Sometimes you just can’t help but tell other people about it.
Think about the last time it happened to you.
You were at a café, and the staff went above and beyond to make you feel comfortable; you were buying a new phone, and the sales rep really saw things from your perspective and committed to getting you the right device; you were at the bank, and your banker volunteered helpful advice on an unrelated matter.
In these situations, those businesses don’t have to ask you for a referral.
You can’t help but tell people about it, because your experience was so fantastic.
In a referral-based industry like real estate, it’s this level of customer experience that sets truly successful agents apart from those who work hard, mean well, but never get the results they’re hoping for.
Why is customer experience so relevant to real estate?
There once was a day where the primary value that a real estate agent provided was connecting sellers with buyers. Agents were the critical link between those selling, and those buying.
Courtesy of the internet, real estate agents no longer hold all the information. Sellers can knock together their own listing on the web, and buyers can easily browse through these and get in touch.
That’s not to say that agents no longer offer value—far from it. The value has simply shifted in emphasis. Real estate agents must provide the one thing that technology will never be able to: Stunning customer experience.
Regardless of the buyer or sellers’ situation, the transaction is an important moment in their lives. Agents can influence how stressful or easy this process is, and build incredible loyalty, all through the type of customer experience provided. Do this, and those oh-so-valuable referrals will begin to flow in.
Top tips for creating a stunning customer experience
Providing the kind of customer experience that will revolutionise your business is not as hard as you’d think. Follow a few of these suggestions, and you’ll be well on your way:
- Answer. Pick up your phone. It’s that simple—do this, and you’re most of the way there. Being incredibly responsive makes people feel like they’re the most important people in the world. And you know what? That makes them feel good about themselves, and you by extension. Studies have shown that those who provide great customer service, beat their competition 81% of the time. This doesn’t mean you have to answer 1 a.m. calls, but it does mean that from the get go, you clearly establish with customers the way they would prefer to be communicated with, and proactively navigate any issues.
- Reprioritise. To provide a phenomenal experience, your focus needs to be fully on your existing customers. Too often in the real estate industry, your best energy goes into chasing leads and building up a prospect list. Inevitably, it shows in the service you provide, and customers can tell they aren’t your main priority. Instead, invest deeply into current customers. They are your lead generation.
- Empathise. Every great customer experience stems from the provider’s true understanding of a customer’s situation and desires. The key to unlocking this for your own business is empathy. Even if you feel that your customer is being a pain, and you’ve seen this certain situation a hundred times before, take the time to slow down and put yourself in their shoes. Seeing each interaction through the lens of your customer allows you to better communicate, make decisions, and respond in a way that build relationships.
- Provide an ‘X’. No stunning experience would be complete without a ‘wow’ moment. But don’t fall for the trap of thinking that these kinds of moments have to be complex. Your customer just wants to have their expectations exceeded—do this, and you’re entering ‘wow’ territory. It could be as simple as doing additional research on the surrounding neighbourhood and providing this before the buyer asks, or setting up a meet and greet with some of the locals. Offer useful, transparent information - after all, you should have your client’s interests at heart. Customers typically judge an experience off its high point, and its end. Provide a great ‘X’ factor with each customer, and you’re halfway there.
When it comes to gaining referrals in any business, there’s no magic bullet. It follows common sense that if you give each of your customers an incredible experience, they won’t be able to keep themselves from referring their networks through to you.
