrative that is specifically relative to the S-Web CMS Framework.

1. Key Staff Leaving

In chapter 2 we present an ‘emotional impact’ narrative and solution to the problem of losing one’s best agents who either start their own competing business or join other competing firms, often taking with them one’s database of inventory and client list and always losing the company money.

This story should feel immediately as familiar to estate agencies and rental agencies alike, indeed this is a familiar story in most businesses, which we counter by including key staff as shareholders in one or more of the primary network’s 8 agency websites, or by recruiting staff to the network as individual network/website owners. This not only avoids the temptation to start their own businesses as they already own the business, it also is a primary building block for individuals to reach their potential as everyone works harder when they are running their own business and not working for the man.

In addition, the systems created to assist one staff member to the job of three, including answering the most important enquiries and replying to the most important conversations out of hours assisted by the Ai, are equally good reasons for personnel to stay put, as if they leave, they will no longer have access to the software, and will be less productive.

2. Accounting and Admin Nightmares

In chapter 6. S-World TFS™ (Total Financial Systems) we present a harrowing tale of 8 years of financial inefficiency created by 6 financial managers, accountants, and book keepers who should have known better, but did not. Which lost or cost CapeVillas.com over R6million / $460,000 which was not only a huge amount of money to lose, it was also a huge amount of money that could have been invested into the business to create wins.

This accounting nightmare was centralised around human error and the Pastel financial software, that come rain or shine were completely unfit for purpose.

For this reason, in 2010 after the 5th biggest firm in South Africa ‘BDO’ made a R2million / $150,000 VAT error (not in our favour) and had cost another R2million / $150,000 in billable hours and associated expenses, I decided I simply could not carry on with the status quo and I needed to create our own financial systems. Which alongside the affiliate website idea gained from working with Sotheby’s turned into the first S-World business plan in February 2011, which over the past 6 years has developed into the plans we are presenting right now.

 

3. Web Developer Frustrations

To refocus this chapter to the S-Web CMS Framework we shall share the frustrations we had with web and database developers, that lead us in 2013 to create our own database first web development team.

But before we begin let’s hear some supporting data from the CIO executive board:

Only 26% of business leaders rate their IT departments as effective.

76% of staff disagreed with the statement: “Their job performance improved due to a new system delivered by IT.”

In 1999 after 10 years working as a Cubase network programmer, like many in my profession I (Nick Ray Ball) swopped to web design and development and became an immediate expert at a new image rich web design system called Flash as it was timeline based and very similar to Cubase. In the year 2000 after attending a lecture by Macromedia on Flash in London, I set myself the goal of making a virtual tour from it. By 2002 I had done so and we were the first company in the world to do so.

During this time, I had emigrated from London to Cape Town and created the web development company ‘Cape Go.’ However, the web was only taking shape in Cape Town and no matter how good our work was, it was difficult to get clients. So, we started developing websites for ourselves and running the business.

In those early days in 2000 to 2003, I created the CapeVillas.com website and others in Dreamweaver (HTML) and Flash, which we were more than competent in. But in 2003 as CapeVillas.com became a success, the need arose to build a database driven CMS (content management suite) for Cape Villas as it was becoming labour intensive making each page individually and updating pricing was also a problem. Fortunately, our first venture into database driven web development was very painless and free, as a local database web development company loved our website and in particular our virtual tours, and offered to add their CMS to our website for free as a portfolio exercise for them.

Soon after we swopped to another company to build further functionality and this was also a smooth process. And by 2005 we had added a property management system and other software components created as part of the CapeVillas.com website. But in about 2007 the company we used split up for some reason, and we needed to find new database developers. We went to the companies we knew had a good reputation, but they pronounced that the PHP code in our website was old and messy and needed to be completely re written and in fact we needed a completely new website.

Whether this was because they were trying to up-sell us, or whether they just weren’t that good I will never know. But it happened more than once, indeed our previous developers had been trying to get us to replace a website with a new one for years. What I do know now is that we never did replace the website, and my current programmers don’t have any problem working with it. Albeit it definitely needs an update from a visual perspective and were gearing up to do that.

Not being able to find a development company who could or would work on CapeVillas.com turned out to be a very expensive lesson, as with no database developers we could not continue to improve the system. And in 2010, when a competitor brought out their version of a property management system for public use, we were no longer the leaders in vacation rental technology, and they forged ahead whilst we did not.

However, this is not the story I am telling… going back to 2009 two years had passed without development. But in those years we created The Cape Villas Magazine and distributed it with Condé Nast Traveler to great acclaim, seeing big brands like Bulgari asking to sponsor the follow up, and two of the estates agents we are currently considering to operate the Villa Secrets ‘primary network’ (Seeff & Sotheby’s) asked us to assist their set up of villa rental departments on a profit share basis.

Regarding Bulgari and the follow up publication, we worked out that we would make better ROI from our publishing and distribution if we opened up our market, instead of luxury villas in Cape Town, luxury properties across Africa which led to the creation of ExperienceAfrica.com. And while we could not develop CapeVillas.com, as it was a new build we found a developer who could create the Experience Africa website the way we wanted. So, we started to create that website and brand.

Our financial manager at the time, who had come to us a year before from a company 20 times our size, has informed me that we would have over R1million / $75,000 in the bank if all debits were paid and all credits received. So, I went ahead with the development of not the website and brand, including a new shop, fixtures and fittings, and a department of 4 very capable personnel, plus a dedicated Flash/graphics based web designer.

Initially, the new website was being developed per my designs and specifications and we spent about 6 months getting it looking really good, but I did not give specifications for the CMS. My thinking was the CapeVillas.com CMS that was created in 1999 worked well, and I just presumed that 10 years on a professional web developer would be able to improve upon it.

Big mistake!

By the time we had done the product research (picked our favourite 50 or so safaris, resorts, honeymoon villas etc), and made the websites UI (User Interphase/what the public see) and opened the new store we started having problems with the CMS. At first I just thought it was teething problems. But as time passed, things did not get better. And every other day another staff member would say that he or she added a property but then it disappeared, or it would show an error signal.

It was such a shame as the design was awesome, and the big pictures and Flash animations at the top of each product’s page made its product pages superior to all competitors. In fact, the design was so good that Sotheby’s Realty Cape Town entered into a profit share venture with us, and for them we created a duplicate version of the website called AfricanConsierge.com. And this was the bright idea that this book is an extension of, a website that could be recreated again and again for many companies on a commission share basis.

But alas, the developers never did fix the bugs and neither our staff or the staff at Sotheby’s could add properties. And as money was getting tight I literally had to scrap the entire brand, let go of all the staff and a year later I scrapped the entire website. Total losses of over R1million when we include the shop and staff.

Was it foolish hiring the staff and shop before the website was live, sure it was. But as far as everyone could see, it was a great website, and I really did not anticipate that a CMS would be such a problem.

As it turned out the problem was not the programmer. It was with the developer who would not let us speak to the programmer, for reasons I put down to him worrying we would offer him (specify which) a job I guess. But without access to the programmer and working through a middle man, who did not really understand the process, made it impossible to fix the bugs in the system.

To make matters worse, the developer eventually worked it out, brought out a competing villas website and teamed up with one of our best sales people to start a rival business, that to this day is still a competitor.

This was not the only incident of this kind. In 2003, we lost our lead developer to a real estate company who had at first asked to work with us. Working under the radar, he quit our company to work for theirs and created a website for them including all the villas we had fought long and hard to identify, that at the time became our biggest competitor and is still competing today.

And again in 2010 our web designer was lured to another company and took with him our entire portfolio of photographs and properties list, and created another rival site, albeit this one never got off the ground.

In conclusion

At the end of 2010 with the continued problem of losing our best staff, the ridiculous and reckless behaviour of accountants and their chosen software that was not fit for purpose. combined with both web developers failing us and/or starting new companies in competition to us; it was time for a change. And so, I retired from the frontline of Cape Villas and decided I needed to go back to my programming and web design roots and create a system that elevated all the problems mentioned so far, that contained a CRM (customer relationship management), financial software and connections to PMSs (property management systems) and GDSs (global distribution systems) all as one system.

In March 2011, the following plan was created initially for VIRGIN
www.s-world.biz/TST/The_Virgin_Business_plan_in_Retrospect.htm, and since that day we have worked it and got better at it. First working out the network strategy and incorporated some highly advanced mathematics to create the ‘big picture’ of how we would like the international network to be, then developing the prototype web CMS framework, then adding the PMSs & GDSs connectivity and a JQueryMobile website. Then turning the whole project on its head working Mobile First. Then turning the project on its head again by creating a WordPress hybrid website. Then removing the WordPress elements and building software straight into the system. Until now we are designing systems that are unique, ahead of their time, and completely disruptive.

A disruptive company is typically a company that spends more time creating a product than its competitors, that is so advanced that it disrupts the market, carving out giant chunks of market share along the way. For example, Facebook, Airbnb or Uber.

 

Step 5: A New Way

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Dixon & Adamson:

Now it’s time to show the customer the solution, a point by point view of the specific capabilities they would need to have to benefit from the opportunity to make money, save money & mitigate risk that you are presenting.

However step 5 is about the solution, not about the supplier. It’s about showing customers how much better their lives would be if they just acted differently. You’re looking for your customer to say something like: ‘You’re right that makes total sense, that’s what we need to do,’ or ‘that’s the kind of company I want us to be.’

So far in this chapter we have identified several problems. We shall begin by looking at them one by one, and add some finer detail before presenting solutions.

