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The original Commitment to Excellence was approved by NAR's Board of Directors in May of 2015.
Competencies
The Commitment to Excellence Program will develop and enhance eleven competencies that indicate a REALTOR®’s commitment to ethics, advocacy, technology, data privacy, and outstanding customer service. These REALTOR® C2EX Competencies will include the following:
- Being current and knowledgeable about the laws, regulations and legislation affecting the real estate disciplines the REALTOR® engages in, and about real estate in their community generally.
- Understanding the Code of Ethics is a living document, and keeping themselves informed about its duties and obligations on an ongoing basis.
- Providing equal professional services to all consistent with Article 10 of the Code of Ethics.
- Advocating for property ownership rights in their community, state and nation.
- Acknowledging and valuing that honesty and integrity are fundamental and essential to REALTORS® being known as consumers’ trusted advisors.
- Becoming and remaining proficient in the use of technology tools to provide the highest levels of service to clients, customers and the public, and facilitating cooperation by sharing accurate, current information with consumers and with other real estate professionals.
- Keeping up-to-date on laws and regulations governing data privacy and data security, and taking necessary and appropriate steps to safeguard the privacy and integrity of information entrusted to them.
- Committing themselves to enhancing their knowledge and skills in the real estate areas of practice they engage in on an ongoing basis.
- Providing superior customer service.
- Appreciating that courtesy, timely communication and cooperation are fundamental to facilitating successful real estate transactions, and to building and maintaining an impeccable professional reputation.
- As a broker-owner or principal of a real estate company, being committed to creating and maintaining an environment that promotes excellent customer service consistent with these standards.
Website and Application
To encourage professional development in the REALTOR® C2EX Competencies, a website and corresponding mobile application will be developed to host the Commitment to Excellence program. c2ex.realtor
Program Plan
The Program will offer each REALTOR® the opportunity to complete a C2EX Skills Assessment: a comprehensive, cutting edge, skills and personality identification system designed to measure a REALTOR®’s proficiency in the C2EX Competencies.
The C2EX Skills Assessment will produce a self-paced, facilitated path through a personalized education program, specific action steps, and tailored tools and resources based on the results of the C2EX Skills Assessment. This Journey would meet the individual needs of each REALTOR®, and maximize engagement by offering the products and opportunities identified as being of use and interest to a particular REALTOR®.
Each REALTOR®’s C2EX Journey will be unique, and will identify the best possible path for that particular individual toward excellence in the REALTOR® C2EX Competencies.
The REALTOR® C2EX Journey will include various components to guide a REALTOR® toward excellence in the REALTOR® C2EX Competencies:
- C2EX Action Steps will broaden a REALTOR®’s skill development and engagement with their community through a suggested series of activities, such as attending an event or participating in a recommendation and review program. The C2EX Action Steps Tracker is a journal of Action Steps completed by the REALTOR®.
- C2EX Learning Prospects will offer a specific formal or informal learning opportunity, such as coursework, attending a webinar, or playing a learning game, uniquely designed to enhance a skill or improve a behavior identified in a REALTOR®’s C2EX Skills Assessment. The C2EX Learning Prospect Tracker is a journal of Learning Prospects completed by the REALTOR®.
If a REALTOR® identifies in their C2EX Skills Assessment that they are a broker/manager, they will unlock a special C2EX Broker/Manager Path: a companion REALTOR® C2EX Journey for brokers and managers, offering Action Steps and Learning Prospects designed to engage their agents in pursuing increased professionalism through the Commitment to Excellence Program.
Once a REALTOR® completes the Action Steps and Learning Prospects in their REALTOR® C2EX Journey for a particular competency, they will be awarded one of the C2EX Excellence Badges: digital insignias provided as recognition of a REALTOR®’s high level of achievement in one of the REALTOR® C2EX Competencies. These success measures will allow REALTOR®’s to promote their progress and receive encouragement along the way.
Achieving C2EX Excellence Badges unlocks new C2EX Action Steps and Learning Prospects which moves a REALTOR® one step closer to the REALTOR® C2EX Endorsement: an award given to a REALTOR® for achieving excellence in all the REALTOR® C2EX Competencies. The REALTOR® C2EX Endorsement is a unique market advantage, identifying the REALTOR® as a well-rounded professional committed to providing superior customer service and representing the ideals of the REALTOR® organization.
Once a REALTOR® achieves their REALTOR® C2EX Endorsement, they will be encouraged to complete another C2EX Skills Assessment to unlock new Action Steps and Learning Prospects, and receive a brand new, customized C2EX Journey.
