5 Steps to Better Customer Service in Real Estate

There is a direct correlation between your income and the service you provide. Great customer service is what sets the best apart from everyone else – clients remember it, talk about it, and refer because of it. In a market with this much competition, your service is your personal brand.

Yes, you need efficient systems and consistent prospecting, but both of those exist in service of delivering the best possible experience to your clients. Here are the tips that will help set you apart.

How to Deliver Better Customer Service in Real Estate

Over-Communicate

There’s nothing more frustrating to a homeowner than a lack of communication from their real estate agent. You need to be committed to a proactive approach to staying in touch with your clients. You can never check in “too much.” If you say you’re going to get back to them in two hours, make it happen.

This is particularly important as you move into the listing and offer phase of the relationship. Your client will be anxious during this period and will want to know what’s happening. Make it your goal to keep them in the know – even when there isn’t news. Don’t leave them in the dark guessing.

Practice Empathy

Research tells us that empathy is one of the most important qualities to have if you want to be successful in sales, especially real estate. Try to make an emotional connection with your clients, digging deep to understand their needs, fears, and anxieties. Empathy is the ideal way to build trust, and trust creates the opportunity for referrals.

An important note: do not practice “fake empathy.” Don’t say “I know how you feel” unless you truly know how the other person feels.

Under Promise and Overdeliver

During your first communications with clients, clearly spell out what you will do – and it’s always better to under promise. Don’t tell someone you can sell their house in a day, even if you have prospects in the wings. This is not to say you should set low expectations. You can and will provide top-notch service while still not making wild promises you can’t fulfill.

Anticipate Client Needs

You don’t need extrasensory powers to anticipate what will be on your client’s mind, especially if you’ve been in the business for a while. Don’t wait for them to ask a question – get ahead of it. Proactive agents build confidence and reduce the anxiety that comes with buying or selling a home.

Work With the Best

Your credibility relies as much on your trade partners as on you, so it’s vital your office staff be on top of their service game. Only refer mortgage bankers, inspectors, and service providers you can count on, because they are a reflection on you. If you know a great landscaper, plumber, or painter, make those introductions – as long as you feel comfortable they will deliver on their promises.

Ensure Your Staff Is Engaged

Customer service isn’t just about you. It’s about everyone in your office, from front desk staff to managing broker. Set expectations for how you expect everyone dealing with your firm to be treated. No matter how exceptional you and your team may be, an unkind attitude from front office staff can leave clients with a bad taste.

Handle Problems Quickly

The way you respond to difficulties can make or break you. Be direct and assume responsibility – even if you aren’t the direct cause of the problem, the buck stops with you. You will experience the occasional crisis, so be prepared. Apologize and be ready to fix the situation.

Practice Transparency

Maintaining an honest, open relationship with your clients is an important building block of trust. Most people shy away from sharing bad news, but absolute transparency tells your client that you have their back and that you’re not just in it for the commission check. And always keep your word. Once trust is broken, it’s difficult to regain.

Show Appreciation

So simple, and yet we all need the reminder: everyone likes to be thanked for their business. Make your clients feel appreciated through verbal thanks and closing gifts. A small, thoughtful gesture at the end of a transaction goes a long way toward generating referrals.

Measure Your Service With Client Feedback

One of the best ways to ensure you’re providing great service is to ask. Conduct an annual survey using a tool like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms to check in with past and present clients. Find out what you’re doing well and where you can improve. It keeps you accountable and shows clients you genuinely care about their experience.