What Does Your Customer Service Say About You?

No matter what kind of business you're in, you need a customer service plan to set you apart from everyone else.  Since I am in real estate, I will use this fabulous industry as my example for the lessons in this blog post. Let's face it, pretty much every Realtor does the same thing.  By that, I mean its not rocket science when it comes to selling houses and so far over the last ten years I've not seen any one Realtor who does something completely different from others.  Yes, there are different ways to market and sell a home but primarily in any sales job, especially a commissioned sales job, customer service has to be the focus on what differentiates one sales person from another.  Most industries usually focus on two things, price and service. You may be willing to give up one for the other. For example, Walmart; you may give up having a pleasant shopping experience at one store to save more money by going to Walmart, but in sales, service, like size, does matter. So for all you commissioned sales people out there, especially my fellow Realtors, let's look briefly at what your customer service says about you.

Do you answer your phone? Such an easy thing but so hard for some people to do.  I once worked with a couple of people who had management responsibilities yet neither of them could ever be bothered to answer their phone.  If a customer needs you, they need a returned phone call.  Yes, sometimes they call for silly things but whether or not you answer their calls, or even return them, says a lot about you and customer service.  Maybe you're not in sales but you're a manager; your employees are your customers.  They can't do their job until they hear from you so if they have a question, give them good service by answering your phone.  So easy, so simple yet many people blow this one simply because they are too lazy and self absorbed to take care of their people or their clients.  Don't be this way.

Do you communicate frequently and honestly with your clients?  This big, especially for Realtors because I cant tell you how many times I've heard prospective clients say "The last Realtor only put a sign in the yard and after that we never heard from them".  From a real estate perspective that is certainly not customer service.  You may not have anything to tell them but you need to talk to them nonetheless. Check in, let them know what you're doing.  Did the house show?  Did you advertise in a different site? Can you pull numbers from the web advertising and tell them how many hits they had?  You can always call and give them an encouraging word.  Let them know you're there, you're not worried and the right buyer is just around the corner.  And if it is over priced or in bad shape, tell them!  Honesty is always the best policy...along with tactfulness.  Having an ugly, overpriced listing doesn't work for you and certainly won't work for the seller in terms of getting it sold. Have a heart to heart with them, give them the chance to adjust and correct and go from there.  If they choose not to take your advice, you've at least done in part in being open with them and having the tough conversations.

Do you do your job or do you do more than expected? Do you under promise and over deliver?  If you're just doing your job, read this post and change your view point!  I recently went and showed a home listed by another Realtor who had put the lockbox on the side door, not the front.  Of course the day I showed it, it was pouring rain and I was drenched going to the side door, getting the key, running to front, unlocking home for clients then having to put the key back in the lockbox on the side of the house. When the agent called for feedback I expressed my displeasure about the location of the lockbox and asked why in the world it was like that.  Their response? "The seller said they didn't have a key to front door so I used the side key door."  Really? Guess what? I used that key and it fit.  Apparently the agent never even tried the key to see if it worked and even if they had and it didn't, as their agent it would have been a fabulous opportunity to go over and above, have a key made and not have showing agents schlepp around or enter the home through the garage.  They did their job but certainly did not do anything to go above and beyond.

Lastly, your customer service should be designed to wow them, from how your greet them, talk to them, respond to their needs, wrap up the sale and stay in touch afterwards.  Customer service actually starts before you ever meet your client by the way your marketing looks, how your phone message sounds, the promptness of your response, your conduct through the transaction and the follow up and connection afterward.  Make sure your service, from beginning to end, makes them feel special, valued and makes them want to refer others to you.  Then you will know exactly what your customer service says about you!

It's Still The Little Things That Matter

2015 is here and let me start off the first post by saying "Happy New Year"!

As you know, this blog, which shows off my wit and charming persona, is actually about customer service; not good service but great service.  I hope that you've got a plan ready to be implemented and taken to the next level for the new year so that you can turn your happy clients into raving fans.

But don't lose hope and panic if you don't.  It's the little things in a transaction that mean a lot so below are ten things to help get you started if you're a bit late in getting things on paper or still struggling with what to do.  Use any or all of these in your day to day dealings with clients and watch your business and referrals take off.  And feel free to share your own successes in the comment section at the end.

10 Customer Service Ideas for 2015

Get in the groove of writing hand written notes.  No one does, it's becoming a lost art and it means a lot to those who receive it.  Whenever you make a new contact, meet a new vendor, get a referral, complete an appointment, follow up with a personal note.  Thank them for their time, allude to something specific about your conversation and thank them.  Great way to show you truly appreciate the relationship.

Reward, reward, reward!  Got a referral from a friend on a potential client? Did a vendor help you out last minute and did a great job? Encourage that behavior and reward them to positively so that they want to keep performing in a way that helps you.  Starbucks gift cards with a clever "Thanks a latte" written on them say it all.

Remember the little things and let them know you remember.  Did your client close on their house a year ago today?  Was this the day you first started a working relationship with a particular trusted resource?  What client has a birthday coming up that you can make feel extra special by reaching out?  Who mentioned that they are a huge fan of "fill in the blank" and you just came upon a pair of tickets they might enjoy?  They may never remember telling you about their birthday, their favorite group or anything else but the fact that you listened and remembered says a lot.

Make sure it's all correct the first time.  I'm a Realtor and I send to my clients a copy of the listing and marketing materials as soon as their listing is "live." Before I ever send it out, I want to be sure it's correct and there are no misspelled words. I want everything perfect before it goes to them.  I cannot tell you how many times I've received items pertaining to business from someone I thought could follow directions and do what I asked only to find out what is written and what was discussed are two different things.  It gives me pause and certainly doesn't tell me that they consider my business important.

Take people to coffee.  It builds relationships, they see you as you really are and you stay in the front of their mind.  The next time they hear of someone needing a realtor, mechanic, electrician, or something along those lines, who will come to their mind first?  The friend who takes them to coffee.

Refer them to whoever can help them.  Be a resource to them for when they need to know something.  Do they need an electrician? Hook them up.  Be sure they understand that although you want their business, it's about much more than that....you're there to help them however you can.

Anticipate what they will need before they need it and then have it ready for them.  I recently took my car to the shop when my tire blew out. I expected them to fix the tire and let me know my car was ready but they fixed the tire, checked the others, washed my car and then parked it under covered parking to keep it looking great while they came inside, walked over to me, and told me my car was ready.  They then walked me through everything they did, showed me an issue I was not aware of and thanked me for my business.  They knew the car would need to cleaned up after a blow out that left the left side area filthy from where the tire rubbed against it.  I didn't know that they would do it for me.  Nice surprise!

Make it fun.  Whatever you do for clients, make it fun for them.  When they see you pull up or your number and happy face comes up on the phone when you call, make them want to talk to you because you're fun and you do fun things.  Sponsor something for your farm neighborhood if you're a realtor, give out lottery tickets telling them their business means a million to you, do something that makes them say that's cute, kinda cool and want to keep hearing from you again.

Make them feel special.  Let them know they matter and that their business is important.  Tell them thank you and how much you value them.  That should be a gimme but it's amazing how may people in business just don't get this.

Last one...again, not rocket science but a lost art in today's world.  Do what you say you're going to do when you're going to do it.  I read an article recently in USAToday that said Americans expect to have lousy customer service much of the time so any good service will make them think they are being treated great.  So go for great, not good and you will be ahead of the curve. Say thanks, let them know they're valued and remember them at different times throughout the year.  They will become your raving fans.

Make 2015 the year of you and your clients!