  1. There seems to be no web framework at the scale we are working to that can simply and easily create a complete website, created by people with no knowledge of web design or programming.
  2. Large custom-built websites often lack ‘Wow & Awe’ and rarely have the design standards of the most cutting-edge WordPress themes
  3. Most CMS components created for staff use are poorly designed and boring and as neuroscientist John Medina confirms, “When the brain deems something uninteresting it will disengage from it.”
  4. Websites created initially for desktop have different navigation and functionality to how it would be best to create a mobile website in the first place.
  5. Smaller web developers who live locally in your place of business can copy your work and create competing business (as what has happened to us on 3 occasions).
  6. Web development companies can look very good online but perform terribly with CMSs and complex systems.
  7. Changing web developers can be challenging, as more often than not a new company will want to create a new website. In the same way, they say in building, “it’s cheaper to build a new house than it is to renovate an old one.’ So, it’s easier for developers to create a new site than work with another developer’s code.
  8. Software created initially for desktops needs a different workflow on mobile or when creating Apps.
  9. All-purpose multidiscipline software products such as Zoho
    The Zoho system provides accounting, a website, a CMS, a CRM & other functions. But other than maybe their accounting, each system is always second best to industry leaders. Their websites are nowhere near the standard of WordPress. They have limited CRM functionality compared to Sales Force and a CMS and workflow that is uninspiring.

For more complex integration, one needs an expert to set it up which can take months and cost $$$$, and connecting to an existing website requires a skilled PHP programmer to make the API.

  • Software, Websites, and the problem with APIs
    Software products like Sales Force CRM and Sage Accounting need to be connected to a websites database via an API, which requires specialist programming, is complicated, and is the wrong way to run a web-based company.

 

If your software is primarily there to support your website, then the software should be part of the website. The more APIs one creates for vital data or variables, the harder and more complicated a system becomes.

We shall start with point 10 and work backwards presenting ‘a new way’ for each problem.

 

Problem 10. Software, Websites, and the problem with APIs

Below we see an ultra-simplified way that one would connect 4 different systems together using APIs.

  1. A CRM such as Sales Force that improves a sales person’s organization and communications such as E-Mail.
  2. Financial software such as Sage Accounting, which in this scenario we create as the master accounting tool and so responsible for Price. Although any of these systems could be the master system for price, and that’s what makes it complicated, there is often a choice of many systems that could be the master for one variable or another, instead of one central database, one has four (or more given more separate software systems).
  3. The website which in this case we are attributing the initial enquiry data to.
  4. Connections to PMSs (property management systems) that provide availability (the dates).

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The problem with this picture is that there are many master controllers. If one were to add a new system, say marketing software by Marketo, it would need to fetch data from 4 different sources. And to get the most out of it, all the other systems would need to fetch data from it. The more systems you add, the more different master controllers of different data you have. There is no single place to connect to. Then if you wish to add concierge software such as Gold Key it’s the same problem again, and each time you add another system it creates another layer of problems.

In addition we need to remember we are looking at a very simple view, each system could have 1,000 different functions that all need to be recorded in one database table or another.

Programming in this way is greatly affected by the law of diminishing returns, as the more software and the more functions per software item, the more you add to the complexity and the less efficient it becomes. There is no magic wand. Eventually it will become so complex that development will grind to a halt, as programmers spend most of their days trying to remember where this database table or that database table is, and which API is the master for which functions in the first place. Even the most organised of development teams can only get so far with this method of system architecture.

And of course, there is no way to make this work together on mobile at all. Not in a way that is useful. Instead one would need to swop between the different software apps.

However in 2015, in the early days of the S-Web framework this was the way we were going to create the software, connecting over a dozen different pieces of software, seen here in over 5 hours of video:
http://network.villasecrets.com/business-plan/system-software-framework/divergent-crm-the-future-in-consumer-relationship-management

It’s not that this was a bad solution, it would be an awful lot better than no solution, but its light years away from ‘limited only by our imaginations.’

So what is the solution?

“If your software is primarily to support your website, it needs to be a part of your website, contained within the web framework.”

This solution started to emerge in the Autumn of 2015., As a part of a deal on hiring another senior programmer, I was given an intern programmer for 6 months for free and I experimented with the intern on integrating software directly into our website, specifically the magnificently complex ‘Magic Menus’
http://network.villasecrets.com/business-plan/system-software-framework/magic-menus-intelligent-xml-sitemaps-cms-logic.

Unfortunately in the end we did not use the system, but that’s not the point. The point is to work with an intern with a degree in computer science but no experiences on developing complex software including the multiple APIs needed. I needed a different way to work. I could not just give a list of functions, as that would create code that only he could fathom.

So, I created a new way of working with programmers that I called ‘CMS Logic’ which demanded that for every variable and database input, we would create a new CMS page; which I could use to adjust every action. But more importantly, it reminded me and the programmer where everything was in the first place. Because believe me by the time you have programme hundreds of variables into multiple APIs it gets hard to remember where everything is, and is much harder for a senior programmer to oversee and add to when necessary.

Over time ‘CMS Logic’ developed into the S-Web CMS Framework. At first we improved the basic CMS function of adding a product. Then we thought, let’s do this to the homepage as well. And then we thought to create a CMS for every front-end page for the website, created in a simpler way than any other webpage building CMS we have seen, as instead of web page elements we created the CMS as a finished page and just allowed users to swop text and pictures. Which basically meant that not only could a complete novice at web design create the whole website without assistance, they would do so at least 10 times faster than a trained WordPress or other web designer could.

But we shall get back to this later…

Creating the system per ‘CMS Logic’ enabled us to start to add the pieces of software that we wanted from external systems directly into the S-Web Framework, and the original idea of having many different systems linking to our website via APIs turned into creating the functions we need from the software directly into our CMS Framework.

In the graphic below (which instead of the 4 systems seen in the previous example we see 10 systems), if you compare the graphics you can clearly see the unrivalled simplicity of all systems fetching from just the one database.

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In this scenario, we are highlighting one of the database tables essential to all systems ‘The Price,’ which is created by either the website CMS Framework or the PMS, and all other systems fetch from a single database, or actually 2. But the point is it’s easy to work out where the price is.

Only by working in this way can one create complex systems in a way that challenges the law diminishing returns created from accessing vital data from multiple APIs, as one simply goes to the master database.

And remember what we are seeing above is a very simplified view of just 10 systems and only one variable ‘The Price.’ To imagine the scale of the entire system a quote from Anthony Hopkins in Meet Joe Black comes to mind:

“Multiply it by infinity, and take it to the depth of forever, and you will still have barely a glimpse of what I’m talking about.”

One simply can’t begin to do this with a bunch of different system created by different teams all threaded together by a bunch of APIs.

If one were to be objective however, or play devil’s advocate, one may hear the argument that creating the software from scratch like Sales Force needs tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars in R&D funding, and anything less would not be to the same standard. This assumption would be correct if one tried to make a CRM for everyone and every industry.

But as we are going industry by industry, we don’t need to recreate Sales Force. We only need CRM elements that are suitable for running a vacation rentals company. And in fact, because we are only focusing on this as a starting point, we can build a far superior CRM to Sales Force (suited to a specific industry niche) for a fraction of the price. As is explained soon in ‘Our Solution’ and in chapter 14. S-World TBS™ (Total Business Systems):

Problem 9. All-purpose multidiscipline software products such as Zoho

The Zoho system provides accounting, a website, a CMS, a CRM & other functions. But other than maybe their accounting, each system is always second best to industry leaders. Their websites are nowhere near the standard of WordPress. They have limited CRM functionality compared to Sales Force, and a CMS and workflow that is uninspiring.

For more complex integration one needs an expert to set it up, which can take months and cost $$$$, and connecting to an existing website requires a skilled PHP programmer to make the API.

Solution: The Solution to the above is exactly the same as the solution to the last two points. One needed to create the software as a part of the web framework not as separate items, but with added emphasis on each system individually needing to be either equal to the next best thing or better than it, for the specific industry niche it has been created for.

Problem 8. Software created initially for desktops needs a different workflow on mobile or when creating Apps.

Solution: This one is simple. Don’t start with a design for desktop, start with a design for mobile then adapt the desktop to the mobile (this is known as ‘Mobile First’ design).

But note, as all the current market leaders created their products before being seen on mobile was an important factor, each was initially created as a desktop device, which is why a system created first for mobile if done excellently will always beat a system first considered for desktop users, when it comes to delivering the most efficient, fun, and addictive mobile experience.

Problem 7. Changing web developers can be challenging, more often than not a new company will want to create a new website.

In the same way, they say in building, “it’s cheaper to build a new house than it is to renovate an old one.” So, it’s easier for developers to create a new site than work with another developer’s code.

Solution: Don’t hire developers or use development companies, be part of a disruptive technology company and pay a reasonable 2.5% royalty for their continued support and development.

Problem 6. Web development companies can look very good online but perform terribly with CMSs and complex systems.

Solution: Make sure you see an example of a CMS or complex system created by a developer before trusting them. With the best will in the world, nowadays, it’s very simple to make a great looking WordPress website, but when it comes to creating custom CMSs and software it’s a totally different ball game.

Problem 5. Smaller web developers who live locally in your place of business can copy your work and create competing business (as what has happened to us on 3 occasions)

Solution: One can incentivise developers with equity or profit share, or one can outsource development to India, the Philippines, or Eastern Europe to get access to ‘pound for pound,’ much better programmers and developers who are much more work focused. Alternatively, just work with a big and respected firm with a portfolio of work that is equal to your ambitions.

Problem 4. Websites created initially for desktop have different navigation and functionality to how it would be best to create a mobile website in the first place

Solution: Same as point 9, work ‘Mobile First.’
Or create a separate App entirely and work backwards from the App design to create it on mobile.

Problem 3. Most CMS components created for staff use are poorly designed and boring and as neuroscientist John Medina confirms, “When the brain deems something uninteresting it will disengage from it.”

Solution: Demand more from your web or software developers, ask that they treat the back-end systems of your website with the same level of design and functionality as front-end systems. One will be surprised just how far and how much you can do with a CMS if one treats it with the same respect given to the homepage.

