Providing top-notch customer service is essential for staying alive in an ever-changing and increasingly-competitive marketplace. Here are five tips to help you improve the service you provide to your clients and stay on top:
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
A lot of people will tell clients they “know” the market. But anyone can do a Google search of some numbers about the area. To really please clients, you need to truly know the local area.
Read the local newspaper, keep up on events going on in the town council and speak to people. Ask residents why they like living where they live, and then use this information to help your clients. Listening is one of the best services you can provide as an agent.
Offer Emotional Support
Moving is an emotional thing, and the truth is that most people don’t want to do it. Divorce, death or kids moving out is often the cause, so it’s important to be sensitive to this. Make sure you ask people if they’ve explored every other option other than moving.
While you risk losing a listing, this empathy is hard to beat, and you’d be surprised how people respond to it. When the moment does arrive to move, you’ll likely be one of the first people they’ll call. And being sensitive to people’s needs is a good way to build up a good reputation.
Make First Impressions Count
Always check in on the condition of a home when you first start working with a client, keeping a close eye on curb appeal. It might be a pain to call in a tradie to do a few little things, but fixing up some minor issues can go a long ways towards drawing people in when they first see a property.
Make Sure to Keep Daily Contact During a Campaign
It’s not necessary to call every single day, but you should reach out to your clients daily in some way or another. This helps to create trust with the client, and it also keeps them fully apprised of what’s going on with the sale.
Also, make sure you follow up with everyone who attends an open house. This way you can report back to the vendor and let them know what people are saying. In the end, buyers and vendors want the same things: open and honest communication. Making sure you check in with both consistently is essential for providing great service.
Don’t Forget About After-Sale Service
After a big search and a big sale ends, it’s easy for everyone to relax. But for you as the agent, if you want to provide top-notch service, then you need to try and avoid this. The period before settling can be stressful, so make sure you’re still touching base with both parties.
You can stay involved by recommending removalists, or by offering to oversee paperwork. Then after the buyer moves in, consider giving a call a few weeks later to see if there’s anything else you can do. This just helps to cement the relationship even further, and it also gives you a nice reputation boost, which can never hurt.