Does your business model deliver an exceptional transaction to your consumers? Everyone has their opinions about Uber—some rave, some rail. But as someone who travels quite a bit, Uber absolutely kills it for consumers. They make my experience exceptional, and I want to recommend them every time I use them.
Once again, I Ubered to the airport at 6:00 AM this morning. (By the way, have you ever noticed how consumer-focused companies even have their own lingo?)
– I calmly sipped the rest of my coffee in my kitchen while I pulled up the Uber app and requested my car;
– I rode the elevator down to the lobby of my building and there was my Uber driver (not a REALTOR® this time!) in his brand new car greeting and taking my bags from me;
– He too was an ex-New Yorker, so we had plenty to talk about in the 15 – 20 minutes it took to get to the airport;
– He had mints and waters in the back seat; and,
– When we got to the airport, he got my bags, shook my hand, and wished me luck on my business trip.
Here’s the best part: When I got the receipt, by email, only seconds later, my ride was only $11.88!
Yes, I’m a raving fan because it costs $17 a day to park at the airport. Not only did I have a wonderfully convenient way to get to the airport—and not have to look for parking—I also saved $40 because my wife promised to pick me up when I returned.
So what does this have to do with creating an exceptional experience for your real estate consumer?
Everything!
In 2015, consumers expect an exceptional level of service with everything they buy. Real estate should be no different, especially given the price tag associated with their transaction. After all, it’s the biggest purchase of their life.
How well does your transaction experience rate with consumers?
- How easy is it for a consumer to find you or to collect information? Once they do find you or request information, how quickly are you getting back to them? Is it a consistent experience or are you at the mercy of your agents’ professionalism, schedule, or mood?
- If a consumer comes to your office, how are they greeted, and by whom? What does your office look like? Is it well appointed, fresh and modern, or does it actually look like a real estate office? Have you given any thought as to what the consumer experience should be while they are in your office?
- Is your company the expert in not just real estate, but local communities and neighborhoods, or are your agents order takers? Do consumers enjoy their time with your agents? Do they find the time they spend with your agents productive, or are they viewed as a necessary evil so they can buy or sell their home?
- Once the transaction is complete, do you just cash the check and go on to the next deal, or do you treat this person as a customer for life? What client retention system do you have in place to make sure you are top-of-mind with your client as long as they own their home? Do you create raving fans that refer you to their friends and talk about you on social media?
I always say that if other consumer-focused companies with less expensive products or services can do it, so can the real estate industry.
Yes, real estate is inherently more complicated. Absolutely, independent contractors are tough to manage. Sure, agents don’t want to spend money or let you touch “their” clients. I get it.
I also get that those are excuses, and there are real estate companies out there proving it can be done. This is a consumer-driven economy. If you internalize that and it drives everything you do, you will move past those excuses and start creating raving fans and attract top-tier agents who want to work for those types of companies.
I’ll talk about those agents next week. If you’re interested in more real estate consulting information, please browse our blog.
