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!
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