Customer experience is a big concern for companies in every industry. Since you’re running your own company, you should focus on improving your customer experience on a regular basis. Real estate is a relationship business; therefore, an outstanding customer experience leads to the strong relationships you need for real estate success.
What is Customer Experience?
The term customer experience is one of those commonly used phrases that has no clear cut definition. However, we do know that companies that provide a great customer experience have a competitive advantage.
Here’s one way to think about customer experience: It is how the customer perceives a company based on their interaction over the length of their relationship.
Tips for Improving Your Customers’ Experience
It all boils down to making things easy for your customers. Customers value their time and you should, too. Look for ways to anticipate their needs and keep the process moving smoothly.
Provide a consistently high level of service.
There’s one key thing to remember about the customer experience you provide: customer perception is fleeting, and one customer’s view of your services can change with each interaction. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that your customers will forget that they can never reach you on the phone because you did such an outstanding job of finding properties that met their needs. Customers create an overall perception of your services, and it will be much less favorable if your level of service is inconsistent.
Specialize in a niche.
Real estate experts have been promoting the benefit of niche marketing for years. In terms of the customer experience, niche marketing still makes a lot of sense. A niche can be based on specific locations, types of architecture, types of lifestyles and more. If you’re working in a niche, you’re the one with the answers at your fingertips. You don’t need to research what a buyer should look for in a horse property – the answers will be immediate and informed by in depth knowledge.
Anticipate your customers’ needs.
If you meet your customers’ needs before they even mention them, you’ll be sending a signal that you understand what it’s like to be in their shoes and that you care about providing them with everything they need.
For example, probably the most common question customers have is, “what’s next?” You can provide checklists covering the buying and selling process and introduce each step of the transaction as you go. Another common question that sellers have is, “what do buyers think of my home?” You can easily provide showing feedback before your seller asks.
Make the beginning and end of your interactions with customers memorable.
Customers remember the first and last minutes of their individual interactions with you, even more than the rest of your discussion. Don’t let your schedule hurry you through a greeting or leave taking. Think about the elements you can use during those times to let your customers know that you value them, and then incorporate those into your daily interactions.
Respond quickly.
This is an often-quoted piece of advice. Everyone knows that waiting for a return call, or an answer to a complex question isn’t fun. Responding quickly doesn’t mean you need to drop everything to meet a client’s demand. You do need to let your customer know that they’re important by responding quickly and at least giving them a timeframe or a plan for how you will meet their needs.
Next Steps
Commit to implementing a few new things to improve your customers’ experience. You’ll find that your relationships will gel quicker and stay strong longer, and that will help you grow your business!