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Selling Real Estate On A Conveyor Belt?? Or Good Customer Service??

By Barbara Todaro

Services for Real Estate Pros with RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired 104763

July 21, 2012 05:57 AM

How important are we to our clients? Does it matter to our clients if they don’t always speak with us directly and they are filtered to another licensed agent? That agent may be a team member or a licensed assistant. Are we now able to pass off our clients to others because we call them part of our team? I picture these team members on a conveyor belt and the clients passing from one to another for a variety of tasks.

Buying a home is not equivalent to buying car insurance; or buying a life insurance policy; or purchasing a car. The magnitude of the purchases that we handle cannot be compared to any other type of purchase.

The client needs to feel secure and confident that they are not being filtered through the ranks. They need to know that the “best of the best” will be managing their real estate transaction.

Whether one has a team or a group of assistants, the client expects to work with the agent in charge, and that means through the entire transaction. There is nothing more disappointing than to be passed off to an assistant to complete paperwork (there may be many questions that surface) or to sign agreements (there are always questions that surface.)

Can you be replaced that easily? Will a client be satisfied working with anyone? Whatever happened to customer service?

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Peggy Wester

Realty Executives Integrity - Grafton, WI

Real Estate Agent Ozaukee & Washington County

It's terrible, Barbara -- very sad. Sometimes I just shake my head in disbelief...

Jul 21, 2012 07:07 AM

Barbara Todaro

RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA

Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

Peggy.... competing is first and eveyone is over extended with too much business..... it's an assembly line.... and what happens is that other assistants and licensed agents are blended in to take over for the prime agent.....that agent is off and running with another piece of business before finishing the previous deal....

Jul 21, 2012 07:17 AM

Sally Dunbar

Lyon Real Estate, Fair Oaks CA (Sacramento Area) - Fair Oaks, CA

Fair Oaks Realtor - Fair Oaks Homes for Sale

Barbara - But what is your solution? You work with a team, right? How do you create that feeling of working with "the best of the best" when your team will have to do much of the work? that's the challenge to me always. (BTW I do not have a team...)

Jul 21, 2012 07:24 AM

Barbara Todaro

RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA

Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

Sally..... they each do their own work.... from start to finish....no assistants....they have their team of home inspectors, mortgage officer, attorneys.... each agent handles their own business..... we focus on listings so it's not as time consuming as working with buyers.... and we can handle more business..... it's a choice we all made.... now I'm going to expand to hire a buyers agent or two....

Jul 21, 2012 07:28 AM

Cindy Edwards

RE/MAX Checkmate - Johnson City, TN

CRS, GRI, PMN - Northeast Tennessee 423-677-6677

Barbara,

You always have such great words of wisdom when it comes to real estate, customer service and professionalism. Do you teach or coach? If not, you should. You have a great way about doing business.

Jul 21, 2012 07:52 AM

Sally Dunbar

Lyon Real Estate, Fair Oaks CA (Sacramento Area) - Fair Oaks, CA

Fair Oaks Realtor - Fair Oaks Homes for Sale

Barbara - that seems to me to be the way to do it. I can never understand how a buyer does not feel like they are on a conveyor belt if they are handed off to the marketing specialist, the closing specialist etc. That seems like buying from Sears. But I also know that many a good agent handles it the other way, and has happy clients. Thanks for your comment back.

Jul 21, 2012 08:01 AM

Barbara Todaro

RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA

Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

Hi Cindy...ha.....no one would pay attention.....I just focus on my little team and do the marketing for them....and help anyone who asks for help in our office.....

Sally.... it works well for us..... they don't complain.... if someone has too much business, they refer the business to one of the other members.... lorraine is the busiest.... but she is a listing agent with a few choice buyers to work..... plus she handles all four subdivisions and individual building lots.... she's very organized.... and I keep an eye on what she does.....if she's at her max, she'll refer new business.....