Problem 2. Large custom-built websites often lack ‘Wow & Awe’ and rarely have the design standards of the most cutting-edge WordPress themes

Solution: Again, demand more from web designers and developers, there is nothing that can be created in WordPress that can’t be created and improved upon in a custom web framework. Although It may take a couple of years to get it right.

Alternately, again go with a respected large web development firm who within their online portfolio has a website just like you want, who can show you a working CMS and can reassure you about their ability to create software within the website. But be prepared for a plus $1million starting price for a project anywhere near what we are presenting.

However, by far the most practical solution and definitely the most economical is to take all that is ‘wow & awe’ about the most up to date cutting-edge WordPress designs and recraft it into a web framework, that one can use again and again, creating each time a website with the looks, or even better looks than WordPress, but within a framework that is custom-built for the task, that can add software straight into the core of the system.

Problem 1. There seems to be no web framework at the scale we are working to that can simply and easily create a complete website, created by people with no knowledge of web design or programming.

Solution: One would need a completely different way of creating websites. Instead of working like WordPress where one has a theme which one can customize, adding this widget and that widget to make up a page, and then adding complex plugins such as the Advanced Layer Slider seen here at the top of the page from our WordPress blog: http://blog.villasecrets.com/blog/stefan-antoni-cape-town-villas-in-south-africa

Instead one needs to really simplify the process, for a start, the idea of adding various elements, widgets and plugins to a page has got to be thrown out the window. And in their place, instead just present the user with a page that is already complete. And simply get them to swop the text and pictures.

It’s that simple.

Of course, it not as versatile as WordPress, it does not have thousands of different themes, not yet. But this is part of the simplicity, not 10,000 themes, just a few for now. But so what if your theme is better than most or all competitors, is a dream on mobile, and has all the connectivity advantages presented earlier enabling the simple creation of complex and original software… who cares.

I’m reminded of a quote from Chris Cox, the Facebook Chief Product Officer:

“We built a product that boiled down and removed all of those features, except for one thing, which was tagging it! So we organised the photos on the web around people, and it completely changed the experience, “That was (click) just like that!”

It’s the same principle. You don’t need all that so why make it a part of the framework. For non-designers, one only needs to see complete pages then add or swop the content, then it’s simple, and not only can it be done by just about anyone, it can be done 10 times faster.

For instance, to create a website not for a vacation rental or estate agency but for a single property. If one already had the text and photos prepared, one could create a complete beautiful 20-page website for a stand-alone villa in less than an hour.

Try asking any WordPress developer how much of a website they could create in an hour?

And this point comes full circle to our mandate marketing initiative and why few can copy it. As for it to be effective one must make every dollar count, and spending $$$$ on this website and paying god knows how much to design Coffee Table Books and other marketing systems we have created would just burn up the money in no time at all.

To win in mandate and prestige marketing, you need to make your bucks count more than double, and this is just one of the many advantages of thinking simple, clever, different, and always disruptive.

The Villas Secrets’ Secret

BUSINESS PLAN
& OPERATIONS MANUAL

Chapter 1

The Challenger Sale Step 6: ‘Our Solution’

The Challenger Sale Step 7: ‘Our Product’

The S-Web CMS & Software Framework

The Challenger Sale Step 6. ‘Our solution’

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Dixon & Adamson (The Challenger Sale):

Finally, demonstrate how your solution is the best one out there, now you lay out the specific ways that you can deliver the solution better than anyone else.

  1. S-Web CMS Framework Part 1
    a. A Combined Website and Software Framework
    b. We work one industry niche at a time
    c. We work ‘Mobile First’
  2. S-Web CMS Framework Part 2 (90% Complete)
    a. S-Web Super Simple CMS
    b. S-Web Mobile
    c. S-Web ‘Out the Box’ Complete Website Builder
  3. S-Web CMS Framework Part 3 (75% complete)
    a. S-Web CDS™ – Content Delivery System
    b. S-Web CDS™ – Online Magazine and Printed Media Publishing
    c. S-Web CDS™ – My List / My Webpage
    d. The Villas Cloud – Online Availability & Bookings
    e. S-World CRM-Ai™ – Bookings and Sales Ai (The Raybot)
  4. S-Web CMS Framework Part 4 (In the development que)
    a. S-World TFS™ – Total Financial System
    b. S-World CRM CC™ – Company Controller & The Hawthorne Effect
    c. S-World UCS™ – Competitive Games, Fun and Addictiveness
  5. S-Web CMS Framework Part 5 (Effectiveness of all system)
    a. S-World TBS™ – Total Business Systems

S-Web CMS Framework Part 1

a. A Combined Website and Software Framework

“To create truly disruptive complex systems without creating overly complicated systems; if your software is primarily to support business gained from your website, your software should be part of your website contained within a single web framework.”

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Above we see a graphic with 9 different Villa Secrets software systems intrinsically connected to the CMS web framework (the Website). On which we have isolated a single dataset the ‘Price.’ We can see how much simpler it is to develop this system, relative to using many software components strung together by APIs (data connections between 2 or more separate software items or websites) that create multiple data sources. And as seen below, in which we only show 3 software items which are already more complicated.

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Of course, the above is an incredibly over simplified version of both systems, as there are thousands of different database tables for this function and that function. A company that really knew their stuff could take every possible data set from each API and add that to one single master database. But that’s a lot of organization and time and even then, one is limited to only data sets that are available from the API in the first place.

Whilst very technical the above helps to explain the trouble IT companies have in creating useful systems, which helps explain the statistics from the Corporate Executive Board’s Sales Executive Council. Who, if we remember, serve more than 200,000 business leaders across roughly 4,800 organizations in more than 50 countries and who say:

The CIO Executive Board found that only 26% of business leaders rated their IT departments as effective.

76% of staff disagreed with the statement: “Has their job performance improved due to a new system delivered by IT.”

However, working our way (The Villa Secrets S-Web and S-World way) makes the creation of truly complex systems possible, without being truly complicated. If one has one central database that all systems fetch data from, we avoid the law of diminishing returns that would grind systems made up from different items of software to a halt as they become massive.

This does not mean that we don’t use APIs (data connections between 2 systems), for instance Google Analytics and just about every PMS (property management system) and GDS (global distribution systems). However, for all functions that provide data that we could not have gotten or created ourselves, such as CRM data (customer relationship management), accounting data, marketing, hospitality & concierge software; we create the systems we need straight into our core system, the S-Web Framework.

S-Web CMS Framework Part 1

b. We work one industry niche at a time

Large scale CRMs (customer relationship management) such as Sales Force are not dissimilar to jigsaw puzzles with thousands of pieces, of which some pieces are connected to create a solution. For most CRMs, the name ‘customer relationship’ takes a second place to the sales process of selling to the customer and monitoring of the sales person by management to make sure they are selling to the customer; with the only ‘customer relationship’ function being to send a bunch of follow up emails that most customers would prefer not to receive in the first place.

In contrast, if we go back to the first S-World integrated software design in 2011 created as an investment option for VIRGIN www.s-world.biz/TST/The_Virgin_Business_plan_in_Retrospect.htm, we see that one of our CMSs primary purposes is to deliver gifts to clients. A system now supported by the Villa Secrets Coffee Table Book which will barter product placements and adverts from leading luxury brands like Bulgari for gifts (such as handbags, perfume and other items) that we give to clients on arrival and send to them on special occasions such as anniversaries and Christmas after their stay, providing a truly effective form of remarketing and customer retention.

However, CMS or Sales Tool:

“We make our websites and software for one industry niche, whereas most CRM’s create a product for every business on the planet!”

Ask the C-Suite managers, or any developer at Sales Force, Sage, Zoho or any popular CRM if they thought they could make a better version of their software. If they made a system for a specific industry, or better still a niche within an industry and they would all say…

“Well of course…”

Its far, far simpler to create a CRM specifically for an industry niche than it is to create a system for all possible businesses. Not only because in doing so one can throw away most of the clutter, but because one is making a system specifically for a single purpose that one can get very detailed in the psychology and neuroscience of the communications back and forth.

For instance, we can include items that are not included in all industry CRMs such as 2nd and 3rd level questions and prompts, which in ‘The Science of Selling’ David Hoffeld explains are a key way to influence a potential client to book or buy, as Hoffeld reveals:

“These powerful questions have been analysed in numerous recent scientific studies. For instance, a study at Harvard University revealed that answering second level questions, which prompted participants to state their opinions, increased neural activity in the areas of the brain associated with reward and pleasure! These good feelings caused a change in the brain that naturally enhanced the participants emotional state. In other words, customers enjoy answering second level questions.”

S-Web CMS Framework Part 1

c. We work, ‘Mobile First’

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In the spring of 2015, we added a JQueryMobile website to the then prototype Villa Secrets website. You can see the mobile version here http://m.villasecrets.com (please view on mobile, and note its only 80% complete). The reason we did not complete it was that in our ambition to create an ‘out the box’ web product, working this way made life twice as hard as we effectively needed to create 2 websites. So, if we wanted to create 64 versions of the Villa Secrets web framework, each on a different domain, we would need to create 128 different websites.

In addition, we saw warnings from Google explaining that working in this way was not good for them, as with two webpages for each page (http://m.villasecrets.com and https://www.villasecrets.com) and a link to a page on desktop would give no power to the mobile version and vice versa. Another reason we stopped working this way is because each time we made a new page for desktop, we needed to make a new page for mobile. And as we wanted to add many different pages, we could see there would be a lot of work to do, and it would be better if we created our own mobile framework and work ‘Mobile First.’ And in doing so we own our own framework and sow the seeds for a product that can be created instantly at the touch of a button.

