Is Technology a Scapegoat for Poor Customer Service?

The other day, I spotted an interesting post in one of the many real estate groups on Facebook. In the post, an agent suggested that electronic signatures result in poor customer service. The agent went on to opine that it is impossible for agents to fulfill their obligation to review the contract with their client when all they are doing is sending it over with (essentially) a button to push for signature.

This agent’s perspective might be more widely held than I realized. But it’s one, to be frank, with which I disagree. Let’s take a look at both perspectives.

The Argument
If I’m not mistaken, this particular agent’s argument was that electronic signatures negatively impact customer service because an agent does not have to be present when a document is signed electronically and thus their clients are missing out on the line-by-line explanation and analysis.

What isn’t being mentioned is that each agent has a choice whether or not they will be present during an electronic signing. They must use their discretion to determine whether or not their client could benefit from additional explanation and handholding. Just because you’re clicking or using a stylus instead of an ink pen, it doesn’t mean you cannot be present at a signing.

Now, on the other side of this argument, I can come up with multiple ways that electronic signatures actually allow real estate agents to improve their customer service. A few examples: