Service Excellence Behind the Scenes

Filed Under Ask The Expert, Market Info · Tagged: Service Excellence Behind the Scenes

Colliers Toronto’s Chris Fyvie helped ETC Global Holdings secure a lease at 333 Bay St.

ETC’s Elijah Mills had the following to say about the service quality he had received from Chris:

“My broker is just awesome and a very patient relationship person…he gets the job done. I think Colliers is great. We will probably reach out to them with other projects as we expand in other markets. My hope is that there is another similar broker in some of those markets.”

Below, Chris provides an account of the project and how Colliers helped bring it to success.

Can you give us some background information about this transaction and how you got retained by the client?

I met with Elijah Mills of ETC Clearing in late 2010. Elijah found my blog http://officesearchtoronto.com through a Google search and reached out to me asking for information on the Downtown Toronto office market.

Why do you think the client gave this comment?

The client was based out of Los Angeles. This meant they needed someone on the ground in Toronto acting on their behalf while they continued a search for their new Canadian COO. So while I was coordinating their office lease, I was also receiving their computer equipment and coordinating the contractors to help finish the construction of the office space. They must have felt this was above and beyond the call of duty, but it was my pleasure.

What was the biggest challenge you faced?

This deal required patience. It took more than a year to complete and was slow to start. We initially toured space in early 2011, but they were not ready to proceed until the middle of the summer. In a hot market like Toronto, the space ETC was counting on was no longer available. We had to go back to the market a few times to find just the right location.

Is there anything you would have done differently during the process?

I would have introduced the client to MHPM earlier in the construction process. They were invaluable in reducing certain costs related to the construction of the space.

How are you planning to keep in touch with the client?

Elijah is a big football and basketball fan. I plan on enjoying a few events with him (depending on the season) when he comes up to visit. Long distance relationships can be difficult, but it means planning in advance and making sure I do not miss any of his visits to Toronto by staying in touch often.