So we decided to work from the JQueryMobile design and completely recreate the desktop version, which was a brave decision as we knew it would take at least a year to create, and so we would lose a year’s revenue. But knowing this was the right decision, we decided to gamble all the additional money created from the www.cape-town-luxury-villas.com prototype. And so, at the beginning of Autumn 2015 we added 2 more programmers, a top-level HTML 5 designer and a copywriter.

However, within just a few days of the new team starting, a long term back injury reoccurred and limited my ability to type instructions for the team, who I communicated to from London to India via Skype. This event demanded a change from the development plan and was very significant; and also, rather odd that as soon as I made the change, my back got better and has not troubled me since…

This game changing decision was to learn WordPress, which I had seen catching up and beating my stable tool for web design since 2000 ‘Adobe Dreamweaver.’

Without the ability to communicate at pace with my team, I suggested that we stop the plans I had made for us all and instead we were to all learn WordPress (well all of us but the designer who already knew it).

Fortunately, the very first WordPress lesson I found online was a very detailed three-hour tutorial presentation by Ferdy Korpershoek on the Enfold Theme. Here is Fredy’s video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpMof6O1QNw and here are various demos of the theme
http://www.kriesi.at/themes/enfold/. And as you look you will see how this WordPress theme helped mould the look of our current website design, www.villasecrets.com and in particular the HTML5 animations.

After a few days, my back was better, but having seen the design power of WordPress we just carried on, making various test websites, and testing the database capabilities before integrating an Enfold Theme WordPress website into the Villa Secrets website as a separate blog site http://blog.villasecrets.com. And so, for a while we just experimented with WordPress and the idea of a hybrid WordPress vs Villa Secrets framework website, until we came across the problems mentioned in the previous steps, and in particular that we could not easily add data from our MySQL database to the WordPress SQL database, without creating specialist WordPress plugin each time, which would take a long time, indeed we would need a dedicated full time programmer just to make the plugins.

It was at this point that the decision to completely remake the desktop design came about. And as we were redesigning the entire website, why not do it in a mobile first way? The first task was the navigation which required fewer options, and once created we proceed to make the mobile pages and desktop pages at the same time, using both our WordPress experiments and the JQueryMobile site as a guide. And 21 months later we can see the mobile first Villa Secrets website www.villasecrets.com.

But this is only half the story, because having seen the merits of mobile first web design, when it came time to create the designs for the CMR and other software, we again started with the idea created in desktop, but then designed first for mobile, and in particular the navigation and work flows.

For a truly disruptive mobile experience, we needed the mobile version of the CRM to have the simplicity of a game or a well created APP. So before considering any on page input, we needed to create a simple navigation system.

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Above we see within our mobile menu, we added top and bottom navigation. The top will mostly stay the same but the bottom will change for each function, and is supported by 4 icons that also change. This creates a total of 48 different ‘quick tap’ options available for each individual function. Which is a lot, and is as far as we know a unique way to navigate on Mobile, because with 48 quick tap options that are instinctively arranged, one creates a very versatile base from which to create complex websites, software, games, and apps.

S-Web CMS Framework Part 2 (90% Complete)

a. S-Web Super Simple CMS

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There are millions of companies making ‘do it yourself websites’ but the S-Web framework is different. Instead of making individual pages, S-Web users start with a complete website for users to replace or update the content on each page, with no widgets or fuss. An example of this is our homepage www.villasecrets.com, which can take less than 10 minutes to create.

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Above we see part of the homepage CMS, which for anyone who has ever used WordPress or other CMSs will look very unfamiliar. There are no options to consider other than the content, and the little link icon at the top right of every picture.
Clicking on this link lets you add the property or magazine article ID. And when entered, it changes all the entire section adding a new header, photo, location, 60-word description and the call to action button, ‘just like that!’

Or one can add a new photo and write one’s own header and descriptions for each part, or simply edit any section.

It’s that’s simple!

And because it’s that simple, one no longer needs a web designer at all, beautiful complex pages can be created by the most junior of staff. In fact, you could even ask your 7-year-old child to create a home page that would still look professional and engage the public.

Skipping back in time a little, our individual villa pages which paved the way to the homepage CMS, were initially forged as a response to web developers across the world raising their game and creating increasing more attractive websites. The only way to combat this was to raise our game, substantially. One idea was to create individual villa pages that looked like homepages, and working in WordPress we created pages like this: http://blog.villasecrets.com/blog/cousine-island-villas-seychelles.

Whilst this and the other individual product/villa pages we made were a great improvement on any other travel or real estate website we could find, and proved very popular with guests and villa owners; each page took about three to four days to create, and as such were expensive. So, we created a super-fast CMS (content management system) for our copywriter and photographer to use. And in so doing after they had written the copy and chosen the images, adding the content and creating the animated image slider at the top of the page was down to a dozen or so minutes.

Here is an example www.villasecrets.com/Villa/North-Island-Villa=6061 which is superior to our original WordPress designs, and better than the most websites homepages. Which makes an impact in the high-end villas market as looks count, both for clients looking to go on holiday and equally the owners and managers of the villas, safaris & private islands.

The final essential component to any website is how one presents products/villas after a search is performed. One can see our search results page here: www.villasecrets.com/Best-Of-Africa, this page gets created automatically via the photos and text in the product pages, and a CMS page that changes the order of the villas.

We are creating a ‘super simple’ ‘on page’ CMS for every page. In fact, most pages are already done, we just need to do the contact us and various ‘about’ pages. Then after, as we add new pages such as Owner & Property Managers pages or the Client Suite, we will create the page and CMS together.

Does it work in mobile? Yes, beautifully and in fact better than both our original JQueryMobile and our WordPress mobile webpages, which got confused by the magazine style layout and ended up showing the pictures in the wrong order. Which yes, could have been fixed in the CSS editor, but not by anyone who was not skilled at CSS coding.

S-Web CMS Framework Part 2

b. S-Web’s Villa Secrets Mobile

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S-Web Mobile, the mobile website that looks and behaves like an App.
When it comes to the best website design, with so many different designs there is no clear winner. However, in the land of mobile websites there is far less competition, we are positioned amongst the best in the world.

There are many mobile-friendly sites made from WordPress. But WordPress is a tool for making smaller websites and not practical for big database driven CMS projects.

Google have warned that they will penalize websites that are not mobile-friendly. It’s only a matter of time until they do, because presenting poor mobile pages create a bad user experience.

Search engines aside, mobile usage has overtaken desktop. To have a site with a poor mobile presence is to say goodbye to half of one’s customers. Mobile is not the future of the web, it is the right now!

As you can see our mobile product looks like an App and has instinctive navigation. It does not have all the functionality of the desktop version, instead, we have taken only the parts that make sense to see on a mobile, as we seek to make both the simplest and most attractive mobile real estate and travel user experience.

But note the only reason we can do this so effectively is because we worked ‘Mobile First’ from our JQueryMobile site, to our desktop site and then created our mobile site responsively from the webpage. Note in particular the on-page drop down navigation that is the same on both desktop and mobile.

Whilst the mobile page and the desktop pages look different, they are both the same page, which in SEO (search engine optimization) is an improvement on mobile frameworks like JQueryMobile. Which demand the creation of new websites specifically for mobile use, which loses any link power attributed to the original desktop page in mobile searches (or vice versa).

S-Web CMS Framework Part 2

c. S-Web ‘Out the Box’ Complete Website Builder

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Before we begin explaining what we want to achieve, a word to say we are not there yet. The CMS is complete so each page can be created per the previous points, and in the forthcoming section S-Web CDS™ we show how we can already create users’ individual customised web pages for their own use at the touch of a button. But in terms of a complete out the box website, we can’t yet create one at the touch of a button.

However, what we can do is create batches of websites. We will see in chapter 2 that we have 200 web domains ready. And in 2018 we will create an S-Web website for each, and then present each website as an ‘out the box solution’ to various partners around the world.

However, it is our objective to be able to create a user website as simply as buying a domain name and off they go. This is not an objective that we are looking to achieve on our own in 2018, rather just plan to move closer two it.

However, should Facebook or Microsoft (well actually the Chan Zuckerberg, Paul G Allen, and Gates Foundations) pay interest in our project and secure the 50% of Villa Secrets Ltd. (the holding company) that is currently reserved for them, this is one of the first things we would ask them to do.

And we would not just do this for Villa Secrets, instead, we would create S-Web.org and versions of S-Web for everyday use for everyone, with the extra hook being that we would not charge for it and we would give free hosting. So, literally the cost of creating a great website was just the cost of the domain at about 10 US dollars a year, for a product that is far simpler than any other and looks better than most.

Where we get paid is if people use their S-Web sites for business, and in which case we would ask for a royalty that will go straight to Angel Theory special projects.

The biggest win comes from complex sites that wished to use database inventory, such as Villa Secrets one can only use databases that are connected to S-Web from which a royalty will be collected, in the same way it is for Villa Secrets of about 2.5% of each trade. And in the Facebook and LinkedIn worlds of billions of users, steering those uses to use S-Web for their e-commerce needs and receiving a 2.5% royalty is a very big deal indeed.

What’s to stop Facebook and Microsoft just doing this themselves?

This is the question I have heard from literally everyone I have discussed this with. For sure they have the technical skills, that’s why we’re going there ourselves. However, the reason (I hope) they would choose not to do this themselves lies in the subject of the next book in the Angel Theory series: ‘M-Systems.’

M-Systems is an ecological and philanthropic super project, on a scale much bigger than anyone has ever imagined. It is the macroeconomic plan to Villa Secrets microeconomic plan, and whilst on the surface they may seem very different, they are in fact two sides of the same coin.

To put a scale to it, consider the statistic quoted from the Sales Executive Council, who if we remember serve 200,000 businesses: “When you put it all together, only 14% of companies so called unique benefits were perceived by customers as both unique and beneficial.”

With 22 chapters of unique and beneficial systems, Villa Secrets systems can be argued to be statistically 154 times more unique and useful than the average business.

