Formulate hypotheses, meet an individual
A useful profile outlines a project: primary residence, holiday home, returning to Morocco, family home or investment. It does not reflect a personality deduced from a passport. Intercultural guides prepare you for the reception; the interview reveals actual preferences. A client may speak Russian, reside in London and buy through a company: language, residence and purchasing entity are three distinct pieces of information. Professional skill lies in observing, asking and adjusting, without restricting the client to a national narrative.
The method in practice
Before the appointment, prepare two columns: facts already expressed and information to be confirmed. Enter a request in English as a provisional language preference, not as a nationality. Open with the name in daily use, the language and the available time. Then ask about the project's trigger and its concrete use: how many stays, for whom, with what constraints? Offer the same relevant inventory and the same quality of support for comparable needs. Cultural information must trigger a question, never a refusal of property. In case of surprise, describe the observed behavior and check your understanding: a silence can be a time for reflection, a translation problem or a disagreement. You do not know which one without a discussion.
Fictional example
In Agadir, a client writes in Russian but chooses French for documents. She is looking for accessible accommodation for her parents. The adviser notes down accessibility, lift to be checked and French language. He does not create any "luxury Russian buyer" category.
Transforming a cultural assumption into an open question.
Linking SPIN, SONCAS and multi-person decision-making
SPIN structures the discovery phase; SONCAS helps explore expressed motivations. No letter in SONCAS corresponds to a nationality. Security becomes relevant when a client asks for proof regarding title deeds or the timeline. Money appears when discussing overall cost. Several motivations can coexist. In a collective decision, distinguish between user, payer, adviser and signatory. A silent or absent person may play an important role, but only the client can clarify this setup.
The method in practice
Use four consecutive questions: "How will you use this property?", "What bothers you in your current solution?", "What consequence does this have for you?", "What would a satisfactory solution change?". Then rephrase three priority criteria and one deal-breaker criterion. Ask who wants to participate in comparisons, who approves the budget and who will make commitments. Do not assign these roles based on sex, apparent age or job title. For a family spread across several countries, suggest a joint meeting and an authorized shared spreadsheet. A conflict between usage and profitability becomes an explicit trade-off. You can then use CAP/CAB: link each feature to a requested benefit and available proof.
Fictional example
In Rabat, two co-buyers respectively want a quiet home office and an occasional rental property. The adviser separates the two objectives, has the usage possibilities verified, and requests a joint ranking before presenting three properties.
Associating a motivation with spoken words and a role with confirmation.
A useful CRM and consented follow-up
The international profile adds service preferences, not a cultural rating: language, document format, chosen channel, time zone, authorized participants and next action. Commercial priority relies on a defined need, a timeline, a declared budget and an agreed step. A budget remains to be confirmed; it does not constitute a bank decision. Identity or financial documents follow the secured pathway planned for the file, without being scattered across messaging apps or training exercises.
The method in practice
After the meeting, send a brief summary to be checked: usage, criteria, open questions, expected documents, responsible person and date. Distinguish the follow-up requested for this project from enrollment in marketing campaigns. Get clarification on the preferred channel and frequency; choosing a messaging app does not equal authorization to forward the file to third parties. Log factual answers with their date, restrict access, and apply your organization's procedure for retention and deletion requests. Measure response times, useful viewings and next appointments actually accepted. If a contact stops the project, archive the file according to their request and offer to resume only under agreed conditions. A refusal of follow-up is information to be respected, not an objection to bypass.
Fictional example
In Fez, a contact asks for two property listings by email before Friday and declines phone calls. The CRM record keeps this preference, the date and the property criteria. The adviser does not add them to a WhatsApp broadcast list.
Prioritizing observable commitments and tracking contact preferences.
Your practical application work
In Agadir, two people living in different countries are looking for an apartment for their parents. They use multiple languages and have not clarified their joint budget. Structure your initial consultation.
- Draft six discovery questions without assuming roles.
- Establish a CRM profile detailing facts, unknowns, and preferences to be confirmed.
- Write a summary report with a dated next step.
Sources and benchmarks
- UNESCO · Intercultural competenciesConceptual framework for intercultural dialogue. Scripts and real-estate cases are CBE educational creations.
- CNDP · Direct marketingMoroccan reference framework for organising prospecting. Exercise data must remain fictitious.