It’s always been important to provide fantastic customer service. After all, word of mouth is a powerful thing. But did you know you can hike up your commission if you provide it? According to the smart minds over at PwC, your clients are happy to pay up to 16% more for a great customer experience. Sounds easy, right? You’re probably already giving your vendors this… but are you sure? And what about your buyers - you know, the ones who will be selling in a few years’ time? It’s pretty simple really - and we’re here to help. Here are 3 simple things you can do to create a customer experience your clients are happy to pay (more) for.
1. Anticipate their needs
Good news! 87% of people say they want to be contacted proactively by businesses, so you have good reason to be reaching out often. However, they’re not a mass market - so don’t treat them as such. Our grandparents valued privacy over personalisation, but - for most of your clients - a customised experience trumps any privacy concerns. They want services that speak to them personally. So, with that in mind, we built a few specific features into Rex so you can give every client the personalised experience they demand, and show you’ve got their needs in mind.The custom tag functionality exists so you can add any interesting snippets of information to a contact record. Then, you can filter by a specific tag and send a ‘personalised’ mass email to all contacts you’ve attached the same tag to - making it incredibly easy to send potential buyers with kids approaching school age a list of properties within the local school catchment. Another popular Rex feature is the buyer matching tool, which automatically notifies buyers when something matching their interests hits the market - creating a curated property-hunting experience. All you have to do is create their buyer match profile.
2. Understand what they really want
It’s almost impossible to provide a great experience without first defining what they really want from you. So, here goes:
- they want authenticity
Authenticity is one of the top qualities that attract people to a brand today. People react positively to businesses that are transparent about their practices and don’t hide their motivations. So, being authentic to yourself will help ensure your clients enjoy their selling or buying experience. Authenticity comes through in the language you use, your clothing, your handshake... the list goes on. Don’t be afraid to show your sellers and buyers who you are underneath the suit. They’ll start to think of you as much more than a salesperson - perhaps even their trusted advisor.
- they want to be heard
Knowing that someone is listening to our thoughts and ideas is confirmation that they matter, and are worthy of someone else’s time. When people feel heard, they feel valued. So, with that in mind, position yourself as an open ear for your clients. Ask your database for their opinion, and listen to it. Send out a survey along with your newsletter, so that they can evaluate your services - and respond promptly to their concerns. After a sale, make sure you touch base to make sure both parties have settled in nicely. While showing them that you care, you’ll also gain some practical information on how you can improve your business and, in the end, make your clients happy!
- they don’t want to be sold to
61% of people are turned off by a pushy salesperson. So, once you’ve got their contact details, make sure you’re providing them with useful information of value to them, personally. The Rex features we just mentioned should help with that! In the end, it’s the best services that will win - so provide a great experience and you’ll be rewarded with repeat and referral business.
3. Be consistent
Your clients expect consistency - and really, it’s not too bold of an ask. Consistency helps you live up to expectations and promises. You can show consistency through:
- your service
Consistency of service means calling when you say you will, emailing that report when you promised you would… things like that. This is easy for you to achieve - but what about when you get sick, or go on holiday? What happens to the consistent service your clients are used to receiving then? In these instances, handoffs between your team need to be seamless. The best way to make sure you’re all on the same page is to assign reminders in Rex. You can even create your own workflows so that everyone in the office is providing the same level of service.
- your brand
Make sure your branding is consistent, too. Some people think that branding is just about having a logo and a slogan, but it’s so much more than that. It’s about fostering trust - and the brands that cultivate the strongest feelings of trust are more likely to deliver consistent customer journeys. We’re always on the hunt for ways to infuse your brand into communications sent through Rex.One of the most important pieces of communication you send are your listing e-Brochures, so we included your brand’s colours and logo. In fact, all marketing material generated through Rex is consistent with your brand. Everything you send should look and feel like it’s coming from the same people. While the needs of your sellers and customers aren’t the same as their grandparents, or even their parents, one thing remains the same: we all just want to feel understood, connected and able to depend on those we put our trust in. We’ve developed Rex to help you provide the level of service today’s vendors (and buyers) expect for their money - and we’ll keep developing new features to keep pace as those needs evolve.