But here’s the thing, S-World Villa Secrets is only the first of 16 M-Systems, each as powerful and some more so. And as such, if we follow the math, the M-Systems design is statistically over 1000 times more unique and useful than the average business.

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Within these systems lies that answer to why Facebook and Microsoft or others would not just ‘do it anyway,’ as their founders are not primarily interested in making money. Mark Zuckerberg (Co-Founder of Facebook) has pledged 99% of his fortune to improving the world and in particular ‘advancing human potential and promoting equal opportunity.’
Paul G Allen (Co-Founder of Microsoft) says, ‘The possible is constantly being redefined and I care deeply about helping humanity move forward.’ Allen has a passion for Ripple Effects and Elephants, as is the subject of M-System 2, an extension to our 2012 www.AmericanButterfly.org on economic butterfly effects which became the forerunner to both Villa Secrets & M-Systems

Last but by no means least is Bill Gates, (Co-Founder of Microsoft). We can trace the beginning of Villa Secrets, Angel Theory, and M-Systems to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in early 2011 as the inspiration for what was called ‘Give Half Back.’ In which we would create a system that was more than twice as profitable as others and so could afford to ‘Give Half Back’ without the participants being worse off for it, and indeed better off for it, due to the positive PR and branding associated with the charitable giving.

It is the Angel Theory assumption that Zuckerberg, Allen, Gates, and many others are more concerned about how they can help humanity and our planet than any other pastime. And if M-Systems can deliver on its ambitions, we sincerely hope that Zuckerberg, Allen, Gates, and others will jump on board; add to, own, and improve the system by taking their equity in with Villa Secrets and S-Web.org and becoming trusties of S-World (The Sienna Foundation).

S-Web CMS Framework Part 3 (75% Complete)

S-Web CDS, The Villas Cloud and S-World CRM-Ai

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Putting aside any involvement from philanthropic or other investors, as this book is about certainty, with the investment income we receive from the first Primary Network, (being $42,000 deposit moving up to $168,000 by the end of 2018) we can afford an additional 3 Senior Zend framework qualified programmers and an App specialist, creating a team of 6.

Given an October 2017 start, 3 Zend framework qualified programmers, added to our current super hero programmer Vineeth and our slick designer Piyush, plus an App specialist is all we need to create all the sections presented in the conclusion of this chapter by the end of 2018. (For the latest development timetable, see (or ask for) chapter 23.)

In this section, we find software integrated into the web framework that we are currently working on. Of which, most of S-Web CDS™ is complete, phase 1 of the Villas Cloud™ is complete and we are very close to a working alpha version of S-World CRM-Ai (sales assistant and automation).

First, we present the S-Web CDS™ which really is a truly original system that has become the backbone to many other systems. We did not set out to create this system, we were programming wild and free seeing where the wind would take us and it pretty much created itself as we expanded upon the S-Wen CMS Framework.

S-Web CMS Framework Part 3

a. S-Web CDS™ – Content Delivery System

After creating the homepage CMS, we had a problem. We wanted the Villa Secrets website to be like a magazine, not just a directory of products. I wanted most of the links on the homepage to lead to quality articles about various products or locations, not just links to products.
So, we needed to create an Articles CMS, and it was in building this that we managed to make it so well that after the 10 minutes or so it would take to create an article header, a short description and a 60-word introduction; we could create an full rich content article within a minute.

Please watch this three-minute video presentation: https://youtu.be/X9-o3E4n2Dk to see me create an online magazine article in less than a minute (once the title, description and 60 word introduction has been created).

To see the article I made in the video, follow this link: www.villasecrets.com/Magazine/6-Exclusive-use-Safari-Lodges-to-fly-for-By-Nick-Ray-Ball/6811.

One minute to create an article that when including all the original copywriting, photography, and image editing used to take us about 3 days.

The trick to it, that turned a task that took hours into a task that takes minutes, was that instead of just making a template for a new article, we gave the user the option to call in the pictures and 60-word introductions and other details from product pages and from other article pages. And this simple action empowered the user after writing an introduction paragraph, to call in a variety of different products and articles to create a well crated image rich page, in less than a minute. Including the eye-catching picture slider at the top of the page, in responsive design looking great on mobile as well.

Hence the name ‘Content Delivery System’ (CDS) as we deliver previously made content into new pages, or newsletters, emails and even specialist web pages created specific for an individual client.

S-Web CDN ™ (Content Delivery Systems)

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One may recognize the graphic above as a predecessor to the full 25-chapter Villa Secrets’ Secret business plan. That’s how important S-Web CDS™ is in terms of linking the S-Web framework into the core of the business, it was the magic source in creating super-fast and simple web page creation.

Once we had the framework design and could make article pages in seconds not days, it was an obvious jump to create an online magazine.

S-Web CMS Framework Part 3

b. Online Magazine, Newsletters, and Printed Media Publishing

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Welcome to the S-Web CDS ™ (Content Delivery System), the Villa Secrets Online Magazine, Printed Book Publisher and Newsletters.
www.villasecrets.com/Magazine

As we can create articles in minutes, each Villa Secrets company can go blog and magazine mad, with each sales staff members having their own magazine featuring their own articles made in no time at all. This improves the website, is the key foundation of a good content marketing strategy, and is a great addition to the CRM (customer relationship software) as the sales person and send an article a week to their previous or current clients.

Personalised magazines will give the client a far better impression of any sales person as they will seem knowledgeable, involved, and passionate about their products and insights.

Plus, it is infinitely better to ask a client if they would like to receive their sales person’s personal magazine, in terms of sustainability of the magazine newsletters, as people only have time for so many newsletters, choosing to unsubscribe to most. The fact that they will not be receiving newsletters from Villa Secrets, rather their agent that they know at Villa Secrets, will greatly decrease the chances of the newsletters being unsubscribed.

Printed Magazines and Coffee Table Books.

We can see the very well-considered plans for the Villa Secrets Coffee Table Book in chapter 18. Following on from the last magazine ‘Cape Villas’ that was distributed by Condé Nast Traveller UK, creator of our biggest booking by far, acclaimed by Bulgari who offered $100,000 in barter items to be the principle sponsor of the follow up.

For now, we shall just lay out the technology and its really simple. We adapt the current CDS™ and create a selection of CMS pages for different book or magazine page layouts, with the ability to move the +/- 60-word text block around each page, then convert it to a PDF, give it to the printer and hey presto that’s 50% of the cost of the average print publication saved. Plus, we get to make a very well laid out online version at the same time, and can make updated version of the magazine very simply.

S-Web CMS Framework Part 3

C. My List / My Webpage

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Welcome to MyList / MyMagazine / MyWebpage, in which we give clients the option to turn there ‘my favourites list’ into a magazine display and then a unique webpage.

Please watch this 2-minute video https://youtu.be/JS8vJQ1KxbM

And please try it out yourself by making your own Villa Secrets webpage

1. Visit www.VillaSecrets.com

2. Go to ‘Destinations’ > ‘Best of Africa’

3. Add a handful of villas to ‘your favourites list’ by clicking the plus symbols
4. Go to ‘Magazine’ and add some articles

5. Click ‘MY LIST’ at the top right of the page.

6. From the blue navigation menu under the logo click: ‘Make my Webpage.’

7. Add your client, boss, or partner’s name, email them, and click ‘Publish my Webpage’

8. Click ‘Add Comment’ to start a very organised conversation.

This journey is as unique as the last, and built upon the same principle, but this time we create a tool for guests to use. S-Web CDS™ MyWebpage begins with the standard ‘My Favourites’ function, www.villasecrets.com/MyList.php and presents a good-looking page with properties that can be dragged and dropped into order.

We build upon this by giving clients the option to then see their list displayed in magazine mode, which is a superior presentation, and then the clever bit… we offer a super simple way for the client to create a unique webpage, such as www.VillaSecrets.com/NickRayBall or any name one wishes which he/she can send to their wife, husband, partner, boss, or any others in the group.

This accomplishes several objectives: It captures the clients email address and lets us know which villas he/she likes and it increases the likelihood of a client booking as the more time they spend amending, showing the webpage to others, the less time they will spend looking for alternatives.

In addition, the list function can help the client become a motivator within their group, even if others in the group are talking to other agencies. The lists tools can win the day, as the organization of the list is far superior to any list of links via email one party in a group may send another, and as the others in the group can make their own list, this organizational tool can and will often win the day.

S-Web CMS Framework Part 3

d. The Villas Cloud™ – Online Availability & Bookings

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Moving from chapter 4 to chapter 5, the Villas Cloud™ is currently all about live availability. In time, it will grow to include a property management system and distribution channels, however due to politics these functions may well be created as or by separate S-World companies.

Currently we are only focusing on fetching availability data live, so our clients can search for villas that are available to book now, and our agents can simply look on our website to find properties that are available. And so, we can build upon the ‘MyList / My Webpage’ CDS™ functions and enable the CRM-Ai™ to automatically reply to clients by email, presenting villas that are available to book.

Currently we are connected to MyBookingPal and show their Cape Town properties, currently we are adding villas in California and soon we will start with other systems. Across the world there are hundreds of systems that we wish to connect to, including many smaller systems or agencies’ own inventory databases.

S-Web CMS Framework Part 3

e. S-World CRM-Ai™ – Automated tasks

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Now we move into chapter 6 and the CRM functions, functions that improve sales and the customer experience.

