Great customer service has become an expectation in every monetary transaction from buying a swish new car down to buying a chip sandwich at the local takeaway.
It’s no wonder that home buyers expect to be blown away with outstanding service when making what is quite probably the biggest purchase of their lives.
Great customer service is the most valuable thing that you can offer your clients. It doesn’t cost money, rather it costs your time and effort and carries with it the most reward — think repeat customers and word of mouth referrals.
Try to remember a time when you have made a purchase and were impressed with the service you received. Ask yourself, how likely am I to purchase from that vendor again? Or, alternatively, how likely am I to recommend their products or services to friends and family?
Chances are if you have had a positive experience with a vendor, you will use their services again and speak highly of them.
Since word of mouth is the most trusted and arguably successful form of marketing, you can see why it pays to leave good impressions when it comes to selling property.
But just how can you go about polishing your customer service game?
It’s more than that token jar of minties on your office counter, it’s about building meaningful relationships with your clients and taking those extra steps to leave a lasting impression.
Invest your time
Dealing daily with the sale of people’s homes means that it is easy for agents to lose touch with the gravity of buying or selling a home.
Far from an everyday, emotionless transaction, buying a home is a major step in most people’s lives and a huge monetary commitment.
First time home buyers typically have many questions and require more of your time and advice than seasoned buyers.
The same goes for vendors. While homeowners who are selling their first home will have more reservations and requests than those who have sold in the past, all of your clients deserve the investment of your time.
You need to ensure you give each of your clients the time they need in order to feel relaxed and well informed about the process.
Always keep clients updated throughout the process, be it through regular phone calls or emails, and be sure to check in with them post-sale to let them know the relationship doesn’t end when the sale does.
Customer service is about the little things
Sometimes it’s the little things that mean the most to your clients. They are certainly the things that can set you apart from other agents.
When you meet with your clients, offer them a tea or coffee. Sit down with them in a room with no distractions. T
urn your phone to silent, shut your laptop and show your clients that you value the relationship enough to offer them your full attention.
There’s nothing worse than feeling less than important when the person you are meeting with is checking their phone or has their laptop propped open between you creating a barrier to communication.
Make notes when chatting to your clients and impress them by asking how their daughter’s dance concert went next time you see them.
By showing genuine interest in your clients and remembering (with the help of notes) the things they share about their lives, they’ll not only be chuffed that you remembered, but they will feel that you really care about them and are a top listener.
Customer service is perhaps now more important than ever.
To achieve success in the real estate industry, you should be confident that every client you encounter would go on to recommend you to their friends and family.
