Big corporations are finally opening their eyes and ears to consumer complaints through social networks like Facebook.

When I purchase goods or services from a company…I expect that the product works the way its supposed to and also that if I have an issue with it that they have good customer service.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when I get on the phone to get some assistance for the product or the services provided and all they do is sweep my complaint under the rug. I end up having to waste time trying to actually locate the proper department or person to handle the issue. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve spent a half a day of just sitting on hold and then find out that it’s the wrong person or that there is nothing they can do for me. Sometimes I get very angry and sometimes I’ve even try to go the “nice person” route and ask if they can help me out.

I decided to do an experiment and I thought I would be the perfect guinea pig.

About a year ago I heard that if you went on Twitter and complained about an airline.... they would respond faster and actually were willing to help you out. I have a Twitter account but rarely use it…I really don’t see any benefit for me personally but I figured I would give it a try. I went on there and found the companies twitter page and left a comment regarding an issue I had with Enterprise Rent a Car. Basically I told them that I’ve been a good customer for over 20 yrs and have rented many cars with them. At the time we rented a car from one airport and planned on returning it to another location based on our departure. When we turned the car in…the agent inspected the car and claimed that we had a quarter sized dent in the bumper.

I insisted that we never parked the car behind or in front of anyone so we believed the dent was there when we picked up the car and it wasn’t brought to our intention during the inspection. Apparently the agent still insisted on reporting it and the next day we received a bill for $225. I originally tried to call and speak to a supervisor and they told me they had pictures and we had to pay it.

After going back to see that there wasn’t any response on twitter…I gave up. The next day I decided to try the same tactic on their Facebook page. I basically posted a not so nice message on their page about how they won’t even help out or work with a very loyal customer. Within 5 hours I received a response that I would be getting a private email from the district marketing director for the airport. He told me he reviewed the pictures and also noted that the cost was under the normal wear and tear policy and that my money would be refunded. Unfortunately for me…. the drama wasn’t over…the check was lost somewhere in corporate for about a month and I kept calling this person to figure out what went wrong. He felt so bad that after I finally did get my refund….. he sent me an additional check from his claim departments personal account for the same amount and told me to keep both checks  and also gave me the use of any car on his lot for 3 days for free when I had to travel  a month later. I told him it wasn’t necessary but he insisted I take the offer.  So in the end..I received my refund twice and the use of a car for free. His reward was that he just got back a good customer for the future.

After all this happened …….I thought to myself that I would definitely try this again if needed just to see if this really works. About 3 months ago I had a problem with a Flat screen TV I purchased through Samsung back in 2008. About a year after my warranty expired…we had a problem with the TV and had to spend money to repair it. 3 months ago the TV picture was turning black on the top part of my screen. I first called them on the phone and asked them for help and they said my warranty was over but they would send a local vendor out and do a one- time repair for free. They showed up and replaced a part after 3 yrs. We paid $1100 for it and told them that I spent in excess of $10,000 on other Samsung products. Within a few hours they responded to me and directed me to their Executive services for social media complaints. Within 4 weeks I was able to get them to send me a new TV with a new warranty and take the old one back. All I had to do was pay $150 replacement fee….all worth it to me considering it’s a brand new 2011 TV with newer features.

With a little patience…my  experiment apparently worked not once but twice!.

So I’m 2 for 2 and I thought I would share this with consumers looking to get something back from the companies that we spend a lot of money on.

So what does this have to do with Real Estate? I guess it has more to do with customer service and how well companies and people respond to the consumers needs.

For more information ....Please contact Neal Bloom-Realtor® /Keller Williams Properties

1625 N. Commerce Parkway,Suite 105

Weston FL 33326

(954)608-5556

Neal Bloom tells it Like it is in Real Estate-copyright © 2012-All rights reserved

Hollywood Beach Florida Condo's For sale-Hollywood Florida

Hollywood Beach Florida

Hollywood Florida condos near the beach

The month of December is usually the start of when our snowbirds and tourists return to the sunshine state. Snow fall will be forthcoming and this is the time for them to start their holiday vacations and what better than to spend it in our very warm and comfortable climate. Our weather here has been fabulous for weeks. The temperature in Hollywood Beach Florida has been mostly sunny in the 80's with virtually no humidity.

