Brokers should be thinking less about competition from other brokerages and more about keeping up with their clients’ expectations of service to stay competitive, according to customer service expert and trainer Shep Hyken.
“Don’t let them set your bar,” Hyken says. “Let the best of the best, regardless of industry standards, set your bar.” That means implementing new customer service initiatives that puts clients at the center of everything you and your agents do.
Because customers’ expectations of good service today are formed by whoever gives them their best service experience, Hyken says, whether it’s in or out of the real estate industry. Brokers should look at the brands they believe are setting the bar, such as Nordstrom, Apple, Zappos, or the local restaurant where servers know you by name and make you feel like a guest in their home, he says. “None of these companies or people may be in your industry, but they can be your benchmark for amazing customer service—service that is not based on customer expectations for your industry, but expectations from the best people and companies they’ve ever encountered.”
So, how does a brokerage turn into the Zappos of real estate in their market? “My suggestion is not to copy but to adopt and adapt,” Hyken says. Write down what you love about the service at other companies, then start developing a strategy that’s modeled after that exceptional service you’ve experienced. Tweak each initiative so that it’s uniquely yours and develop systems in your brokerage that solve clients’ problems and make the buying and selling process as smooth and enjoyable as possible.
Source: “Are You Keeping Up With Your Customers?” April 2018, Shep Hyken
