Customer Service û the Real Estate Revolution
Traditionally, real estate has been viewed as a sales
industry. But perceptions are changing. Agents around the
country are coming to believe that the key to real estate
success is service û not sales.

By Glenn Murray *

Competition and technology now give customers almost
unlimited choices, so agents are having to work harder and
spend more to win listings. They're discovering that
business success comes from repeat business and
word-of-mouth.

And customer service is the key.

Loyalty and good-will can't be bought û not even with the
sale of a house. Customers like to be treated with honesty,
respect, and integrity. They want a realistic and accurate
property appraisal. They want an agent who commits to
action. They want to be able to speak to someone who can
help them when they call. They want to feel welcome when
they walk into the office. They don't want their
intelligence insulted by advertising. They don't want to be
fed a line (even if it is what they'd like to hearà).

Agents with business sense know that if they can provide
this customer service û if they can pioneer great customer
service in real estate û they'll have a real edge on their
competitors. Far from being an impediment to success, they
see today's marketplace as an opportunity to flourish.

Obviously, the sale is still critical, but it's part of a
greater whole û almost like a critical KPI (Key Performance
Indicator). It's based on the simple premise û serve and you
will sell. The premise holds true because all the
pre-requisites of a sale are intrinsic to good customer
service: The price is realistic, the marketing is
intelligent, the advertising appropriate, and commitments
are made and kept. Vendors, buyers, landlords, and tenants
alike receive the same high level of customer service.

5 Quick Tips for Finding a Service Oriented Agent
1) Ask to see references û It's not that much different from
a job interview. Think of the agent as the job seeker, and
encourage them to prove their customer service
qualifications. The right agent will be only too happy to
provide as many references as you'd care to see.
2) Analyse their business growth û Assuming their references
are in order, ask after their business growth. References
provide you with qualitative evidence of customer focus. You
should supplement this with something quantitative. If the
agent is still growing rapidly in today's environment, then
they must be doing something right.
3) Analyse their market share û Like growth, market share
can be an indicator of customer focus. Ask what their share
of the target market is.
4) Observe their behaviour û Do they return phone calls? Do
they commit to action? Do they meet their commitments? Are
the punctual? Do they keep you informed? Do they remember
important details you provide them?
5) Gauge access to staff û When you first called, did you
get to speak to someone who could help you? If not û if they
took your name and number and told you they'd get someone to
call you back, this might be indicative of their customer
service approach.

* Glenn Murray heads copywriting studio Divine Write. He can
be contacted on Sydney +612 4334 6222 or at
glenn@.... Visit www.divinewrite.com for further
details.