With such an inflated amount of condos for sale in Hollywood Florida....."it is an excellent time buy a home." Prices have come down quite a bit over the last 7 years and inventory levels are still pretty high. I've noticed that there are still many Canadians looking to buy condo's in Hollywood Beach Florida.

When we looked today...it showed that the Canadian dollar exchange rate has been hovering right under $1.00. That is still good news for our past,present and future clients. In general .."it is a great time to buy a home in Hollywood Beach FL."

If you were to cross over to the west side of A1A you will find a different perspective of a premium location. By having the beach on the east side as well as the the awesome west side with views of the inter coastal waters.

For more information ....Please contact Neal Bloom-Realtor® /Keller Williams Properties

1625 N. Commerce Parkway,Suite 105

Weston FL 33326

(954)608-5556

Neal Bloom tells it Like it is in Real Estate-copyright © 2011-All rights reserved

It's that time of year again...I like to re-post this blog since I'm so hungry right now!

Every year since I've written this blog post...I like to re-post this in celebration of being thankful. I've made a few changes to it.

I'm also declaring this a day of rest and enjoyment.....so take this time to enjoy the day off if you can!

Don't be a Turkey on Thanksgiving...be a turducken!

Back in Nov. 2007 I posted this blog so I thought it would be nice to revisit it by re-posting it for this years Gala Holiday Event. 

Selling Real Estate can really be hectic at this time of the year and with the holidays approaching....I'm sure everyone is making big plans to spend extra time with their families. Today is Thanksgiving and I'm just here to talk a little bit about the food we eat on this gracious day.

Just remember that this holiday is for giving thanks and beside giving thanks I'm going to be eating quite a bit of food.  "Ah...I can smell the aroma now...those candied yams...the cranberry sauce....the mashed potatoes with gravy and don't forget that stuffing...just to name a few."Of course to top it all off we usually have the traditional 40lb turkey or the that sweet succulent ham with brown sugar and pineapples on top. There is usually so many different types of foods and I'm not sure I have enough room to fit it all in my tummy and keep my girlish figure.

But I think this year we might try something a little different...has anyone ever heard of a Turducken? Yes..you heard that right....a Turducken. From the partial definition taken from Wiki......a Turducken is a de-boned turkey stuffed with a de-boned duck.. which itself is stuffed with a small de-boned chicken.

If you are a football fan you might remember a few years ago during the NFL double feature of games shown on CBS and later Fox....John Madden would talk about all the delicious foods and how he would have his annual Turducken as part of his holiday dinner. I remember he even went as far as to bring it during a regular season game after he saw a patron actually roasting one in the parking lot. John Madden is a big boy!

Thursday we get to enjoy not two ..but three games. I'll probably need to take a nap later in order to stay up and watch the 8:30pm game..HAHA!

Sharing food with your friends and family is a great way to catch up with people you haven't seen in a long time and another way to enjoy relaxing in your home. Photos are courtesy of MMFRUIT and lmingall from Flickr.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and your families!

For the superior service that you deserve!

For more information ....Please contact Neal Bloom-Realtor® /Keller Williams Properties

 

 

 

 

Century Village Condos For Sale -Pembroke Pines Florida...an active adult lifestyle for residents

It is a great time to buy so come see all of the Century Village condo's For Sale. There are many condo's available now!

Century Village is located in Pembroke Pines FL. This is just one of four different locations around South Florida. 

Century Village has been the leading retirement community for the last 35 years. H. Irwin Levy brought the idea to a group of investors back in 1968. He managed the project for a while...... watching it take shape and help build it into what it is today...."an active adult lifestyle for residents."                                                 

The complex is a gated community that is provided with 24 hr manned security and features a 145,000 square foot clubhouse,an 18 hole par 64 golf course,15 swimming pools, lake-front views and theaters featuring world class entertainment .

Other activities include:

Bocci Ball,Tennis,Sailing,Fishing,Handball,Volleyball,Shuffleboard,ball Rooms, card rooms and fitness centers. They also provide transportation by bus to medical facilities, local shopping centers and malls.

