Customer service in real estate is a subject that has been circling the industry for decades. However, many investors fail to implement quality customer service in their marketing strategies. In fact, the best investors live by one philosophy: real estate professionals are in the business of serving, not selling.
The Importance Of Customer Service In Real Estate:
In today’s competitive real estate investing environment, clients choose to work with investors who provide quality service over those who are just looking to close a deal fast. Sellers, buyers, homeowners, contractors, and lenders want an investor who is knowledgeable, competent, transparent, and accessible. If you are willing to go the extra mile to make your client feel special, you are guaranteed to turn them into a lifelong customer; and a loyal customer is worth up to 10 times more than a first time customer. According to a study, it is six to seven times more expensive to acquire a new customer than it is to keep a current one. In other words, don’t write off a clients after you’ve closed their deals, because you never know when they – or someone they give your name to – might need you again.
How To Use Customer Service In Real Estate As A Free Marketing Tool:
Whoever says that customer service and marketing don’t go hand in hand, does not understand the basics of word of mouth marketing (WOMM). One of the best ways to get people interested in your business is through word of mouth marketing.
The best part about word of mouth marketing is that it is completely free, as long as you implement the right customer service tactics. In this day and age, people have grown to expect poor quality service, meaning you can set yourself apart from the competition if you pledge to constantly improve your customer service. you can use these three tips to better yourself customer service skills, (therefore growing your word of mouth marketing) and your business will reap the rewards:
1. Pay Attention:
You would be surprised how many business owners fail to see the importance in taking a step back to listen to their customers’ needs. The problem isn’t with the simple act of listening itself. Anyone has the ability to shut their mouth for a moment in order to hear someone speak, but only the best business owners actually comprehend what the customer is trying to say. Most people spend the moments they are supposed to be listening, trying to come up with a response, only to respond with an answer that doesn’t actually solve the customer’s problem. A lot can be said about a good listener, and a lot of time, energy, and frustration can be saved if one takes the time to pay attention to what his or her customer really wants.
2.Under Promise Over Deliver:
Not much is better than being told that something will cost $50 only to find out it will actually end up being $30. The same goes with time: it is an ecstatic feeling when someone tells you that it will take 30 days to close a deal and it winds up only taking 25. However, nothing is worse than the opposite. If you want to keep your customers raving about you and your business for years to come, you should always under promise and over deliver. This is easy to do if you anticipate all potential problems that might occur with any deal, and tell your customer up front. As the transaction timeline continues, do everything you can to avoid those problems so that your customer feels like you went above and beyond just for them.
3. Smile:
A little smile goes a long way in the world of customer service and word of mouth marketing, and it is something anyone can do. A client can sense sarcasm or a general lack of enthusiasm, even over the phone, so make sure you are genuine during any form of communication with a customer. If you are passionate about your work, that eagerness should transfer over easily when talking to a customer. As long as you don’t fake authenticity, your excitement should be contagious!