Chris Wood
How often do you put up with ‘below average’ in your life and grumble on; continuing to endure something you know is annoying you but can’t quite summon up the energy to actually do something about it? Sound familiar? I ask that because today, I was struck with just how easy it is to fall into the trap of “why bother?” For the past few weeks, my car has made a bit of annoying noise and has not felt smooth when I turned the wheel. Mildly irritating but, not enough to cause worry or prompt me to actually do something about it – which is unusual for me but, I’ve got a lot on my mind at the moment so this must have dropped down my sub-conscious ‘to do’ list.
My wife however, conscious that she will be using the car considerably more than me in the coming weeks, had that job much higher in her (my) to do list and did prompt me to do something about it. So, today, the garage has fixed it. And what a difference, I almost thought I’d got into the wrong car. No annoying noise or irritating ‘rumbling’ sensation from the steering wheel when I turned a corner and going around Cornish lanes has become a pleasure again.
And that’s when it struck me; I had settled for below average, got used to sub-standard and had denied myself the enjoyment of driving, what my wife and I had worked very hard to pay for; a good car. I had broken one of my own rules that I have tried to impress on everyone who has ever asked me about customer service… If you are not happy with a service or product that you have paid for; DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
In estate agency, like most service industries, the customer doesn’t know they have bought a ‘sub-standard’ service until they experience it and, even then, they often assume that poor service is the norm’ because agents have such a poor reputation generally, so they accept that the service they are receiving as ‘okay’. They don’t like it, but they believe that there is nothing better out there so why bother, “they are all the same!” This is why so many agents who should have gone out of business years ago survive and, in some cases, thrive. They know you won’t bother to complain!
However, contrary to what the popular press might have you believe, agents who deliver good customer service do exist and do like it when they customers discuss concerns or niggles with the service they are receiving because, it gives the agent a chance to put it right for that customer and other customers in the future. A business would have to be incredibly arrogant and or stupid to believe that they always gets it right and a good firm will have a number of methods for making sure that they don’t reach a stage where their customers are simply tolerating or enduring their service. Some signs you have picked a good agent who cares what you think:
- From the outset, they ask how often you want to be contacted during the sales process (and keep that requirement up to date – customers needs change, often rapidly)
- They make sure that whether you are selling or have agreed to buy through them or, are actively looking to buy a property, that you are spoken to (not just sent an email) at least once a week or more if required and; that that contact is a proper conversation, not just someone ‘going through the motions’.
- A good agent will make great use of ‘open’ questions (tell me…, explain…, what do you think…) that give you a real opportunity to tell the agent what it is you actually want/ need.
- And finally, once the deal is done and the keys have been handed over, the agent will check what you thought of their service and ask for constructive feedback.
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