                                                                         

 

Century Village coined the phase "Now..... this is living!"

The are many different sizes available now at very affordable prices.

Prices start around $30,000 for a 1BR and 2BR's $50,000

You can view most of the floor plans >HERE<

For the superior service that you deserve!

 

 

 

 

                                 

For more information ....Please contact Neal Bloom-Realtor® /Keller Williams Properties

 

 

 

 

1625 N. Commerce Parkway,Suite 105

 

Weston FL 33326

 

(954)608-5556

 

Neal Bloom tells it Like it is in Real Estate-copyright © 2011-All rights reserved

 

 

 

 

Do You Rely On Your Customer Satisfaction Survey'? 

There is one thing that I concentrate on in my business more than anything else..more than just selling the Real Estate....and that's customer service!

You shouldn't have to and it's not a requirement but....I'd rather pay someone a little more or pay a higher rate to get great service.

I don"t know about you but I like to read them. I'm not too worried if I get a not so nice or a negative one because you can't always please everyone. I'll admit it... but sometimes early in the game when I list properties for sale or work with a buyer..they don't always move as quick as I'd like them to or they might not get as much activity as I expect but you live and you learn. In the end...my goal is for the client to be happy because the listing sold and the customer is happy that they were able to purchase the property and close.

Anyone will tell you that they love reading the one's that make you out to look like the Messiah of Realtors®. But then there are times that you'll see some that might make a few suggestions as to how you should change your ways or improve your business. Thankfully..in 18ys ...I've been lucky to get the majority of positive results versus the negative one's. And I'm not blaming the client at all. They have every right to get 100% total satisfaction ans superior service no matter what happens.

So if I get a negative comment...I use it as just some normal constructive criticism. This way..next time I can use it to my advantage and maybe even learn from my mistakes.

It brings me to a funny story that happened to me recently. I recently purchased a new car and although the car is great....the service sucked! I really couldn't blame the salesman since they really just sell you the car and then you're passed off to these so called "service advisors". Eventually the salesman tried to help expedite and follow up just so it looked like he was doing his job but throughout the wait..he kept harping on the survey I would receive and how it was very important that I rate him with all 10's because it would effect his "bonus". Of course I'm not that mean of a person to ruin his chances for a "bonus" so I gave him his name in lights. But I did tell him that I wouldn't be as nice towards the service department.

When I send out my surveys..I don't think about a bonus. I get paid at the closing. Of course...we all want to make a good impression and get positive responses but it's not bonus related....at least mine isn't. I use it more for future business and I've never asked any of my clients to give me the best or even the worst rating....just be honest...that's the best type of bonus anyone can get!

I try to send out one of these surveys to every client once the transaction is completed.... via email,fax or regular mail. Some people respond right away and some take their time and some just forget and never respond. I like to send some of them to my broker so they can see the service I provide to my clients.

Below is an example of a simple way to make and send surveys to your clients. I try to make it short and brief because if it's too long...you'll lose the customers attention and they'll throw them out.

Please note that you may use this as you wish or add or delete anything you want.

Keller Williams Properties-Customer Satisfaction Survey

TO: Client X

FROM: Neal Bloom

We worked together on a project of utmost importance to you—your home.  Please help me serve you and your friends better by taking a few minutes to complete this survey.  If you wish to talk to me directly, don’t hesitate to call me at  (954)608-5556  For your convenience, You can print this, fill it out and  email this survey to me at nealb63@myacc.net.

Thank You!

For the superior service that you deserve!

For more information ....Please contact Neal Bloom-Realtor® /Keller Williams Properties

 

 

 

 

What the heck is this?

Take a guess and see if you know what it is.

I'll give you a hint...almost eveyone has at least one of them and some people have several of them.

For the superior service that you deserve!

For more information ....Please contact Neal Bloom-Realtor® /Keller Williams Properties

 

 

 

 

Yesterday I get a voice mail notification. I call back to listen to the message and it's all broken up so there was no way I could hear who was calling me or what they were calling about.

There is a return local number so I call it back so I could uncover who the mystery caller was. I figured that it might have been someone calling me about a property so I thought it was only right to return the call.

