As Prudential Douglas Elliman turned five years old in March, it announced the creation of a new title,
executive vice president of brand management, and the appointment of new hire Jill Harnick to the position. Harnick will work to create a focused image for the company, among its employees and among its eight major divisions, which include sales, rentals, relocation, new developments, retail, property management, mortgages and title insurance.
Most recently, Harnick served as vice president of brand management and institutional marketing for the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association and College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA-CREF).
With regard to the branding efforts of broker teams and individuals, Harnick said that her role will not interact directly with those campaigns.
One of Harnick’s first roles in the position is to hold training sessions for new agents, to explain the company’s history and the vision of president and CEO Dottie Herman.
Her training will teach a standard way for agents to deal with customers, from how to answer the phone and write e-mails to what kind of information should be shared with customers.
“If you walk into Tiffany in New York, or Tiffany in Texas, there is a certain way that people are going to greet you that doesn’t change,” Harnick said, citing the high-end jeweler as an example of the level of service Prudential Douglas Elliman aims to provide.
Harnick will also be working closely with chief marketing officer Karen van de Vrande to monitor and revise the company’s newsletter, mail and Web advertising campaigns.