|
Customer Service – the Real Estate Revolution
by: Glenn Murray
Traditionally, real estate has been viewed as a sales industry. But perceptions are changing. Agents around the country are coming to believe that the key to real estate success is service – not sales.
Competition and technology now give customers almost unlimited choices, so agents are having to work harder and spend more to win listings. They’re discovering that business success comes from repeat business and word-of-mouth.
And customer service is the key.
Loyalty and good-will can’t be bought – not even with the sale of a house. Customers like to be treated with honesty, respect, and integrity. They want a realistic and accurate property appraisal. They want an agent who commits to action. They want to be able to speak to someone who can help them when they call. They want to feel welcome when they walk into the office. They don’t want their intelligence insulted by advertising. They don’t want to be fed a line (even if it is what they’d like to hear…).
Agents with business sense know that if they can provide this customer service – if they can pioneer great customer service in real estate – they’ll have a real edge on their competitors. Far from being an impediment to success, they see today’s marketplace as an opportunity to flourish.
Obviously, the sale is still critical, but it’s part of a greater whole – almost like a critical KPI (Key Performance Indicator). It’s based on the simple premise – serve and you will sell. The premise holds true because all the pre-requisites of a sale are intrinsic to good customer service: The price is realistic, the marketing is intelligent, the advertising appropriate, and commitments are made and kept. Vendors, buyers, landlords, and tenants alike receive the same high level of customer service.
5 Quick Tips for Finding a Service Oriented Agent
1) Ask to see references – It’s not that much different from a job interview. Think of the agent as the job seeker, and encourage them to prove their customer service qualifications. The right agent will be only too happy to provide as many references as you’d care to see.
2) Analyse their business growth – Assuming their references are in order, ask after their business growth. References provide you with qualitative evidence of customer focus. You should supplement this with something quantitative. If the agent is still growing rapidly in today’s environment, then they must be doing something right.
3) Analyse their market share – Like growth, market share can be an indicator of customer focus. Ask what their share of the target market is.
4) Observe their behaviour – Do they return phone calls? Do they commit to action? Do they meet their commitments? Are the punctual? Do they keep you informed? Do they remember important details you provide them?
5) Gauge access to staff – When you first called, did you get to speak to someone who could help you? If not – if they took your name and number and told you they’d get someone to call you back, this might be indicative of their customer service approach.
|
About The Author
Glenn Murray heads advertising copywriting studio Divine Write. He can be contacted on Sydney +612 4334 6222 or at glenn@divinewrite.com. Visit http://www.divinewrite.com for further details or more FREE articles.
This article was posted on May 26, 2004
|
For more information and articles on real estate see Real Estate Articles From Resources For Attorneys or for other lifestyle resources and articles see Lifestyle Resources From Resources For Attorneys. If you are searching for a real estate broker or agent, please see The Real Estate Brokers Directory From Resources For Attorneys.
The opinions, statements and information contained and expressed in the foregoing article are solely those of the author. No position for or against, agreeing with or disagreeing with anything contained in said article is taken by Resources For Attorneys.com
or The Lifestyle Directory From Resources For Attorneys.com. We do not assume or accept any liability for the use of the information contained herein. This article is published solely as a service to attorneys, lawyers and the internet community. Anyone who does not accept this disclaimer is not authorised to read or use this article in any way.
about resources for attorneys resources for attorneys home submit an article
report bad links contact us
Page Set Up ©Copyright 2004 Resources For Attorneys.com. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
|
