RISMEDIA, Feb. 9, 2007-Responding to online home buyers within minutes is among the many ways that Weichert, Realtors® has brought the personal service it is known for to its Web site, Weichert.com. And as measured by online traffic and inquiries, that level of service is just what Net-browsing house-hunters are looking for.
"The number of visitors to Weichert.com increased 21 percent in 2006 from the year before," said Mike Montsko, president of Weichert Lead Network, Weichert's industry-leading customer contact center. "What that tells us is that people are finding the information and services available on Weichert.com to be of real value. They're returning again and again to our site, they're staying longer, and they're taking advantage of our quick response time to go out and see homes with local Weichert Sales Associates."
Whether buyers on weichert.com call the "Quick Connect" 800-number or send an e-mail inquiry, a swift response is the norm. Trained service professionals staff Weichert's contact center seven days a week to ensure that online buyers get the same personal attention as those who walk into their local Weichert office.
Supported by state-of-the-art technology, the center's service professionals can initiate a "warm transfer" directly to the cell phone of a Weichert sales associate who is a neighborhood specialist in the appropriate geographic area. That local sales associate can then answer any questions and arrange an appointment to see the home in person. If the buyer has a special need, such as preferring a Spanish-speaking sales associate, the contact center's service professionals will strive to make that match.
A few months ago, personal service on Weichert.com was expanded with the introduction of a streamlined mortgage form. Prospective buyers viewing a home online can click "Apply Online" to submit a short mortgage credit approval form to Weichert Financial Services. Typically, a mortgage representative, called a Gold Services Manager, gets back to the buyer that very day to discuss mortgage options. Same-day mortgage credit approvals are the norm.
Another popular feature of The Weichert Web site is Open House mapping. Buyers can pull up that weekend's Weichert Open Houses, decide which ones to visit, and then get a customized printout that efficiently maps out their Open House tour, including directions.
Testifying to the usefulness of Weichert.com to buyers and sellers is that visitors stay on the site longer on average than visitors to any other real estate Web site, according to Hitwise, a company that tracks online trends.
Montsko expects activity on Weichert.com to accelerate, noting that on a recent Sunday, the Weichert Web site had its highest traffic day ever, recording nearly 136,000 visits. Most significantly, he said, the number of those visitors who sought either to see a home in person or find out more was up 20% from January 2006.
For more information, call 1-800-USA-SOLD or visit www.weichert.com.
