The Empire’s Clothes

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.

Across the land this new cloak of service became the talk, the fashion and the rage. The cloak of more is better was stitched with a thread of convenience and buttons of saving time. “It must be a wonderful cloak, so many are dressing so,” could be heard within the walls of court.

Puzzled villagers listened intently to the newest tale. The Empire had, after all, accomplished much - all was going well. And who’s to say that more could not mean better? Even the simplest of villagers remembered their schooling and the self-fulfilling prophecy “saying it is sew makes it sew.”

The hierarchy of the Empire continued to seek counsel from within, following its own proven customs and practices, and toiling to preserve the traditions of its own creation.

And so it was thusly accepted. “Doing much is doing well - doing more is doing better.”

As the Empire paraded about in its fine new cloak, promises of great reward were held out to those who would join the ranks, accept and follow.  Challenging this accepted convention risked _____ (none would speak it)!

So the Empire marched on, all in step, never more prosperous or proud. “But this makes no sense,” a child’s voice cried out.  “Doing much is doing well? Doing more is doing better? One thing is not like the other. ‘More is better’ - how can you know?  More is how much, better is how well, even a child knows such!  More or better must be measured to know, from high to low with metrics to show.”

“It’s only the voice of a child, who could not know the laws and conventions,” decried the Empire’s court marching on in parade without slightest falter. “After all, what is the opinion of one against the wisdom of so many?”

The cloak of habit and the cloth of convention hide the naked truth. And yet in the face of such reality, the wise seek new views of old visions, hear many and listen to each, judge ideas on their individual merits rather than acceptance of the group. The child sees what experience hides. And every innovation is by definition a departure from convention.