Broker-client Relationship

The real success of any business depends upon not only how much money it makes, but also upon the satisfaction of its customers and their experiences while dealing with the firm. Ankit Gohel outlines some customer connect strategies. According to recent global study involving real-estate agents, it was found that the key to cultivate continued success was a ‘Happy Customer’.  The realty agents were of the view that it was very important to make their clients happy by ensuring they have a good experience in all aspects of buying a home. Happy customers have significantly increased her business. A happy client will always come back to the agent and refer people to them. As a real-estate agent, you’re only as good as your clients believe you are. You rely on the excellent testimonials of satisfied clients to help you expand your business. Clients who feel as though you went above and beyond will send you business via word of mouth. Your service skills are of the utmost importance, and building better relationships will help establish your name as a real-estate authority in the community that you serve.   Update Education As the real-estate climate shifts, so will the expectations of your clients. It may be worth giving your skills and knowledge an update by studying some real-estate courses. The clients deserve the best the industry has to offer them, and it’s the job of the agent to present that to them. There are also many online courses on real-estate available which could be very useful.   Communication It is crucial that clients receive timely communication throughout the home buying process, and are given reasonable expectations at the beginning of their home buying search. There should be effective and timely communication between the real-estate agent and his client.The agent should also keep a good communication with real-estate partners like loan officers, title representatives, home inspectors and others. The clients rely on agents to keep them informed about the real-estate sale campaign. Hence, the agents must promise regular feedback and progress reports. Great relationships heavily depend on regular communication, and your clients deserve to have you available whenever they’d like to discuss something.   A Trusted Advisor The more value you offer, the more a client will trust you and refer their family and friends to you. Market information, articles from property experts and news content that are useful, informative and relevant should be provided to clients. The broker/agent should be recognised for his property and sales expertise and as the area expert.   Righteousness Honesty in the services should be maintained. The information passed to clients should be honest and true. Clients are informed and they’re smart; they know when they’re being manipulated. Even telling a ‘little white lie’ about why you failed to do something you had promised will damage your reputation. Without a reputation of integrity, you’ll never be able to cultivate the kind of long-term relationships your business depends on.Be as transparent as you can, and don’t make bold claims if you know they’re impossible to follow through with.   Trustworthiness Stick to your words. When you say you’re going to do something, your client will believe you and will be disappointed if you don’t deliver. When you commit to doing something and have a deadline, your client will take you at your word. When you betray this trust it’s very hard to get it back. Your clients won’t waste time looking for someone else.   Follow Up The relationship should be extended even after the client has taken possession of their new house. The agents should be periodically stayed in touch with those clients hoping to begin a long and fruitful relationship. This is as same as the after sales service. It is a better way to build a relationship and ensure that you come to your client’s mind if they are looking to refer or conduct more real-estate business. Technology provides us with some great options for keeping in touch with people, but being seen in person is also very important for providing the ‘human’ touch. The clients do prefer to interact with a human, rather than a screen.   Not just ‘Clients’ In order to create a stronger bond with the client, they should be treated more than just a means of generating income. Treat each client as an individual and take note of their interests and their concerns. The more you can identify with a client as a person, rather than as a chance to make money, the stronger the bond between you will grow.Work hard to satisfy your client’s needs and you’ll have a client for life. You’ll become their preferred real-estate agent and they will be a valued source of new and repeat business for many years to come.   Think long-term A successful broker never becomes self-satisfied with his long-term clients. In an attempt to bring new clients, the older ones should not be forgotten.  Reward these old and loyal clients with exclusive discounts, reward program offers, and the like. They should be expressed gratitude and thanked for their valuable business.   Visibility The agents should be visible and active in the community. This means they ought to have an active presence at community events, volunteer initiatives and anything like that which is also important to your customers. Being involved generates good-will and makes you relatable to the prospect. It’s also a great way to meet the people who could be your future clients. Social media is a powerful tool for anyone building a real-estate business. Social media should be used as a means of personal connection along with as a portal in which your goal is to market. Some time spent on social media a day may lead to a notable uptick in your business. Real-estate is a very competitive industry, and one of the best ways to be competitive is to prioritize the care of your clients. It’s not enough to get the job done – you need to demonstrate a genuine care and attentiveness to the clients who depend on you to sell what is likely to be the most valuable asset they own.