According to Webster’s new revised dictionary, the first definition of service is “servant’s profession.”
Have you ever thought that what you do every day to respond to customer requests isn’t what drives them to keep coming back?
I asked title executives, closers, and sales professionals from title companies across America what their products were. What I find very amazing is how the industry was able to misinform each person with no boundaries. It doesn’t matter where they come from: Florida, California, Alaska, or New York , the industry somehow reached each region with the same myth.
The myth is simple that their product is a service.
Whenever we think that our products meet customer expectations marginally, we are misunderstood. (i.e. being a good servant) is the misconception that customers will never leave.
This is a well-intentioned but false myth that can hinder the growth of any title company.
Below are three areas of good perspective on customer expectations and service. By adjusting your perspective, you can understand that customer service alone is not enough. If you want to keep customers and attract new ones along the way, you have to do better than that.
1. “Reactive Services”
This is the most common literal definition of the word “service”. This is what we offer when someone asks us for something, calls us back, or delivers a farm or marketing package. This is the service we provide.
In other words, with this type of behavior we are responding to someone’s request. The simple fact is that anyone can do it. If you think that this kind of service separates us from our competitors, you are not only wrong, but worse than that. To do!
2. “Responsive Service”
Have you ever wondered what your business would look like if the closer wasn’t asked to return the call? If you are not asked to
What if you could meet your customers’ needs by making sure they were there when they needed it?
According to our extensive research, the single biggest complaint customers have about title company-owned companies is that their calls don’t return quickly or at all. they got used to it. they are desensitized. We no longer expect someone to be able to answer the phone.
To make the service more responsive you will most likely need to readjust some things in your office. I need to push a lot of “tasks” to the assistant so that it can accommodate closers.
3. “Proactive Service” – AKA “Customer Surprise”
If you want your customers to never forget your service, WOW them! The more you act for them without asking, the more you will surprise them.
Have you ever thought of calling your customers not only when something goes wrong, but when there’s something wrong with their files?
If they only hear from you when you need something or have something wrong with their files, they will learn to emotionally dread hearing from you. It is a psychological fact that cannot be
When was the last time you or someone at your company proactively called a customer to let them know the closing was on track? Surprise! When was the last time you answered the phone for anything other than to say how much you appreciate your business? Surprise!
I remember one escrow manager telling me it was strange to call for no reason. Wow what a confirmation. She thought there was nothing wrong with “no reason” to call. I told her that if her files were fine, that would be a great reason to call her customers. The reason is that it’s exactly this kind of thing that wows her customers, makes her customers stay and makes others talk about her.
Don’t assume that providing good service is enough to keep customers. Don’t assume you can build a great referral business without wowing your customers.
Make it your goal today to call “for no reason,” according to the escrow manager above. Call some customers and let them know that the files are on track, things are going well, and that you appreciate their business!
Remember, you can’t keep customers by simply serving them. You keep them by surprising them!
surprise! The best business building tool you have.
Darryl Turner is CEO of The Darryl Turner Corporation, a recognized leader in the title industry in sales, management, closers and executive leadership coaching and training. For more information on DTC, please visit www.DarrylTurner.com.