Four Methods To Deliver Great Customer Service As A Real Estate Agent
November 13, 2018
Four Methods To Deliver Great Customer Service As A Real Estate Agent
Post written by
Collin McDowell
Team leader and partner of local real estate firm, Collin has conquered real estate in just 9 years as a trainer, coach, and team lead.
Becoming a successful agent requires much more than HGTV property shows would have you believe. In 10 years of working in real estate sales and coaching hundreds of agents as well, I have noticed a few key factors that make for a successful agent. The No. 1 thing that positions an agent for success is the discipline to consistently strive to deliver great customer service, no matter what market factors are driving the buyers and sellers.
Agents who are successful in this way continue their growth and stand out above the competition in the following ways:
1. Staying On Top Of Communication
Fortunes are made with follow-up and follow-through. The average agent rarely follows up if an initial lead does not respond, whereas the successful agent will continue to follow up until the customer either asks to be removed from the agent's list or until an appointment is made. The successful agent keeps a database and works daily to maintain communication with all the potential customers — in whichever way the customer wants communication.
If the customer wants a text, then a text is what they shall receive. If the customer wants a call at a specific time, then the successful agent will schedule and make the call. The best of the best will learn to serve the customer the right way and gain the best results by communicating and being flexible to meet the customer’s individual needs.
2. Tech Savvy, Not Tech Stupid
There are the tech savvy and the tech illiterate. The successful agent not only understands and uses technology but also uses it in a way that serves the customer and serves a growing business without losing the personal touch. Successful agents leverage technology to save time, create new marketing resources and give the customer an interaction that is unique and fun. They strive to deliver a consistent experience that serves each individual. To get ahead in this evolving business, the successful agent must understand technology and continue to be on the cutting edge.
3. Become The Mayor Of Your Market
Conventional wisdom says that real estate agents should be the neighborhood experts, knowing where to go grab a bite to eat, how well the school district performs and everything in between. While so much has changed in real estate, this has not. Successful agents understand that they need to be experts in contract negotiation and marketing, sure, but they also need to still be the neighborhood expert. As Gary Vaynerchuk has put it, become "the mayor" of your town. Successful agents have a digital network and serve that network daily with expert advice and recommendations, meanwhile shaking hands and finding homes for clients.
4. No lead Is Too Big Or To Small
I and some of my mentees have come across leads in the weirdest of ways. It used to be that I would hold an open house and sometimes I would receive a lead. Other times I would get a call from someone who had seen my sign or contact information on a listing. Now, I can get a lead from Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Realtor.com, Zillow -- the list goes on.
What successful agents realize is that no lead is too big or too small, no matter where it comes from. In fact, most successful agents use a wide variety of methods to generate leads and create more opportunities for business. No matter where the lead comes from you will find a successful agent treating each and every lead with the same respect and consideration.
