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Rolling out the Red Carpet Service! Why didn't I think of this sooner?

Huntsville Alabama is growing rapidly, and I am continually working with Relo buyers. As we all know, working with Relo clients is very rewarding, and typically also VERY time consuming. Don't get me wrong, I love working with my Relo buyers but there had to be a better way.

Huntsville has the definite "sprawl" and I can easily drive clients around for hours and not see all sides of town. To show a buyer even just one home in each area can take all day. Literally. This does not include our initial meeting at my office, the tour of Huntsville or lunch.

The light came on a few weeks ago and now my problem is solved!

I bought a Garmin GPS for my clients to use! Genius :) Why didn't I think of that sooner? They are always thrilled when I give them the GPS I have preloaded with addresses of ALL the homes they HAVE to see. As we all know far too well, many of these won't make it on the "let's look inside list".

I have also loaded all of my favorite Restaurants, and points of interest I think they would enjoy seeing. This has really been a time saver for me and my buyers really are enjoying the freedom of getting to know the area at their own pace. By the time they have spent a couple of days comfortably driving around, they have a much better idea of which side of town they want to call home and it's a downhill run from there!

Why didn't I think of this sooner? It's the best $300 I've spent all year!

Posted by Elizabeth Ramsey Cooper-Golden on 03/18/2009 03:43 PM

Comments (124)

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124 Comments on Rolling out the Red Carpet Service! Why didn't I think of this sooner?

MAR

Great idea! Hope you have a great year and sell lots of homes.

I have one also. Its a life saver and time saver. It is a very good idea, putting those restaurants in there as well. I wish you the best.

This is my favorite 'gadget' of all time. I couldn't do without it. Great idea to buy one for buyers to use.

Great GREAT idea and I think it showws your RELO agent that you have but some serious thinking into the homes you added to the list

Liz

Finding your way requires a GPS, but we have devloped a website that lets the client decide what he wants to view befiore you have to use the GPS. Check it out and let me know if it would work for you.

CHUCK

Elizabeth, This is an ah ha moment! I have a factory installed GPS in my car that I could never live without. Also have a Garmin Nuvi which we purchased when traveling and have to use a rental car. Duh....here is a perfect use for out of towners, buyers etc. Never thought of it.

Thanks for the brilliant idea!

That is a great idea Liz! Just curious though, how do you leave it with your buyers so that you know you will get it back?

Hi Elizabeth~It like one of those V-8 moments- I could have had a V-8! I have a GPS and never even thought to let them (if they prefer) go on their own pace and time frame! What a great idea!!

Wow, that is sheer genius!!! You are the bomb!

I used to live there. Great town with a lot going on! I hear things are better for you in Huntsville than in other markets. Congrats.

Great idea... I've heard it before... I don't work with too many relo's, but would just worry about not getting it back! But, then again, it sounds like yours has paid for itself over and over again!!! Great job...

Wow, that is a great idea. Montana has serious sprawl and showing properties can take a really long time, and you're right, many of them won't make it on the "must see the inside list".

Elizabeth, You are brilliant. I have an older one and have been wanting a new one. What a great thing to give them my GPS to get to know the area. I used to give a street map years ago, but heck who uses those anymore?

PS, how's Mom? I hope well. Still praying for my all of my friends.

Elizabeth I've seen this before from one of my activrain buddies, but I had forgotten all about it. THis will come in handy for me soon. Thanks

MAR

Featured @ Club Chaos

Yes they are a wonderful thing. Mine is in my car and came with it. Well I actually paid for it. Next time I will get a portable one so I can use it when we travel by plane.

I don't know how I got around without a GPS. Oh yes, I had mapquest and killed too many trees. This is a fantastic idea, but I also wonder about the potential for it not being returned. How do you cover that risk?

Connie, Thanks so much! I hope you have a successful year as well !

Nate: I loaded all of the great little known Restaurants and my buyers love it! It has been a life saver for sure :)

Sarah: How did we make it without one for all these years? I can't get around the block without mine now, lol.

Elizabeth - I, too, think this is a stellar idea. I work with tons of relocating buyers (although 2008 was a notable exception) and I never thought to do this. Great job!

Eric, Let's hope they think I"m brilliant, lol. Thanks!

