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|  Setting Marketing Strategies Analyzing the Business Climate Creating Your Market Identity Planning Your Advertising Coordinating Company and Salesperson Marketing Developing Public Relations Strategies Enhancing Customer Service | Enhancing Customer Service Once you’ve spent the time and money promoting your company, don’t let poor customer service undo all your hard work. Remember, happy customers tell 10 other people, unhappy ones tell 20. 4 Reasons Customer Service Matters If you think customer relations are the responsibility of your salespeople, remember these basic facts: 1. Service is Your Business. Unlike many businesses, your company doesn’t manufacture anything. It markets its services to buyers, sellers, relocation companies, other practitioners, and prospective salespeople. 2. Repeat Business. It’s easier to attract referral and repeat business from people who have had a pleasant experience with your organization. 3. New Business. It’s easier to attract new business if consumers feel your level of service is higher than that of your competition. 4. Employee Retention. Salespeople want to be associated with a quality company. If you deliver quality service, recruitment will be easier and retention will be higher. Adapted from Michael H. Bedsworth, “11 Ways to Improve Service Now,” in Real Estate Today®,February 1995 5 Ways that Customers Assess Service Research by Leonard Berry and A. Parasuraman at Texas A&M University indicates that customers consider these factors when evaluating service. 1.Reliability—the ability to perform the service reliably and accurately 2. Responsiveness—the willingness to help and provide prompt service 3. Tangibles—the appearance of the office, sales associates, and marketing materials 4. Assurance—the ability of associates to convey trust and confidence as demonstrated by their knowledge and courtesy 5. Empathy—the provision of caring, individualized service Adapted from Marketing Service: Competing Through Quality, Leonard Berry and A. Parasuraman, The Free Press, 1991 5 Skills for Good Customer Service Ken Blanchard, management trainer, business visionary, and author of such best-selling books as The One-Minute Manager, identifies five skills that are crucial to good customer service. 1. See your job from the customer’s standpoint. Empathy is a valuable skill in all aspects of life. 2. Listen to your customers. If we were supposed to talk more than listen, we would be born with two mouths. 3. Try to exceed your customer’s expectations. Go the extra mile to earn a “wow” reaction. 4. Recover gracefully from your mistakes. Instead of getting defensive, focus on your customers and how you can regain their loyalty. 5. Have fun with the first four skills! Adapted from “A Vision of Perfection: The Key to Improving Customer Service,” in Today’s REALTOR®, August 1, 1997 TIP: Use the magic word “sure” every chance you get. When a customer asks, “Do you think you can help me with (fill in the blank)?” there’s only one answer: “Sure.” Customers find the word “sure” so friendly and reassuring that you should practice saying it until it becomes automatic. —Adapted from John R. Graham, “8 Timely Tips: How to Grow Your Business,” www.grahamcomm.com. 7 Customer Service Standards One way to help ensure that your company’s clients have a positive real estate experience is to establish service standards for your company and get sales associates to make a commitment to follow them. Among service standards to consider are: 1. Return all phone calls within six hours, never longer than 24 hours. 2. Respond to all e-mails within six hours. 3. Contact all open-house attendees within three days of the event. 4. Add all new listings to MLS and company Web site within two business days. 5. Delete sold listings from the MLS within three business days. 6. Remove and return all yard signs within three days of closing. 7. Develop standardized form letters and e-mail responses that salespeople can customize and use as a way to encourage prompt responses to inquiries. TIP: Don’t leave it up to the sales associates to build referral business. Send a personal thank-you note to each client and customer on behalf of the company. 4 Services Customers Want Most > | |