Wendy Taylor-Dowson wins WA RV Salesperson of the Year
Empathy and relationship-building are Wendy Taylor-Dowson's crucial first steps in understanding what retirees want when they search for a new home in a retirement village - values that have earned her the WA Salesperson of the Year title.
The Retirement Living Council's (RLC) awards honour those across the industry who stand out for their achievements in sales and village management.
Keyton's Ms Taylor-Dowson - who is the sales manager at Lakeside Village and Lakeside Gardens in Bibra Lake - has been in the retirement industry for almost 13 years.
She has had great success selling various types of housing offered by Keyton, including off-the-plan sales, and has experience working across five different villages.
In an award nomination to the RLC, Keyton State Sales Manager Alan Draper described his expert colleague as versatile.
"Wendy sees herself as the first point of contact for potential residents at the village, guiding them from the start of their journey," Mr Draper said.
"She believes that empathy and relationship-building are crucial first steps in understanding what they seek in a village and a home.
"This approach helps Wendy build rapport, gain trust, and identify any potential objections."
Residents reminiscing on their retirement living journey joined forces to praise Ms Taylor-Dowson for her "patience" and "professionalism".
RLC Executive Director, Daniel Gannon, congratulated Ms Taylor-Dowson on her win.
"With such a long and distinguished career in sales, Ms Taylor-Dowson's method of prioritising empathy and relationship-building continues to lead to happy and fulfilling outcomes for retirees in Western Australia," Mr Gannon said.
"The future residents of Keyton's Lakeside and Lakeside Gardens villages are in good hands with Ms Taylor-Dowson there to reveal the wonderful benefits of retirement living."
Mr Taylor-Dowson - like all winners of regional awards - will now go into the running to be crowned Australia's Salesperson of the Year at the RLC's National Retirement Living Summit in Brisbane in June.