Chuck, Buyers need to actually drive through neighborhoods to get the feel for the area. I'll check out what you sent me.

Margaret, I'm with you...Duh, right? Why didn't we think of this sooner. It really has saved me HOURS on end :)

Eric, Let's hope they think I"m brilliant, lol. Thanks!

Chuck, Buyers need to actually drive through neighborhoods to get the feel for the area. I'll check out what you sent me.

Margaret, I'm with you...Duh, right? Why didn't we think of this sooner. It really has saved me HOURS on end :)

Yeah! I am not too much of a Map Quest person myself. Talking about giving a gift before giving a closing gift. I think you just gave me a idea for a blog Liz-LOL. Great post Liz.

Great idea Princess. And this way they will have to come back to you. Im sure your buyers really appreciate it. In addition, they can look around while driving instead of looking for which street to turn on. Sometimes you miss out on things because you are paying attention to the directions instead of whats around. This is a fantastic idea.

Bridget-Call me crazy, but I"ve never even thought of that. So far it hasn't been an issue. Most of my Relo's are honest, I"m assuming :) I suppose if they decide they don't want to look at property after driving around, I would just meet them and pick it up.

Vickie-Rotfl. It is SO simple, isn't it? Truly, a light bulb went off in my mind. I let a buyer use mine once and then was lost the rest of the day, lol. That's when I bought Garmin number 2! This has saved me so much time.

Patsy, Well thank you ma'am :)

Bryan, You lived in Huntsville? Come on back! Things really are good here, thankfully :)

Brian, They'd better not steal my GPS, lol. I don't foresee that happening, although you never know!

Kevin and Monica-Oh the dreaded "sprawl". Makes me crazy at times. SO many areas to see and buyers need to see them all. It has been a lifesaver so far!

Audrey-Me, brilliant? Don't push it sister, LOL. I say go get yourself another one. It's been great! Map....what's a map? lol Mom is doing much better. Thanks so much for everything. You are SO sweet. :)

Larry-Just when I thought I had an original idea.

C Tann-Starr *MWA*

Missy-You bet you paid for that GPS, lol. Looking forward to meeting you Friday, as long as my Mom is still in recovery mode and doing well!

Judy-I never even considered that issue. I feel like this: By the time I meet my clients, take them to lunch etc, then set them off on their way, I know them. (at least I think I do :) I do spend several hours with them first, giving them the tour of Huntsville. I'll let you know how I handle it if it does, LOL...probably head to Best Buy and purchase another one?

Jason-Oh go get one for your buyers. You won't believe how much time it will free up for you. Whew! Hope all is well in Austin :)

Lanre-I'm so glad I gave you a blog idea. I can't wait to read it! Let me know when you post it :)

John, Hey, thanks for the compliments! Having an extra GPS really has been great and my clients really appreciate having the freedom to go at their own pace.

What a great idea! Wish I had thought of that.

Great Idea. I hope they don't end up taking off with it and forgetting to return it to you. I think that would leave a sour taste for sure.

What a great idea!! I can see it also being very helpful when the buyers have children with them, as sometimes they all of a sudden MUST have a food/potty/play break and it would be so nice for them to have the freedom to move at their own pace & take breaks when needed (the kids or the adults!). Thanks for giving me such a good idea to use!

Excellent idea. I'm thinking of buying a new GPS, so recycling my current one would be a great "double" investment.

Now, that is some great thinking... I'm sure a lot of members will take this and run with it. Congrats on the feature!

That is a fantastic idea. I am sure that initial $300 investment will quickly be made up in time saved and gas and travle on your vehicle.

I am in. I am on my way to best buy tonight. Thanks for the great Idea.

I will be pricing them out this weekend!

That is a great idea Elizabeth. Too bad we can't remotely program their own if they have one, setup a tour, hit send, and it's in their system.

Wonderful idea and great post! You get a gold star! I have a Garmin and I could throw it out the window half of the time. I have never thought about giving it to "shoppers". What an epiphany.

Sounds like a good idea -- how do you try and guarantee the GPS will be returned - have them sign a form or something.

YOUUUUU !!!!!!

This idea is pure genius !

... you are definitely smarter than the average bear E-Gold !

I love the extra effort of programming in the listing addresses for them, as well as additional restaurants etc... this exactly the type of post that should be featured !!!!!!!!

