Ready to make your real estate consumer happy?

Does your business model deliver an exceptional transaction for your real estate consumer?

Everyone has their opinions about Uber—some rave, some rail. But as someone who travels quite a bit, Uber absolutely KILLS IT for consumers. They make my experience exceptional, and I want to recommend them every time I use them.

Once again, I Ubered to the airport at 6:00 AM this morning. (By the way, have you ever noticed how consumer-focused companies even have their own lingo?)

• I calmly sipped the rest of my coffee in my kitchen while I pulled up the Uber app and requested my car;
• I rode the elevator down to the lobby of my building and there was my Uber driver (not a Realtor this time!) in his brand new car greeting and taking my bags from me;
• He too was an ex-New Yorker, so we had plenty to talk about in the 15-20 minutes it took to get to the airport;
• He had mints and waters in the backseat; and,
• When we got to the airport, he got my bags, shook my hand, and wished me luck on my business trip!

Here is the best part: When I got the receipt, by email, only seconds later, my ride was only $11.88!

Yes, I'm a raving fan because it costs $17 a day to park at the airport. Not only did I have a wonderfully convenient way to get to the airport—and not have to look for parking, but I also saved $40 because my wife promised to pick me up Friday night when I get back.

So what does this have to with creating an exceptional experience for your real estate consumer?

EVERYTHING!

In 2015, your real estate consumer expects / demands this level of exceptional service with everything they buy. Real estate should be no different, especially given the price tag associated with their transaction. After all, it's the biggest purchase of their life!

How well does your transaction experience you rate with real estate consumers?

1. How easy is it for a consumer to find you or to collect information? Once they do find you or request information, how quickly are you getting back to them? Is it a consistent experience or are you at the mercy of your agents' professionalism, schedule, or mood?
2. If a consumer comes to your office how are they greeted and by whom? What does your office look like? Is it well appointed, fresh, and modern or does it actually look like a real estate office? Have you given any thought as to what the real estate consumer experience should be while they are in your office?
3. Is your company the expert in not just real estate but local communities and neighborhoods, or are your agents order takers? Does a real estate consumer enjoy their time with your agents? Do they find the time they spend with your agents productive, or are they viewed as a necessary evil so they can buy or sell their home?
4. Once the real estate transaction is complete, do you just cash the check and go on to the next deal, OR do you treat this person as a customer for life? What client retention system do you have in place to make sure you are top of mind with your client as long as they own their home? Do you create raving fans that refer you to their friends and talk about you on social media?

I always say that if other consumer-focused companies with less expensive products or services can do it, so can the real estate industry.

YES, real estate is inherently more complicated. ABSOLUTELY, independent contractors are tough to manage. SURE, agents don't want to spend money or let you touch "their" clients. I get it!

I also get that those are excuses, and there are real estate companies out there proving it can be done. This is a consumer driven economy. If you internalize that and it drives everything you do, you will move past those excuses and start creating raving fans AND attract top-tier agents that want to work for those types of companies.

To view the original article, visit the PCMS Consulting blog.