Pledge of Performance (see below)
The Commitment to Excellence Program will encourage use of the C2EX Pledge of Performance: An assurance provided by a REALTOR® to their consumers, fellow brokers and agents, and by brokers/managers to their agents, detailing their commitment to professional excellence through the Commitment to Excellence Program.
Broker/Manager Involvement
The National Association of REALTORS® will encourage meaningful broker/manager involvement in and support of the Commitment to Excellence program by creating a viable, measurable program that is recognized as a distinct market advantage by REALTORS® and consumers alike, creating firm C2EX Endorsement programs, and positioning participation in the program as the highest level of service excellence.
Consumer Advertising
The Consumer Communications Committee will be asked to consider how to promote the Commitment to Excellence program and identify the benefits of working with a REALTOR® C2EX Endorsement recipient to consumers.
Ombudsman
The National Association of REALTORS® will promote the value of local and state ombudsman programs as a means of effectively addressing and proactively resolving peer to peer disputes among members.
Rationale:
The Commitment to Excellence Program encourages professionalism in REALTORS® by utilizing a multifaceted approach aimed at offering opportunities for continuing education and professional growth. A member’s Commitment to Excellence is a cultural mindset shift, and a lifelong commitment to becoming the best possible professional and providing superior customer service.
Pledge of Performance
The REALTORS® Commitment to Excellence was adopted as follows:
I am a REALTOR®.
As a real estate professional, laws and regulations set the minimum standards I owe to my clients, customers, and the public. In that regard, my duties are the same as other practitioners.
As a REALTOR®, I embrace and I am bound by the duties spelled out in the REALTORS® Code of Ethics. In addition to the duties owed to my clients and customers, to the public, and to other REALTORS®, I strive for the aspirational goals of the Preamble, knowing that the term REALTOR® stands for competency, fairness and integrity.
I believe in the value of the land. I understand the importance of adequate housing, functioning, livable cities, productive industries and farms and a healthful environment, and their role in nurturing a free society in the United States and internationally.
As a real estate professional I may be required to meet ongoing education requirements to maintain a license, certification or designation. As a REALTOR®, I continuously enhance my grasp of issues affecting real estate, and I willingly share my experience and expertise with other professionals. My dedication to the satisfaction of my clients’ best interests is my primary goal.
Understanding that the pursuit of knowledge continues lifelong, as a REALTOR® I will strive to achieve excellence in the following competencies:
- Being current and knowledgeable about the laws, regulations and legislation affecting the real estate disciplines I engage in, and about real estate in my community generally.
- Understanding the Code of Ethics is a living document, and keeping myself informed about its duties and obligations on an ongoing basis.
- Providing equal professional services to all consistent with Article 10 of the Code of Ethics.
- Advocating for property ownership rights in my community, state and nation.
- Acknowledging and valuing that honesty and integrity are fundamental and essential to REALTORS® being known as consumers’ trusted advisors.
- Becoming and remaining proficient in the use of technology tools to provide the highest levels of service to clients, customers and the public, and facilitating cooperation by sharing accurate, current information with consumers and with other real estate professionals.
- Keeping up-to-date on laws and regulations governing data privacy and data security, and taking necessary and appropriate steps to safeguard the privacy and integrity of information entrusted to me.
- Committing myself to enhancing my knowledge and skills in the real estate areas of practice I engage in on an ongoing basis.
- Providing superior customer service.
- Appreciating that courtesy, timely communication and cooperation are fundamental to facilitating successful real estate transactions, and to building and maintaining an impeccable professional reputation.
- As a broker-owner or principal of a real estate company, I am committed to creating and maintaining an environment that promotes excellent customer service consistent with these standards.
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Background
In May of 2015, NAR's Board of Directors adopted the REALTORS® Commitment to Excellence under which REALTORS® strive for excellence in a number of competencies, including the NAR Code of Ethics, the laws and regulations affecting real estate, and one’s advocacy efforts on behalf of strong real estate markets and healthy communities. The Commitment to Excellence also extends to the way REALTORS® interact with one another and with consumers and to the need to maintain one’s professional education. The Commitment also asks broker-owners and principals of real estate companies to maintain an environment that promotes excellent customer service.
To help oversee the Commitment, the Board created an advisory board comprised of nine members, including three from the Professional Standards Committee. The board will develop systems to ensure the competencies remain relevant and to provide the tools to administer the Commitment.