The Empire’s Clothes

Kevin Romito
Published: 06/25/2012
Posted by: RET Staff

The last 2 articles we published focused on the difference between better service vs. more services and that service quality standards should be defined by the consumer, not the provider.  The following story is Quality Service Certification’s twist on the classic fable “The Emperor’s New Clothes”.  It was written by our CEO, Larry D. Romito, in 2002. While it is a tongue-in-cheek look at our industry, what may be most interesting is how little has really changed since it was written, except the market.

This fable is an example of how home sellers and buyers do not find value based solely upon more services being offered by the real estate professional. Instead, research has shown and customer satisfaction survey results have confirmed, consumers want consistent, reliable, responsive and accountable service in those areas of the real estate experience they value the most:  communication, negotiation, management of the details.

Doing “more” cannot compensate for doing better.  And the performer cannot fairly judge performance. To think otherwise is to believe in fairy tales.

Many years ago there was an Empire that thought so much of itself that it spent great sums declaring to the world how much it did and how good it was. Across the realm, members of the court and dignitaries of the Empire made proclamations of the greatness of their accomplishments and the goodness of their service. The echo of their own words assured them of the certainty of its truth.

“We are the providers of great and valued service,” was their cry heard round the realm. Courtiers proclaimed, “Doing much is doing well!  Doing more is doing better!”

And so the wise leaders of the Empire pursued delivering more, confident that more meant better.

They added Links and Loans and Titles and Insurances all so that simple villagers everywhere could enjoy even more – and more would be better.