Customer service is the key to any successful business and real estate is no exception.
Whether you are a solo real estate agent or run a bigger real estate firm, you need to learn how to effectively maintain a good relationship with your clients, in order to be perceived as a professional in the industry.
Satisfied customers lead to good feedback, good feedback leads to free marketing and free marketing leads to more customers. It is a continuous circle that, if tended to with good care, can ensure the success you are desiring for your business. But how can you better customer service and increase the number of satisfied clients that are willingly going to recommend you to others?
Quick response to requests
The golden rule in customer service is to be prompt in response. Living in the era of technology has led everyone to believe that it should not take more than half a day to get a response from someone. Chances are that, if you don’t respond to clients that same day, they will move on, believing you will never get back to them.
To keep them satisfied, make sure to respond to every client email in a maximum of 2 hours. Even if you don’t have a solution to their request yet, at least let them know you have received their email or message and are working towards fulfilling their request. Keeping them updated with the process is far better than keeping them waiting until you have the perfect solution.
If you don’t have a solution, try writing something on the lines of: “I have received your email and I am working towards finding the best way to solve the issue. I have contacted the seller and I am awaiting their response. I will get back to you with an update in X days.”
Anticipate customer needs
Responding to the needs of your clients is extremely important, but you get an even better relationship with them if you work towards anticipating their needs even before they get a chance to verbalize them. This gives them the message that you have paid attention to every discussion and are taking the matter very seriously, while also showing you care about them. Even the smallest things matter. For example, let’s say the client drove for two hours to meet with you for a house visit. Offering them a glass of water or a few moments to relax after the road shows consideration and respect.
“When it comes to the type of house they are looking for, keep in mind that you are the professional. It is up to you to know what the client needs, based on the discussions you have with them, their likings, budget and every other piece of information you can gather. If you show a two-bedroom house to a couple with one toddler and another baby on the way, you are clearly doing something wrong” advised real estate experts from Walton Robinson in Newcastle.
Always share your knowledge with clients
When they are meeting with you, there is a big chance that clients are not up to date with the latest changes in the real estate industry. You are the expert here. You should know all this information and share it with your clients, so that they understand why you are advising them towards something.
It is not right to assume clients know what you are talking about, even if some information seems common knowledge to you. Keep in mind that you work with these things every day and it is only normal that you are aware of them. Think about when you have to go get something fixed on your car, Chances are, you have no idea why it keeps making that strange noise, but the mechanic can tell the issue the moment you turn on the engine.
Show clients you remember them
Just as the waiter at your most frequented restaurant knows your regular order, aim to know your clients as good as you can, especially if you’ve done business with them a couple of times before. This does not necessarily mean you need to remember each and every one of their peculiarities, but try to remember at least a few basic pieces of information.
With the help of a computer, of course, you can draw a profile of every client and take a look over it before the meeting, to remember who you will be talking to. Throwing in a “Hello, Mr. Johnson, how is your son?” can work wonders in establishing a good relationship with your clients. Next time, before going to visit a house, stop for a cup of coffee and have a more informal discussion. This will help you understand where they come from and deliver top services.
Be more empathetic
A lot of businesspeople think that being empathetic is a sign of weakness and, in order to thrive, you should not take your work too personal. Truth be told, they couldn’t be more wrong. When you care about your clients and think about their situation before making a hard decision, you show consideration and clients will be grateful, especially in real estate.
It is easy to detach from their problems and not put yourself in their shoes but understanding them and their actions will only lead to a much better connection and they will end up trusting you have their best interest at heart. Make sure you always end the conversation on a positive note, even if you can’t solve their problem right away. This will ensure that, in the eventuality of their issue not getting solved, you did all you could.
Choose your team carefully
If you are running a real estate company, it is not enough if only you are the one who is treating clients the right way. Choose every member of your team with care and train them to deliver high-quality customer service with every phone call, email or meeting they have. It is enough for one of your team members to treat a client the wrong way and their actions can have repercussions over the entire company.
Aim to become an expert in recruiting and constantly training your team, in order for your business to succeed. Periodical evaluation, as well as rewarding employees for their efforts, is another practice that ensures your team will be motivated enough to give their best.