In a nutshell, the CRM-Ai™ or as it is also called ‘the Raybot’ is designed to automate the enquiry process, by analysing the enquiry data and creating an email response of a quality far beyond any current automated system, which can be automatically sent after 5 minutes; if a local or call centre agent is not available, steering the client to their webpage/client suite, to refine the search criteria and answer important questions. Then follow up and keep the lines of communication open until an agent is available. (Note that statistics say the chance of making a sale decreases by more than 50% if an enquiry is not answered within 5 minutes)

Whilst it can run on auto pilot, the CRM-Ai™ is designed to work with agents. So, going back to the 5-minute time point, if the agent picks up the enquiry before this their reply it is already very well organised. And if the agent is out viewing a property or it is out of office hours, they can work with the CRM-Ai™ from their cell phone, from desktop or mobile within just a few minutes the agent can send a quality and well researched reply to any new or ongoing enquiry. Including prompts that take heed from innovative sales methodology and psychology, such as three levels of questions from ‘The Science of Selling’ by David Hoffeld,’ which assist the sales person to influence the client and help close the deal.

The system will automatically contact all ‘bespoke’ properties, (properties that are not on booking systems) be them villas, safaris or private islands by email. And as the property managers of such accommodations click the ‘yes, the property is available’ button on the email, the property is added to the list and sent to the client. This single point is massive as it does something no other agent would do, or at least no other agent is currently doing, and that is to contact all ‘bespoke’ properties that match the enquiry, not just the few that the agents immediately think of.

To use the system, one starts with the search results created from the enquiry, of which the Ai will have picked 3 or 4 properties to send to the client, and will have added a few magazine articles at the bottom of the email. The agent has the option to change the villas, simply by scrolling down the list and clicking the tick or cross button, in the search.

One particularly useful function will be the ‘see commission’ option, below we see that in action. First on the left we see the initial enquiry and the 5-minute countdown. If the agent picks up this enquiry they just need to look at the list of available villas as seen in the second phone (note this functionality as already complete) and tick or untick the properties to send. Next in phone 3, the agent has hit the ‘Com’ button and the commission and total income made from the booking is displayed. Then in phone four on the right, the agent has chosen a different view showing more villas on a page that can be reordered easily, and which display the price per night and the commission made.

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Below we see the second half of the journey. First, the addition of 3 magazine pages. Then the email format which can be charged at the tap on a button, followed by question options, carefully created to suite not just the industry niche but also the location.

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These questions are carefully created to engage the customers subconscious and to make them focus on why they like the properties they select or choose, and are in fact good service in general as they provide the sales person with insight into what the customer’s primary buying motives are; and so, the agent and the system alike can better recommend properties.

Once the questions have been chosen, the email is ready to send, which can be followed up with a phone call. A phone call that will be all the better for the agent having used the CRM-Ai™ and learned how to ask good questions and other sales techniques that the CRM-Ai™ provides, such as ‘How many properties should one send in the first place?’

However, if the agent is out of hours and the call centre is not yet in operations, we can target the ‘very important’ enquires to be sent to them, which using the CRM-Ai™ cuts the time it takes to do the search and make a well-considered reply down to just a few minutes. And as such with only a few or maximum a dozen enquires per day being ‘very important,’ it’s not an imposition to expect top agents to use be available to answer big bookings in most waking hours, which we know from experience can greatly increase conversions. (bookings and sales)

When the client receives the email it will have added an introduction, a key 2nd level question, a link to the client suite, the photos and the description for each villa (usually 3), a link to a search results page to showing many more villas, a row of magazine articles, possibly more 1st level questions, and a conclusion.

Where after the client can either go to their client suite, which is currently their My List /My Webpage page, or they can reply by email, or pick up the phone. And if client is calling from the UK, USA, Germany or Australia, the call is free. And a ‘Call us Toll Free’ button will be added to the email, and shown on line.

Development

Currently as of the 9th July 2017, we have created about half of this is desktop format, the property display on mobile, the client suite and dedicated webpage, and the CDS™ functions, plus we have created many email templates.

We need to make a CRM login that shows the website as normal, but with additional data, such as the commission rate, then sales people can simply use the CDS™ My List /My Webpage to finalise the property options, and we need to add a page that changes the email template and question options, then connect it to the email template, which will be done soon. Once achieved we have a tool for desktop that a new sales person can use to create replies to enquiries like an experienced agent, or can assist an experienced agent to work 2, 3 or even 4 times faster and do the job of many, which saves a lot. As with greater productivity a sales agent can make more money on a 10% commission that they would getting a 20% commission in a less efficient manner.

Once the basic, but still critically useful version described above it made, It will take some testing to get the questions right and a slick desktop version working. And due to the need for the priority of other systems and in particular the TFS™, the current development schedule for desktop version 2 is March 2018 with the Mobile App targeted in May 2018. However, we can create a basic version of the mobile APP when we make desktop version 1.

Important clarification; as far as creating a working tool for desktop that a new sales person can use to create replies to enquiries like an experienced agent, or can assist an experienced agent to work 2, 3 or even 4 times faster and do the job of many, we can create this within 2 weeks of when we choose to start this project. And as such will be ready for the sales team when they start, because we know that without this tool they will be only half as effective.

S-Web CMS Framework Part 4 (In the development que)

a. S-World TFS™ – Total Financial System

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Since 2011 the primary objective of S-World Villa Secrets in terms of systems has been to create a simple financial system as a part of the core software design.

In 2011 the first version of this business plan found at www.s-world.biz/TST/The_Virgin_Business_plan_in_Retrospect.htm combined a CRM (customer relationship management system) alongside a financial system, and a GDS (global distribution system) which provided access to online availability, as was previous presented as The Villas Cloud™.

But before we get into detail a quick summary of the TFS™ development timetable. Which, if we can start by September 2017, we can complete an alpha (basic) version by January 2018. Which will be all that is needed to give management the correct financial overview, updated weekly and 100% accurate, showing monthly income vs expenses, management accounts, profit and loss, and a simple way for financial admin staff to update the system.

To many, the idea of creating financial software may seem a highly specialised art, but it’s really not, at this basic level it’s actually one of the easier projects. There is a general rule to consider in programming and if something can be created on a spreadsheet, it’s simple to create a database version. All one needs to do, is be competent at making CMS pages, to display the data in simple fashion, and as this entire chapter is about our S-Web CMS Framework, we have this covered.

The trick to the system that is unique (as far as we know) is how we avoid human error and make fraud much harder, which is to download the banking data as a spreadsheet and upload it into the system, along with a screenshot of the banking page, which may sound a bit old school, but it works.

We are yet to create the ‘Mobile First’ design, but I am looking forward to it. Chapter 7 expands upon the TFS™ and provides ‘Emotional Impact’ sections that present a series of problems and solutions gained from 10 years’ experience of financial managers and accountants (who should have known better) getting it wrong time and time again; and how the TFS™ has learned from this and makes a simple platform for Villa Secrets companies to avoid such problems, allowing them to focus on their strengths and reaching their and the companies’ potential.

S-Web CMS Framework Part 4

b. S-World CRM CC™ – Company Controller

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Welcome to the S-World CRM-CC ‘Company Controller.’ Taking control of each Villa Secrets partner company.

We have seen how the S-World CRM-Ai™ ‘Raybot’ allows a good sales person without experience in the industry to take control of the booking process in all waking hours, effectively doing the job of a small sales team on their own with greater efficiency. Now we look at monitoring and incentivising the entire team, from the intern to the CEO.

Whilst this was originally created to manage staff production and performance and a way to avoid the need for an operations manager or MD, since creating the plan and chapter; an even greater motivation for the use of this system has be unveiled within ‘The Science of Selling’ by David Hoffeld.

Hoffeld describes how an experiment in staff motivation yielded surprising results. In the experiment, 50% of staff were given additional work based benefits. But after the experiment, when the data was examined, productivity of all staff improved. This went back and forwards with different motivations and even a group that had their benefits removed. But no matter what, performance just got better and better, even for those who had lost their benefits.

So what in going on?

The incentives that motivate and encourage staff were not as powerful as the simple act of observation, they call it ‘The Hawthorne Effect’ (also referred to as the observer effect) in which individuals modify an aspect of their behaviour in response to their awareness of being observed.

And so, the CRM CC™ is doubly useful, it not only monitors and tells staff which tasks to do, it increases their performance by giving the impression that staff are constantly being observed.

Like the CRM-AI™ we are developing this system ‘Mobile First’

Below we see the design for the CRM-CC™ (Company Controller). The second icon you see ‘Rentals’ would lead you to the CRM-Ai™. The rest of the icons lead to different user types or functions including: Training, Villa Rentals, Portfolio Management, Mandate and Best STO acquisition, Concierge, Hospitality, Media Production, Marketing Objectives, Property Managers, Magazine Creation, Partner Deals, Admin, Financial, Stats and Sales Funnels, Managers & the Board of Directors.

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In the initial version we are only including functions we can create quickly. All we require right now is a calendar & planner, deal steps, targets and incentives all wrapped up within a game of sorts that gives points per completion of task, booking or sale.

Day Planner and Alerts

One of the big tricks to create the calendaring is in a way that it has ‘important tasks’ and ‘tasks that are useful but not essential.’ So, if a task takes longer or is delayed, the entire timeline can be shifted back keeping the important date sensitive tasks, and tasks that require collaboration in their original dates. To accomplish this, we start by spreading out the essential tasks, with plenty of time in-between each, which is filled with useful tasks, such as prospecting for new villas and mandates. And if there is a delay, all the nonessential tasks get moved back whilst the essential and time sensitive tasks stay in place.

Below left we see the day planner in task mode, which assigns different colours to different tasks based on importance. Green is for an important regular task that should not be missed. In blue, we see tasks assigned that can be put back if a more pressing task arises or if a previous important task has overrun. Then in red, we have tasks that are very important, usually involving a meeting, collaboration, or a deadline.

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In this scenario, the staff member with the dual role of copywriter and portfolio manager has a meeting with a property manager at a villa at 11am to 12.30 in the afternoon.

Above right we see the alert that beeps and pops up at the end of the task time, from which the user can click ‘Task Complete’ (which will update the corresponding deal), or click ‘Go to Deal,’ ‘Extend Time,’ or ‘Reschedule.’

