Defining your Service Standards

One of the keys to relationship excellence is to define and communicate the kind of service you stand for before you share service delivery responsibility To help you define the level of service you want your clients to receive, answer the following questions

• How frequently do you communicate with sellers?
• How frequently do you make calls, send e-mail, or mail written reports?
• Do you provide sellers with links to virtual tours or to Web sites promoting their property?
• How often do you meet face to face, and do the meetings take place in the sellers’ home or in your office?

The number one complaint consumers have about real estate agents isn’t that they charge or make too much money. The number one complaint is that they’re bad or infrequent communicators. If you’re representing the seller, understand that your client wants consistent communication. If you aren’t making a weekly call to provide an update on the process of the sale, you risk a poor customer relationship.

By delivering excellent service on a consistent and ongoing basis, your current client relationships will spawn repeat business and referrals that can draw new clients into your business. As a result, your success will reap even more success, your business will grow bigger, and you’ll be expected to provide superb service to an ever-growing number of people. At some point you’ll face the important but difficult task of transitioning from an individual service provider to a service provider who works with a team that helps communicate with and serve clients.

Making the shift from do-it-yourself service delivery to delivery that’s leveraged through a team is an essential turning point in a successful agent’s business. However, it’s also a dangerous point for the following reasons

• Even though you know it’s necessary to leverage your service ability by assigning tasks to others on your team, you may find it difficult to release ownership. This inability to let go can result in service lapses and frustration among both staff members and clients.
• Unless you clearly establish and communicate your service philosophy and program to those on your team, you’ll risk delivering an inconsistent or lower level of service to your clients.

The separation between marginal performance and stellar performance doesn’t come from an abundance of magical extras. Instead, it’s the result of keeping your commitments. For the vast majority of consumers, a professional who keeps commitments is a rarity.