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Real Estate Customer Service Tips: Creating Lifelong Brand Advocates

Written by Than Merrill

Is it possible for a few real estate customer service tips to elevate your investing career to the next level? The answer is a resounding yes, but it’s not enough to simply address customer service; you need to prioritize it. Only then will you be able to create lifelong brand advocates for your real estate company.

It’s time investors started placing a priority on customer service, especially when you consider how much favor it can generate in an industry growing in popularity every day. However, strategies placing an emphasis on the customer are not all created equal. I maintain that there are a select few strategies that are objectively better than the rest of the field. That said, I encourage you to heed my advice and follow my favorite real estate customer service tips.

Anyone that has spent time as an investor should be well aware of the importance of customer service. Nothing, at least that I am aware of, has the ability to create a more loyal following than world-class customer service. That said, a portion of every investor’s real estate brand identity should pertain to customer service. For what it’s worth, customer service may be the only thing separating good investors from the upper echelon of their peers. What’s more, it is entirely possible that superior customer service is the only thing preventing your business from reaching the next level, which begs the question; What real estate customer service tips will help you elevate your business this year?

It is important to note, however, that customer service is no longer solely relegated to your typical homebuyers and sellers, but rather everyone. As an investor, there isn’t one person that doesn’t deserve your undivided attention. For as dependent on relationships as most investors are, success in the industry is contingent on the people you meet and the contacts you cater to. Your intentions must remain diligent and proactive, as you never know when you will meet someone that can change the course of your career.

Having said that, providing world-class customer service to everyone you come across is easier said than done. Even the greatest entrepreneurs will find it hard to remain on top of their game over every waking hour of their real estate career. Whether you are willing to accept it or not, there is always the outside possibility that you will provide less than acceptable customer service on a given day. Through no fault of your own, it’s inevitable that you will not be able to please everyone. Valiant as your efforts may be, there will always be at least one person that will complain for the sake of complaining. Fortunately, one complaint isn’t the end of the world, at least if you are familiar with a few of the best real estate customer service tips.

I maintain that poor customer service is a blessing in disguise. If for nothing else, poor customer service, at least in the real estate industry, is not only a learning experience, but an opportunity to create a lifelong brand advocate. With the guidance of a few real estate customer service tips, there is no reason investors couldn’t capitalize on what initially appear to be a bad situation.

Real Estate Customer Service Tips That Could Save Your Business

Customer service in real estate

Again, nobody will ever be able to please everyone, nor should they fret when they come up short from time to time. Investing in real estate has as much to do with thinking on your feet as it does formulating a plan. That said, if you are ever confronted with a surprise in the form of a customer complaint, remain proactive in your efforts to find a solution.

In the event you are confronted with an unhappy customer, your sole focus should be their happiness. The moment someone has a discrepancy you are to blame for, immediately address it at take responsibility. Owning up to your mistakes is the only way my real estate customer service tips will actually help you in this situation. Once you have taken responsibility, do everything in your power to find a solution, and don’t be afraid to let them know it. Studies have shown that owning up to mistakes and amending transgressions can actually lead to better brand advocates.

Any complaint you receive should be handled with the utmost care, as customer service issues are a very sensitive subject. Be sure to treat each individual complaint on its own merits, as there is no one-size fits-all solution. Not surprisingly, this is the moment your customer service is truly tested. First and foremost, treat the person making the complaint as if they are your highest priority, because they are. Cater to their every need, and do your best to right any wrongs, even if you weren’t responsible.

In doing so, you may be able to take a customer who had a bad experience with your company and turn them into a vocal advocate. You would be surprised at how much people will appreciate an inherent willingness to make up for their mistakes. It’s safe to assume they will appreciate anyone who goes out of their way to make up for a mistake that may or may not have even been their fault.

It is important to note, however, that their appreciation can be more hyperbolic than even the most glowing compliments on your website and respective social media platforms. Whereas content customers are less likely to speak up, those that have been taken care of after being wronged are more likely to vocalize their gratitude and reciprocate their appreciation.

Above all else, don’t underestimate the opportunity a single complaint may offer. At the very least, poor customer service resulting in a complaint will identify the shortcomings of your business, and enable you to build a stronger foundation. According to John DiJulius, author of The Customer Service Revolution, “A complaining client is giving us the opportunity to make things right; it’s the silent ones that hurt us. They don’t remains silent once they leave our business.”

I remain confident in the real estate customer service tips I implement on a daily basis, but none has more power to improve your standing in the public eye than owning up to mistakes and catering to those you may have wronged in the past. The next time you make a mistake, don’t view it as a setback, but rather as a learning experience; one that can elevate the public’s perception of your business.