After every transaction, whether its a home sale, purchase or even "just" a rental, within a week after my client has moved, I send them a 10 point customer satisfaction survey. The survey comes to them shortly after a hand-written "welcome home" card.

Its important to me to know whether the client thinks I did everything possible to help them and responded to each and every one of their needs in a timely and professional manner. So far, my rating is 999 out of 1000. That missing one point is the one that keeps me up at night wondering what I could have done better!

JD Powers has just released their 2008 survey showing that Keller Williams ranks highest among real estate companies in satisfying home buyers. The survey examined 3 factors, weighted differently, with regard to the home buying experience: satisfaction with the agent, with the office, and with services. Keller Williams achieved 831 on a scale of 1000.

While I am proud of our KW accomplishments, next year, fellow KW agents, we need to bat 1000!

My own survey asks my clients to respond on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best score) on different points ranging from: "I delivered what I promised", "I was accessible", "I listened", etc. I also ask if there is one thing they'd change about how I do business what it would be: 99% reply "don't make any changes!" or something to that effet. Its that 1% who respond that I might have done something differently that keeps me up at night.

If you are in the real estate business, it should be to help people with one of the most important -- and stressful-- transactions of a lifetime. Nothing other than perfection is my goal for my clients.

PS- Remember, fellow agents, the call you don't want to make is the most important one to make. Its the call with bad news, news you and the client don't want to hear -- when that happens, that's how your earn your gold badge of service, making it right for the client, no matter whose fault it is...

Dana Scanlon GRI - 301-575-4915 -  contact me today -

- www.homesbydana.us