Investing in Customer Service Can Help Your Bottom Line

BY LEE NELSON

Customer service is about being part of a team with your clients, pitching in where you can, and ultimately helping them through a successful transaction. According to Cindy Napp, Realtor-Associate ® in Spring Lake, 2022 will be the year of customer service.

Napp makes a point to help her sellers clean up their homes and stage it to receive top dollar. When working with buyers, she keeps her rolodex filled with contacts such as electricians and veterinarians to help new homeowners find what they need when they move to the area.

We are all working together to go forward,” said Napp. “This is the most important thing this year for our industry.

Things are changing in the real estate world. New ways of buying and selling properties have emerged, and the pandemic changed the ways the industry does business. Even with streamlined business processes, Ronnie Glomb, Designated Realtor ® and CEO of Your Town Realty, said lack of communication is the number one failure reported on surveys against agents.

Communication is the top reason they discount the use of an agent,” said Glomb. “If you don’t want to pick up the phone and talk to customers, it will be really hard to succeed.

Create A Customer Service Plan Customer service means treating each client the same no matter their price point, said Rachael Hite, a business development specialist with Finance of America Mortgage. Hite helps real estate agents with their business planning, marketing, and customer service.

The client has the same needs. It’s all about the importance of taking care of someone during their homeownership journey,” said Hite.

Some of the best ways to provide fantastic customer service includes setting boundaries when you first start working with the client such as business hours and preferred communication method. Hite recommends mapping out every part of a transaction to make space for the customer, regularly checking in with your clients, and creating a customer service routine.

People need to create a routine with customer service. Don’t throw it together at the last minute,” said Hite. “Organization creates calm. Don’t show houses one way to some people and other ways to others. With prep and planning, others will understand that is your brand. You have standards.

Know Your Clients

It’s vital to take time to learn about your clients wants and needs during the home buying or selling process.

The more you ask, the more you learn,” said Napp. “The more you can hone in on what they really want, the better you can serve them.

Tammy Cottrell, Realtor® and manager/broker associate at Century 21 Action Plus Realty in Cream Ridge recommends listening more and talking less when it comes to initial conversation with clients.

Make your customers feel like they are your only customers. That will ensure they will become your client for life,” said Cottrell.

Have an outline or a plan in place to help guide the buyers or sellers to they know what to expect. By being open and honest, they become more open to you. When working with couples, help them get on the same page by creating a want and need list to bring with you to every showing. It’s an important conversation to have with partners and it helps them decide together what they really need to be happy.

You take that list with you to every showing and open house. Then when walking through the home, everyone can realistically look at what’s most important to both of them,” said Hite.

The list can save on arguments and time. For instance, if a basement is very important to both of them, they can eliminate those homes that don’t have one. Clients will lean on your expertise to help them make a decision so take the time to talk about how the space could work for them.

Information is Key

One area agents fall behind on in customer service is not getting back to their sellers after an open house or a showing to fill them in about what happened.

Providing feedback, even if there isn’t any feedback, is important,” said Glomb.

Tell them how many people showed up for the open house or explain what questions potential buyers asked during a showing. If you aren’t saying anything to your clients, they think you aren’t doing anything.

Glomb recommends using technology and emails to inform buyers and sellers where they are in the process and what’s the next step.

We send out reminders about appraisals, home inspections, and more with follow-up emails,” said Glomb. “I carry about 100 listings on average. I wouldn’t be able to do it without a written plan and implementing my systems.” Cottrell makes it a priority to tell her clients about possible negative outcomes during each step of the process. “This way, if something goes wrong – such as during the inspection – then they are prepared and know how we can move forward, if need be,” said Cottrell.

Give your Best During the Process

Napp makes sure her clients know they can turn to her for all kinds of help.

If people are moving into her area for the first time, she shares information about every town, the nuances of them,

the price points, what it means to be part of that town, and who you call for getting things done.

She believes strongly in collaboration and providing resources to newcomers and helped create an online guide which includes community events, upcoming fundraisers, small businesses, favorite restaurants, and other lifestyle information.

Stay in Touch

Cottrell tries to keep in touch with all her past clients throughout the years. After a closing, she sets them up on a preferred client club with her office. Clients are sent different printed marketing pieces in the year including some postcards, branded magazines, greeting cards, and a yearly calendar.

“This helps keep me top of mind to my clients,” said Cottrell. “I also use an email drip campaign with a monthly real estate newsletter. I then add them to my social media accounts and my holiday mailing list as well.”

Many Realtors® hold annual parties and get-togethers to thank their clients and vendors.

“But the key is you need to follow-up occasionally with phones call and text messages. Or you can even stop by to say hello if you’re in the area. This will ensure to keep the relationship going,” said Cottrell.

Don’t be afraid to ask for referrals or reviews from your happy clients. Customer service is about getting back to basics and helping your clients through the home buying or selling process.

Just as customers read reviews before making online purchases, potential home buyers and sellers will read reviews before choosing their Realtor ® .