TL;DR: Regional operations manager Shawn Hayes transformed a 73-person, four-office LJ Hooker network from AI sceptics to successful adopters through personalised training and strategic implementation. Her approach proves that the right rollout strategy – combining automated lead nurturing with genuine human connection – drives measurable results.
Most real estate offices trying to implement AI tools face a similar pattern: excitement from leadership, a fancy demo, half-hearted adoption by a few early adopters, then… nothing. The expensive AI platform becomes another line item gathering dust while agents continue doing things the old way.
Shawn Hayes has cracked this code. As regional operations manager across four LJ Hooker offices in Southwest WA, she’s successfully rolled out AI tools to 73 staff members – and they’re actually using them. Her secret? She stopped treating AI adoption as a technology problem and started treating it as a human one.
The Four Types of AI Users
During our conversation on the Thought Leaders podcast, Shawn revealed something fascinating: there aren’t three types of AI users in real estate offices. There are four.
“We’ve almost got a fourth type of AI user in our business,” Shawn explained. “It’s the ones that are interested but don’t want to do it themselves.”
This fourth group sees the value and wants the results. They just need support bridging the gap between possibility and practice – often through their assistants or admin team who can manage the technical side while they focus on client relationships.
The SMS Campaign That Actually Works
Shawn’s team has been using an AI tool called RiTa (now owned by Cotality, formerly CoreLogic) for automated SMS campaigns with remarkable success. But instead of the typical “Want a free appraisal?” messages that make recipients reach for the block button, they flipped the script entirely.
Their most successful campaign? Information-first messages that provide value before asking for anything:
“Hey John and Sandra, did you know that this property around the corner from you just sold for a million dollars? We’d love to gain your insights or if you’d like to chat about what’s happening in your street, please give me a call.”
The response rate? Through the roof.
“They just write back ‘Yeah, how much?’ or ‘Oh, interesting, that only just went online,'” Shawn said. “They’ll just talk as if it was directed just to them.”
When prospects respond, the AI handles initial engagement. If someone expresses interest, it can schedule callbacks, answer basic questions, and – crucially – know when to hand off to a human agent. The system sends transcripts to agents when leads are qualified, essentially delivering warm prospects ready for personal follow-up.
The Power of Continuous Learning
Even with her AI successes, Shawn admits to being “a little bit of a slow adopter” when it came to tools like ChatGPT. It wasn’t until the REIWA Innovate 2025 conference that she fully embraced its potential, discovering additional applications like using AI for photo editing – removing garden hoses from listing photos instead of paying $40 per image for manual editing.
“I came back and I told all the girls, did you know you could do this yourself?” she said, demonstrating how even experienced AI users can discover new applications that solve everyday annoyances.
The 30-Minute Solution
Here’s the real innovation: Shawn doesn’t do group training sessions. She doesn’t send all-staff emails about exciting new platforms. Instead, she books 30-minute one-on-one sessions with each agent.
“I found when you send a bulk email to all the sales reps… they sort of skim over the email,” Shawn explained. “They don’t seem to love it in a group setting as much.”
In these private sessions, she doesn’t talk about company benefits or industry transformation. She shows each agent exactly how the tool will help them, personally, based on their specific challenges and working style.
For the agent who struggles with follow-ups? Here’s how AI automates your touch points. For the one who hates cold calling? Here’s how AI identifies warm leads from your existing database. For the top performer managing multiple listings? Here’s how your assistant can manage this for you.
The Natural Adoption Curve
Shawn employs a brilliant psychological approach: she starts with the willing.
“The minute those people, other people that were a bit cautious about it, see it working well… they eventually get to the party,” she said. “Everyone’s not always quite on the same level straight away. But they all get there in the end when they see the success.”
When Agent A starts closing more deals because AI is feeding them qualified leads, Agent B naturally becomes interested in learning more about these new tools.
Creating Safe Spaces for Learning
One of the overlooked challenges in real estate tech adoption is that agents often prefer to learn privately about new systems. Shawn addresses this directly through individual consultations.
“Real estate agents value their independence,” she noted. By creating safe, one-on-one spaces for questions, she removes any concern about looking inexperienced with technology or revealing competitive strategies in front of colleagues.
Results Over Reports
When asked about quantifying AI’s impact, Shawn was refreshingly honest:
“We do a lot of recording. We’re not as good at looking back on the information.”
But the results speak for themselves. The appraisal requests are increasing. The leads are flowing. Most importantly, the agents are actively using the tools.
This might be the most important lesson: perfect measurement can be the enemy of good implementation. Start with adoption, then optimise.
The Paradox of Personal Touch
Shawn’s final insight might be the most profound. In an age of increasing automation, the personal touch becomes more valuable, not less.
“Compliments cost nothing,” she said. “The minute you’re showing actual value and support and the ability to just have a 10-minute conversation with your team members… they’re happy for another six months.”
The companies that will win with AI aren’t the ones with the best technology. They’re the ones that remember that behind every AI implementation is a human who needs to feel seen, valued, and supported.
As Shawn puts it: “Don’t treat people like a number.”
Even – especially – when you’re teaching them to work with machines.
Want to hear the full conversation with Shawn Hayes? Listen to the complete interview on the Thought Leaders podcast, where she shares more details about specific tools, implementation strategies, and the unexpected challenges of managing AI across four offices.
Listen/Watch now
- YouTube
- Spotify
- Apple Podcasts
- … and on your favourite podcast player!
Connect with Shawn Hayes
- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-hayes-528829115/)
- Facebook: Shawn Hayes – LJ Hooker Property South West (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578757919631)
- Website: LJ Hooker Southwest WA (https://southwestwa.ljhooker.com.au/)
- Email: shawn.hayes@ljhsouthwest.com.au
- Contact: 08 97 91 6880
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Resources Mentioned
- ChatGPT – AI assistant for content creation and analysis (http://openai.com/chatgpt)
- RiTA – SMS automation and lead nurturing (https://www.cotality.com/au/products/rita)
- GoList – AI-powered lead allocation system (https://www.golist.com.au/)
- Rex Software – Property management and CRM platform (https://www.rexsoftware.com)
- REIWA Innovate Conference – A ground-breaking event about the future of Real Estate (https://members.reiwa.com.au/s/innovate)
Connect with Samantha McLean
Join the Conversation
If you’re using AI in real estate, what’s been your most surprising “small win”? Do you think one-on-one training is more effective than group sessions when it comes to adopting new technology? Why or why not? What’s one task in your business you wish AI could take off your plate tomorrow?
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