December 3, 2011
In the wake of the unprofessional and unethical behavior of the real estate consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle India (JLLI), the editorial team of Track2Realty has taken a decision to boycott the firm for a month starting Monday, December 5. During this period Dec 5, 2011-Jan 5, 2012, none of the inputs, column, analysis, reports of JLLI would be used by the editorial team of Track2Realty for the news site, feature service or any other editorial service/facilitation.
The strong stand by Track2Realty comes in the wake of the JLLI team resorting to unprofessional and unethical practice that has been implied to sabotage the yearly handbook Focus 2012. The JLLI team has not only duped Track2Realty by dishonouring the professional commitment, but has even refused to admit its mistake. Though this makes it a fit case for a legal action, but a boycott and subsequent expose is the symbolic protest as unanimously decided by the team Track2Realty.
Jones Lang LaSalle India, despite of its written promise over mail for an exclusive column to the yearly handbook, Track2Realty Focus 2012, sent the same column to all the journalists across the country. JLLI’s Assistant Marketing Manager Arun Chitnis (known for his bad blood with very many journalists writing on realty sector) shamelessly justified the act, despite of being reminded about the written commitment on their part.
It is all the more surprising that such a professional mess has happened despite the JLLI Chairman and Country Head, Anuj Puri being conveyed about the need for an exclusive column by Track2Realty. This has been a fact that had been acknowledged and agreed by Shajai Jacob in their Gurgaon office as well. Now that the edition is in print, this breach of trust has left the editorial team shocked, and with no choice. It is not just a breach of trust, but even a conspiracy (at the behest of any competing media) can not be ruled out.
Irony is that the real estate consultants in general crib about the lack of unprofessional behavior in the sector. Often crying for reforms and asking the developers to be transparent and fair with the buyers, they often fail to understand that they also need to behave in a responsible manner and be transparent, fair and true to their commitment in the professional domain.
A series on realty consultants’ business model and functioning in India under the banner “Consultancy for whom and at what cost” is being planned by Track2Realty. After all, this business has thus far thrived on media support as well, with journalists often taking them at the face value of being ethical. The research team is taking inputs from some of the realty companies and the idea is to expose those who often take a “holier than thou” moral stand and preach what they themselves never practice.
