IPJ Report

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Kevin Brass
Author: Kevin Brass is editor of the International Property Journal. For the past decade he's covered the quirks and trends of the global property industry for the International Herald Tribune and the New York Times.
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Despite all the training seminars, self-help sessions and best practice tutorials, it never ceases to amaze me how badly some real estate industry professionals handle basic customer service.

This week I encountered a fairly typical example, which may sound familiar to many people in the industry. It happened in Austin, Texas, but it could ring true anywhere in the world.

My wife and I toured condos in our area that are due to be auctioned in a couple of weeks. The next day I received the obligatory follow-up e-mail from a representative of the preferred mortgage lender, pitching her company’s services.


“I’d be happy to assist with your financing whether you purchase at the [auction] or elsewhere,” the rep wrote, in what was likely a form e-mail.

Fine. So I decided to challenge her with a simple question. “I’m not going to register to buy, but is the auction open to the public?” I asked.

Not a lender question, but you would think any company sending out a blind e-mail would be overjoyed at any response. “I don’t know, but I will find out for you,” she responded later that day.

Two days later: No answer. Nothing. Not even a “still checking” follow-up.

Without a doubt, it’s a trivial incident. No big deal. But it’s such a simple thing. A potential customer had actually engaged their company. A random e-mail had worked. Here was a chance to build a basic relationship, to perhaps illustrate the level of service the lender could provide.

Instead, the rep couldn’t respond to the simplest question. Sure, I wasn’t an immediate buyer. But in a game where connections and perception are everything, the company’s rep wasn’t able to handle even a simple dialogue.

In essence, I was testing the company. They failed.

Maybe this sounds familiar?

 


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0 # 2010-02-09 19:50
Kevin,

I agree. The apathy I see from Real Agents and from people in general in the industy is astonishing. I live in San Diego, and I deal with this attitude all the time. All clients want is someone to appreicate their time.
http://propertiesbyatlas.com/
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