• MrLazylistingagent.com..how can I help you?

• Me..Hello this is Neal Bloom from Keller Williams Properties returning someones call.

• Mrlazylistingagent.com..Yes

• Me...well I just said I'm returning a call that I was unable to hear who was calling...your message was breaking up.

• MrLazylistingagent.com...Oh yes...I'm calling you back.

• Me...Wait a minute...I'm lost here and I'm not sure why "you're calling me back" to tell me you're calling me back!

• MrLazylistingagent.com...I think you called me about a listing I had that you wanted to show?

• Me...I'm not sure what you're talking about..what property was this and when did I call you...I don't have any appointments set up so can you be more specific?

• MrLazylistingagent.com...Oh I'm out of town so you must have called me about 2 weeks ago so I'm going through my voice mails and noticed you left me a message.

• Me...Sir...if it was 2 weeks ago then I guess it wasn't that important for you to call me back maybe...2 weeks ago? (Me chuckling in the background)

• MrLazylistingagent.com...oh well...there's nothing I can tell you.

• Me...Yes..oh well your loss...thanks for following up with me ....have a nice day!(IN 2 WEEKS!)

I could never understand why a listing agent wouldn't respond to a call to show a property they have listed...but this one was even worse...2 weeks later makes no sense. I would think they would have someone cover for them. If I was the client and knew this was the type of service the agent provides...I'd be looking for another agent.

Just my humble opinion!

For the superior service that you deserve!

For more information ....Please contact Neal Bloom-Realtor® /Keller Williams Properties

 

 

 

 

Do you trust your Realtor®?

I've been a full time Realtor ® for around 18 yrs. ...and I'm primarily a listing agent but I do work with a selective amount of buyers as well. It seems that nowadays...I'm working with more buyers due to the change in the Real Estate market.

I think about this question almost every-time I'm working with a buyer..... "Why would a complete stranger trust their Realtor®?"

Most buyers that I work with may not even show up at the closing if they live many miles from the property. Because they aren't always familiar with the area...they're constantly asking me to recommend inspectors, title agents, mortgage brokers, attorneys and contractors...just to name a few...I guess they're just too busy and would rather let a professional handle it.

I'm not always comfortable recommending different trades because if they aren't satisfied with their services....I just don't want to feel responsible...but I will recommend if they insist. most of the time...they are satisfied but sometimes they might not be. I guess you can't satisfy everyone all the time

I can guarantee one thing....100% total satisfaction, total trust and that I've done everything to make them comfortable working with me.

I've had many of my clients tell me."You handle everything for me and I have complete trust in you that you'll do the right thing." Thankfully..I've been blessed that the majority are happy with the superior service I provide.

Let's face it....everyone wants the transaction to be a smooth one. No one wants problems...issues...whatever you want to call them. Sometimes.... no matter what we do...no matter how much effort we put into it...if it's out of our control...there can be issues.

I seem to attract many consumers who are from out of town and many of them will usually travel to Florida just see as many properties they can in one trip and then fly back and make the offer from home.

Most of them don't understand the entire process and they're not always aware of the fact that every state has different rules or laws.

I've even had many sellers that I've never met that will for some reason "put their trust in me" and just send me the keys and list their homes for sale. It's amazing how I never even meet most of them...but that's another sellers story for another day.

Let's take what I call the "simple approach" with an "all cash deal"........

The following simple steps are needed to be completed in order to get to the closing table.

• The buyer wants to make an offer so we like to put it in writing so the seller will see that the buyer is serious. Once it is accepted...we now have a fully executed contract. 
• If it applies to the transaction... Homeowners association or condo docs are delivered to the buyer for their review.
• We set up an inspection.
• If the iinspection passed...we now moved onto the next step. 
• A title company is picked to be used and once they get the file started....they will notify both the buyer and the seller so they can gather any additional information and or documents that might be needed for the transaction.
• If it applies...the buyer might need to fill out an application and or a screening package for approval.
• We get the approval
• Then we wait for the survey to be done and finally we set a closing date.
• We do our walk through and if all goes well...we close!

For the superior service that you deserve!

For more information ....Please contact Neal Bloom-Realtor® /Keller Williams Properties