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The human touch still matters in tech-driven work

As tools evolve, communication, consistency and curiosity still help guide customers through complex and emotional decisions.

Technology continues to change how agents market, communicate, and manage transactions, but the work still depends heavily on human judgment and people skills.

Creativity, compassion, collaboration, consistency, communication, commitment and curiosity are the qualities that help agents stay effective across changing markets and client needs.

Those skills shape how problems get solved, how customers move through emotional decisions, and how trust is built over time.

"These qualities not only help agents survive changing markets, but they help build lasting careers, stronger relationships and trusted personal brands," Debbi DiMaggio said in Inman. "Success doesn’t happen by chance. It happens through movement, consistency, belief and the willingness to keep going even when the path feels uncertain."

Communication and consistency can influence the day-to-day client experience, while compassion and curiosity often affect how well an agent understands what is really driving a move.

Even as tools become more sophisticated, the customer side of the business still turns on trust, clarity and connection.

Source: Inman (05/28/26) DiMaggio, Debb

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