After your clients have completed their moves and put their real estate transactions behind them, you still need to be in touch at regular intervals if you want to remain on their radar screens. Unless you develop a pattern of frequent communication with phone calls, e-mail, direct mailings, and other forms of contact, too many clients (even your best ones) may not remember you at the important moment when they need real estate counsel or when their friends need it. You need to constantly remind them that you’re still in the business and ready to be of assistance.
Showing appreciation
You can set yourself apart by conveying courtesy and appreciation to your clients on an ongoing basis. Express thanks several times during the transaction and again after the closing. Frequently affirm that they’ve made a good decision by working with you or choosing to buy their home.
Exceeding expectations
The keys to exceeding expectations are few and pretty obvious: Extend courtesy. Say thanks. Demonstrate appreciation. And always be professional and keep in mind that little gestures go a long way toward building strong relationships.
But also remember to keep your efforts in line with your professional image — you don’t want to be known as someone’s personal assistant.
To give excellent service, follow these suggestions
- Control service encounters by using your own people to conduct transactions. Direct and drive as much business as possible to the best providers.
- Make sure that your client works with the lenders who know their stuff and are responsive.
- Have a plan for recovering from service disasters. If your client is reasonable, no situation is too far gone to salvage.
- Do what is necessary to right the wrong.
- Find out from the client what it would take to turn the unsatisfactory situation into a satisfactory one.
- Avoid the blame game. Using the I-told-you-so attitude is never a way to soothe feelings.
- Follow up. Eventually sore feelings will wane, but the only way to replace the negative impression is to make a better one through continuous and professional contact.
- If you can’t turn the situation around, don’t concede your profit.
Some clients only feel placated if they get into your pocketbook and win cash compensation. Ask yourself the following questions
- Will offering cash really turn this client into a fan?
- Is there another way to turn this client into a fan?
- Is there a reasonable chance that I will win future business and referrals from this person?
If your answers don’t cause you to feel confident that giving up money will net a future return at a low risk, keep the cash in your pocket.