Jul 21, 2012 08:08 AM

Tatyana Makarov

Century 21 All Points Realty - South Windsor, CT

Your Greater Hartford Area Realtor

Nicely said, Barbara. I love the conveyor belt analogy. And yes, I know some agents who are overwhelmed with listings, and buyers... They say that they can give enough attention to everybody, but I simply don't believe it. Quality rarely comes with quantity.

Tatyana.

Jul 21, 2012 08:13 AM

Barbara Todaro

RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA

Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

Tatyana..... buyers take a great amount of time..... one can handle more listings than buyers..... no client should be short changed....

Jul 21, 2012 08:16 AM

Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties

Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN

The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Barbara, I have known buyers that felt passed off and then wanted a differnt agent entirely. It pays to make sure they are comfortable with the handoff.

Jul 21, 2012 08:34 AM

Doug Rogers

RE/MAX Coastal Properties - Destin, FL

Your Real Estate Resource!

The conveyor belt is frustrating for cooperating agents as well. Nothing like deal with three personalities during the same escrow.

Jul 21, 2012 08:38 AM

Barbara Todaro

RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA

Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

Debbie.....the first one to speak with the client is the one who should work with the client....if an agent will be referring the next client, the referral should happen immediately and the referred to agent needs to be the first to call the client.....

Doug....I didn't even think of that factor.... that's horrible.... that's sinful....

Jul 21, 2012 08:40 AM

Nancy Laswick

United Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ

Your REALTOR® For The Valley Of The Sun

"The magnitude of the purchases that we handle cannot be compared to any other type of purchase". That is exactly why we need to be there for our clients every step of the way. Thanks for sharing Barbara and thanks for walking the walk not just talking the talk.

Jul 21, 2012 08:48 AM

Barbara Todaro

RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA

Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

Nancy..... that was a nice comment and I always appreciate you.... we all have to continually learn to work smarter so we can produce more and service better.....

Jul 21, 2012 09:00 AM

Ken Brandon

Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage (Jacksonville, NC) - Jacksonville, NC

Camp Lejeune, Jacksonville, NC

I agree that customer service is paramount in this business. However, there are individual agents that don't give great customer service. The "team" concept is not the problem. There are plenty of so called "teams" that are just that in name as they really have no concept of how a team should be run. On the other hand though, there are PLENTY of "teams" that DO know how to operate to ensure the standards of excellence with regard to customer service are not only met...but exceeded.

Jul 21, 2012 12:41 PM

Rose King

David Tracy Real Estate - Friendswood, TX

Friendswood / Pearland / Houston Bay Area

Hi Barbara! I think it's important for an agent to work with the client through the entire transaction. However, if you have a lot of clients under contract, you could be doing the clients a disservice if you don't have enough time to take care of them properly.

Jul 21, 2012 02:08 PM

Conrad Allen

Re/Max Professional Associates - Webster, MA

Webster, Ma, Realtor

Hi Barbara. The Internet had depersonalized our business. Although they won't be able to out source it to India.

Jul 21, 2012 08:26 PM

Joe Petrowsky

Mortgage Consultant, Right Trac Financial Group, Inc. NMLS # 2709 - Manchester, CT

Your Mortgage Consultant for Life

If I had to give up, my personal interactions with my clients, I'd get out of the mortgage business. I probably have a lot of, no one can do it better, but most importantly, I enjoy the interaction. I like keeping my realtionship bank, full all the time.

Jul 21, 2012 08:34 PM

Sally K. & David L. Hanson

EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI

WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

Team members each have a place...the primary contact is key to making the customer/client feel the importance they deserve and less confused during a flurry of activity.

Jul 21, 2012 09:03 PM

Tom Bailey

Margaret Rudd & Associates Inc. - Oak Island, NC

Barbara, This type of system is tried over and over again in the heavy truck business. It never works and it never will. The salesman is the customer's point of contact and he or she better be involved in the whole process. IMHO the same applies in real estate.

Jul 22, 2012 12:17 AM