Sole Mandate & Best STO Deal Preparation

STO stands for ‘Standard Tour Operator Discount’ and is the difference between the ‘public rate’ charged by the property and the discounted rate offered to the agency.

In the graphic below we see the ‘deals’ page, which will have automatically updated as soon as the copywriter / portfolio manager has clicked ‘task complete’ on the previous graphic, moving deal stage 8 from Red ‘not complete’ to ‘green complete’ (as the deal stage is currently in progress, it is in blue).

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There are 11 different stages to this process that happen before we pitch for a mandate:
1. New property identified
2. Basic details received
3. Got images
4. Qualifying assessment 1 to 10, where we prioritise higher numbered properties
5. Sunset photo shoot
6. Daytime Photoshoot
7. Add photos to webpage
8. On site article
9. Publish web page
10. Owner edits/ approval
11. Magazine article & home page

This last deal stage is where magic can happen. Not only does the villa webpage look this awesome (www.villasecrets.com/Villa/North-Island-Villa=6061) but in just a few minutes we can create an online magazine article, presenting it as the featured villa in an illustrious company within a pan African mega villa article, which also temporarily adds the property to the home page.

When the web page, mega article and home page are presented, this is the point where managers and owners see Villa Secrets as the company that goes the extra mile. And that is the time to start the pitch for a mandate, as an experienced and seasoned sales mandate specialist joins the portfolio manager to help bring home the opportunity, following a different deal path specific to the task.

Even if a mandate is not secured, one will have made better friends with the manager and owner and may get a better STO or better bespoke discounts for quality bookings, and we have more great content for our clients to look at and other websites to link to.

S-Web CMS Framework Part 4

c. S-World UCS™ – Competitive Games, Fun and Addictiveness

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Following on from the conclusion of the reframe in step 2, S-World UCS is a massive system initially considered in 2003 as a management game called ‘Villa Mogul,’ in which players could run their own version of Cape Villas.com and expend upon it to forge a global real estate empire.

The difference between this and other management games at the time was in part our unique virtual tours providing better graphics, but mostly as it would be the first game based on a real business, it would have significant PR benefits for the parent villas company, and networking benefits as gamers could win the rights to open their own international franchises. Well that was the 2003 thinking, which is now upgraded into the S-World Network, as is presented in chapter 2.

Eight years on, in 2011 the first of the 11 point travel plan we created with Facebook in mind www.s-world.biz/FaceBook/1_The_FaceBook_Travel_Tutorial_Game.htm taught users to appreciate and learn both the industry and our systems, before trying the business for real.

Then in 2012 in the final chapter of the first American Butterfly book: ‘The Theory of Every Business’ expanded upon the theme with the more inspirationally titled ‘Universal Colonisation Simulator’or S-World UCS http://americanbutterfly.org/pt1/the-theory-of-every-business/ch8-s-world-universal-colonization-simulator.

More recently, in Angel Theory’s ‘M-Systems,’ S-World UCS is the foundation for 3 of the 16 M-Systems. And believe me it’s quite a ride.

And now, finally after 14 years of consideration and planning we get to start the system as a part of CRM-CC™.

The basic principle is that we have allocated significant funding for profit share, which materializes (pays out) when the primary network reaches its R10million / $750,000 in gross profit (in commissions earned) within a 12-month cycle. Which we would like to do by the end of 2018.

It’s a simple enough system to program, each task completed, each best STO or mandate secured and each booking has a points value, and as staff and management complete their tasks they win points. And each day, there is a points winner, and the points winner gets a percentage of profit share.

Created in this way, we can allow for a sales agent to bring in a big booking, or a property networker to land a mandate and receive a huge score on that day. But the next day everyone starts from scratch, so on any given day any one can win. And that’s important to the game play, and will encourage staff to perform simple tasks such as increasing Facebook likes, or writing tweets in the spare time, as each action has small points score and the cut of time for scoring points is the end of the calendar day.

It also allows management to steer the team in the direction of gaining mandates and adding properties. As whoever adds a property will see point wins every time that property is seen on the website, and more points if its booked; and more still if its booked and it makes a lot of money. This not only focuses staff on adding properties, but also on adding properties that will make money and adding them as well as can be done, as in doing so they increase the chances of being seen and booked, and so more points, prizes & profit share. (Prizes potentially coming in the form of handbags, glasses, perfume and after shave from brands like Bulgari in exchange for adverting space in the Coffee Table Books from chapter 18)

This competition is more about motivating the support staff and management, than the frontline sales and mandate staff, as such staff are already motivated with commission and in many cases, will be shareholders in the company itself.

There will be a great looking winners page that shows all points won each day and the daily top 3. And from that point we can create weekly competitions in both days won and total points, and monthly and 3 monthly competitors which will pay our significant bonuses for winners.

This is what turns the S-Web CMS Framework from simple and beautiful to simple, beautiful, fun and addictive. And as a bonus, as well as the motivation of being a daily or weekly winner, is that we create a very observed view point on each staff member on each day, and so ‘The Hawthorne Effect’ kicks in improving overall performance from all team members. It also makes a bridge to Angel Theories’ M-system 12, but we need not get into this here.

Development Timetable

Initially within 2 weeks of a request to move on this system we can create a basic version of both the CRM-CC™ and UCS™ that will let all staff know their tasks and we can test the point scoring variables. After this basic version we are looking at May 2018 for the alpha version, with the beta version ready in November 2018.

S-Web CMS Framework Part 5

a. S-World TBS™ – Total Business Systems

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The TBS (Total Business Systems) is the collection of all web and software systems under one roof, in this chapter we provide benchmarking data, ROI calculators, and an estimated improvement percentage that each component provides.

For some history follow these links:
S-World.biz (2011)
The Divergent CRM (2015)
Part 1 the Total Marketing Systems (2016)
Part 2 the Total Financial and Business Systems (2016)

Collectively the combination of all software found within the S-Web framework is disruptive, but what is a disruptive system?

From our vantage point, a disruptive system is a system that has taken longer to create, but when it enters the market it disturbs it, taking a larger market share than traditional companies in the marketplace without its advantages.

In 2002 our prototype website www.CapeVillas.com with its virtual tours disrupted the Cape Town vacation rentals market as a bunch of web designers create a company that would lead the market for 8 years.

However, Cape Villas has nowhere near the disruptive firepower and potential that Villa Secrets enjoys.

In this summary chapter of the TBS™ we start with potential negative factors, before zooming into the effects created by the different systems, and note that when it comes to negative factors for caution we over estimate, and when it comes to positive factors we under estimate. We call this ‘quantum safe forecasting.’

Below on the far right we see percentages estimated for phase 1 (2018) and on the left, are the full potential of each system when fully complete and tested, which could be many years away. In forecasting we only use the lower far right figures.

Competitors and Other Negatives Max Effect   Phase 1 Effect
First Year Jitters

-40.0%

-40.0%

Airbnb

-60.0%

-36.0%

HomeAway

-25.0%

-12.5%

Other

-50.0%

-12.5%

Competitor Improvement

-50.0%

-12.5%

Total Negative

-225.0%

-113.5%

Now for the positives, and note some of the systems below are not software generated but are instead staff functions, from photography to guest blogging to manning call centres.

Portfolio Manager & Team Max Effect   Phase 1 Effect
Adding Properties for Agents to Rent

50.0%

15.0%

Subtotal

50.0%

15.0%

Concierge, PR, Film & Social Media Max Effect   Phase 1 Effect
Repeat Clients

25.0%

2.5%

Referrals

10.0%

2.0%

Attracted to come because of Concierge

15.0%

3.0%

Systems created to increase the above

25.0%

0.0%

PR

25.0%

2.5%

Videos of Villas Marketed

25.0%

0.0%

Films of Villas Syndicated

25.0%

0.0%

Concierge – Social Networking – Manual

15.0%

1.5%

Concierge – Social Networking – Automatic

15.0%

0.0%

Subtotal

180.0%

11.5%

Villa Secrets Call Centre & Content Marketing Max Effect    
24/7 365 Call Centre and Sales Team

40.0%

13.2%

Foreign language Sales Teams

35.0%

11.6%

24/7 Live Chat (USA, Asia Time Zones-Multilingual)

25.0%

8.3%

Content Writing 1

20.0%

3.0%

Subtotal

120.0%

36.0%

S-Web Villa Secrets Web Framework Max Effect   Phase 1 Effect
Superior Visual Experience

15.0%

11.3%

Greatly Superior Mobile Experience

20.0%

10.0%

Advertise on Mobile Platforms

10.0%

7.5%

Subtotal

45.0%

28.8%

S-Web CDS™ (Content Delivery System) Max Effect   Phase 1 Effect
Clients Lists

2.5%

2.5%

Clients Web Pages

5.0%

5.0%

Online Magazine

5.0%

5.0%

Online Magazine posts to home page

1.0%

1.0%

Newsletters

0.0%

0.0%

Agents’ Own – Newsletters

7.5%

7.5%

Agents’ Own – Online Magazines

5.0%

5.0%

Agents’ Social Networking (SN) – Manual

15.0%

2.3%

Agents’ Social Networking (SN) – Automatic

15.0%

0.0%

Rest of staff – Magazine + SN – Manual

5.0%

0.8%

Rest of staff – Magazine + SN – Manual – Automatic

5.0%

0.0%

Client’s CMS

15.0%

0.0%

Agents’ Desktop Quick Quality Emails

10.0%

10.0%

Bulk Email Bespoke Villas

10.0%

10.0%

Upsell Villas, Safaris, and Private Islands Pt.1

10.0%

2.5%

Subtotal

111.0%

51.6%

S-World CRM-Ai™ (Bookings Robot) Max Effect   Phase 1 Effect
Ai – Automated Replies at 5, 15 and 30 mins

10.0%

10.0%

Ai – Automatic Replies from Bespoke Villas

10.0%

10.0%

Agent – Better Organization for Ongoing Enquiries

10.0%

10.0%

Agent – Out of Office Replies

15.0%

15.0%

Agent – Saves Money on commission      
Both – Upsell Villas, Safaris, and Private Islands Pt.2

25.0%

3.1%

Both – Upsell All Travel

40.0%

0.0%

Subtotal

110.0%

48.1%

S-World TFS™ (Total Financial System) Max Effect   Phase 1 Effect
Financial System – Data Entry

0.5%

0.3%

Financial System – Data Sorting

0.5%

0.3%

Financial System – Data Reporting

5.0%

0.5%

Financial System – Sales Funnel

25.0%

2.5%

Financial System – Auditing & Tax

2.5%

0.3%

Subtotal

33.5%

3.9%

S-World Villas Cloud™ (Availability) Max Effect   Phase 1 Effect
MyBookingPal (Razor) – Availability Search

10.0%

10.0%

MyBookingPal (Razor) – Online Bookings

5.0%

5.0%

Nitro – Availability Search

10.0%

10.0%

Nightsbridge – Availability Search

5.0%

5.0%

Nightsbridge – Online Bookings

5.0%

5.0%

Nightsbridge – Africa Upselling

5.0%

5.0%

Subtotal

40.0%

40.0%

S-Web CRM-CC™ (Company Controller) Max Effect   Phase 1 Effect
Increases mandates      
Lowers staff costs      
Increases productivity

10.0%

10.0%

Hospitality Systems

10.0%

1.0%

Greater Collaboration

10.0%

10.0%

Subtotal

30.0%

21.0%

Total (Complete or in progress Systems)

719.5%

255.6%

     
Minus Negative

-225.0%

-113.5%

Total so far

494.5%

142.1%

When we add it up so far in terms of all the systems we have covered so far, we see that even after a very over-exaggerated threats assessment, for phase 1 (2018) we are winning by 142%.

And now for the original 2016 TBS™ in 2 sections, of which you will note that many of the systems have since been removed, and placed into the S-Web Framework products we have presented.

img0803017_02

The TMS™ (Total Marketing System) Max Effect   Phase 1 Effect
Bing PPC (Advertising)

5.0%

5.0%

AdRoll & Other Remarketing (Advertising)

5.0%

5.0%

Content Writing 1 (Now in Call Centre)      
Photography (SEO + Social Networks + Experience)

15.0%

2.3%

Marketing & Advertising the Online Mags & Blogs

10.0%

2.5%

Syndication to Blogs and Mags (Guest Blogging)

5.0%

1.7%

Update to Social Networks (Now in CDS™)      
Social Network Systems & Staff (For Main Sites)

15.0%

1.5%

Newsletters (Now in CDS™)      
Guest Gifts (From Magazine Barter)

15.0%

3.8%

Villa, Safari & Island Brochures

15.0%

0.0%

Villa Secrets Magazine 1 (2018) (Run of 5,000)

10.0%

10.0%

Villa Secrets Magazine 2 (2019) (Run of 50,000)

30.0%

0.0%

Villa Secrets Magazine 3 (2020) (Run of 250,000)

50.0%

0.0%

Villa Secrets Films & TV Shows (Now in Concierge)      
Villa Secrets Brand

10.0%

0.5%

Trade Memberships (ASTA etc.)

5.0%

1.3%

24/7 365 Call Centre and Sales Team (Now in Call Centre)      
Foreign language Sales Teams (Now in Call Centre)      
24/7 Live Chat (Now in Call Centre)      
Mobile Sites (Now in S-Web Framework™)      
Mobile Apps (For the Public)

25.0%

0.0%

Local SEO

10.0%

5.0%

Tutorials & Operations Manual

10.0%

2.5%

Awards Software

10.0%

0.0%

Subtotal

245.0%

41.1%

The TFBS™ (Total Financial Business System) Max Effect   Phase 1 Effect
Financial System – Data Entry (Now in TFS™)      
Financial System – Data Sorting (Now in TFS™)      
Financial System – Data Reporting (Now in TFS™)      
Financial System – Sales Funnel (Now in TFS™)      
Financial System – Auditing & Tax (Now in TFS™)      
CRM – Advanced and Other Features

10.0%

2.5%

Enquiry System (Now in CDS™)      
Clients CMS (Now in CDS™)      
Sienna-Bot Ai (Now in CRM-Ai™)      
Hospitality Systems (Now in CRM-CC™)      
Experience Africa (Association Branding)

15.0%

1.9%

Experience Africa (Systems Developed for)

15.0%

1.9%

Experience Africa (Improved STOs)

15.0%

1.9%

PMS & GDS Connections (Now in Villas Cloud™)      
Villas Cloud Booking System (Now in Villas Cloud™)      
Distribution Channels (Now in Mandates)      
Property Manager CMS

2.5%

0.6%

Owner’s ‘For Sale’ CMS

2.5%

0.6%

Property Owner/Manager Websites

10.0%

2.5%

Magic Menus

5.0%

1.3%

Magic Galleries

2.5%

0.0%

Projects (Now in CRM-CC™)      
Analytics

5.0%

1.3%

Subtotal

82.5%

14.5%

M-Systems

M-Systems are the advanced software design and networking plans. However, as these systems need assistance from Silicon Valley, we have only included some small effects created by the creation of the network in both Cape Town and Africa.
https://www.villasecrets.com/Best-Of-Africa

M-Systems Max Effect   Phase 1 Effect
M-Systems 2. Cape Town Network

30.0%

3.8%

M-Systems 2. Africa Network

20.0%

5.0%

M-Systems 2 & 16. Global Network

10.0%

0.5%

M-Systems 5. POP

25.0%

0.0%

M-Systems 6. S-World Resort Developments

25.0%

0.0%

M-Systems 7. S-World Virtual Networks

25.0%

0.0%

M-Systems 14. Philanthropic Projects

25.0%

0.0%

Subtotal

160%

9.3%

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Finally, we come to the total of all the systems that are complete or in progress, plus all the TBS™ & M-Systems™, minus competitors and other negative probabilities, and we equal a positive 206%.

Total (Complete or in progress Systems)

719.5%

255.6%

Other TBS & M-Systems

488%

64.5%

Competitors and Other Negatives

-225.0%

-113.5%

Total

982.0%

206.65%

(Note: the figures above are from Scenario 7.12c, future updates will differ)

This 206% figure is relative to the ROI one should expect from advertising an average to good website; with the bare minimum of staff, without any systems, and with no repeat business. So, for instance if a company was to make $100,000 in a year from $33,000 in advertising; the complete web framework, integrated software, and staffing as presented change the $100,000 ROI into $306,000 ROI

Whilst this may seem like a huge gain, it is a gain that started from nothing. If instead we were to consider one of Africa’s travel success stories, such as the award-winning Rhino Africa who have invested millions of dollars in their own system development and are very well staffed, we would basically be expecting to match their performance. This 206% is no miracle, its standard for many big spending companies. It just looks big as we started from a low bar, the bar most new small business would start at.

The simplest way to look at it is in terms of increasing performance in two areas.

1. Increase the number of enquiries made by visitors to our web sites.

(in this case from Google AdWords, but the same applies to all visitors)

2. Increase the amount of bookings generated from enquires.

  1. Increase the number of enquiries made by Google AdWords visitors.

    In 2015 the second Villa Secrets prototype www.cape-town-luxury-villas.com (CTLV) had 5,541 visitors (clicks) from Google AdWords at a cost of $12,107 at an average cost of $2.19. This lead to only 241 individual enquiries online which we roughly increase to 350 to include enquiries made by email or by telephone. As such about one in 35 Google AdWords visitors enquired.

    If the much-improved website and CMS Framework, plus all systems both human and automatic can get this conversion rate down to 1 in 17 that is a 100% gain. Or better still if we can encourage 1 in 11 visitors to enquire (which is far from an unreasonable target) that’s a 206% gain.

  2. Increase the amount of booking generated from the Google AdWords enquires.

    This is a harder one to work out, as we have Google SEO and other enquiry sources all thrown into the Google Analytics mix, and we did not receive Nov or Dec CTLV figures. However, estimating CTLV made about 80 bookings from 350 enquiries that’s a closing ratio of 23%, just under one in 4.

    If the much-improved website, S-Web CMS Framework, software and systems (both human and automatic) could collectively get this closing ratio up to 46% (just under one in two) then that would double return on investment again.

    If we were to increase enquires from 1 in 35 to 1 in 11 and increase the bookings ratio to one in two, that would create a 414% gain, as the 206% gain is doubled.

    And that’s where we go in phase 2 in 2019, as we build upon the 206% target and reach for a plus 400% increase in income made from advertising compared to the no systems 2015 CTLV prototype.

Villa Secrets and The Chan Zuckerberg Philosophy

Now that we have seen how by creating software within a web framework, including a plethora of unique and beneficial systems, we can give new small (Villa Secrets) companies the systems advantages only a big company enjoy. Which was the pre-2011 objective, and one of the key ideas that lead to the beginning of this project in the first place.

Based on the principle ‘if all systems are even’ then a network of small companies with an owner to staff ratio of 2 or 4 staff per stakeholder, compared to thousands of staff per owner big companies have, this single factor would lead to the small owner run companies greatly outperform the companies with low ownership vs staff ratios. For the exact same reason communism did not work, people will push their own efforts to the max if they will benefit from it, but take that benefit away and many people will do as little as they can get away with.

Maybe the above is a bit extreme, the point is people care more about things they own, but small companies are perilous. Take away that peril and add the systems advantages and a network of small owner lead companies will outperform their big company rivals. And as a by-product, this network model is the most potent way to create an environment that encourages potential, so falling in line with the main Chan Zuckerberg philosophy.

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