Well Done !!!!!

... now did you go buy that new microphone yet ?!?!?! I cant talk to myself AGAIN online this week ??? LOLOL !!!

I think you can pick up used ones now on ebay really cheap.

AWESOME IDEA ELIZABETH! and it's tax deductible.........nowadays you can get GPS systems at a pretty good price as well.

Hi Elizabeth...This is better than any Buyer's Representation Agreement. How could they possibly think any other agent would match you for service?

You have certainly come up with a winning idea and a featured one at that. Great.

Kate

WOW!!! What an awesome idea....I don't do a lot with relo buyers but this still could be used with buyers I'm taking out on a tour. I typically will give buyers a copy of the Mapquest directions from one property to another but giving them a GPS to use is ingenious!

I have a NAV built into my car and have all the homes I look at with relocation clients flagged on the map. I zoom out while we're driving to help them keep their bearings. It's very helpful! Glad you discovered such a helpfult tool!

Elizabeth, I don't think I would have come up with that in a million years. Thanks for sharing a great idea. I suppose though that you really have to trust your buyers LOL

Hi Elizabeth,

This is a great idea and what great service you provide for your buyers! :)

Hi Elizabeth, This is the coolest idea! I have a garmin myself but never thought about having one pre-loaded for relo people.

Elizabeth, I don't have one, wish I did, and think this is definately one of the best ideas I have ever heard of.

OK - seriously...why don't all agents working with not just relo buyers, but buyers in general do this? LOL Have the buyer meet you at the office or somewhere and give them the device...send them out and then have them call you with the ones they want to walk through...brilliant, brilliant, brilliant! I am going to reblog this just because I think it's so smart!

Tarheel- That's what AR is for..what we don't think of, someone else will :) Glad you liked my idea!

Winston-I don't think that will happen. If it does, I'll just buy another one, lol.

Nancy-You are so very welcome!

Judy-I now have 2 also...glad you liked my idea:)

Rebecca-Thanks for being so darned nice!!!!

David-I've already made my money back and then some....best investment I've made lately :)

Terry-I'm so happy you are on board! let me know how it works for you!

Mike-Someone mentioned EBAY...I bought mine at Best Buy. Good luck and have fun with it :)

Chris-Now that would make you one rich man if you could figure that one out...wow, wouldn't that be amazing? I'd buy the program for sure! Hummm...

Celina-I'm with you...I get so darned mad when my GPS gets me lost.

Bob and Carolin-Call me naive, but I feel like I can trust my buyers. I do meet with them first and spend a few hours with them. By the time they take off with the GPS, we do have a relationship formed. If it ever does happen, it won't be the end of the world. I won't be happy, but I'll just go buy another one, lol.

Sheldon- You are just too darned full of complements all the time :) Keep 'em coming. Sadly, I have not bought a microphone or headset yet. Should have done that before Mom went in the hospital. When she gets out, you can bet I'll have one by then, lol. You will regret me getting one then. Thank you for all of your kind words this week. You ARE the best.

Erica-Great idea. That never even occurred to me!

Adell-I should have price shopped, but I have a one track mind...thought of it, did a U-turn and headed to Best Buy, lol.

Might be a great closing gift as well Uh, it's a guy thing so I don't need one and neither do I ask for directions. Just kidding...

Kate, Thank you so much for being such a great cheerleader! My buyers have loved it so far :)

Donna-Glad you liked my idea! How the heck are you my friend? Miss seeing you around lately. No time for hijacking on my end :( Hope to stir up some trouble again soon with you :)

Christianne-What did we ever do without a GPS system? Remember the good old map days? I could never go back to that now.

Barb-I was desperate for a way to shorten the showing process...4 or 5 days with one Relo, when I sometimes will have 2 or 3 a week was a problem. This really helped!

Suzanne-Thank you ma'am!

Teresa-It's been a lifesaver, trust me. Glad you liked my idea :)

Evelyn-Oh you must get one for yourself if nothing else. You can get them dirt cheap on sale now. You'll never regret it, I promise :)

Christine- *MWA* How sweet of you! This will be my first reblog :) Wow, I feel so darned important now, lol. I'm glad you liked my idea. You are the bomb girl! Thanks. You made my night!

Charles-A GPS would be a great closing gift, especially for those men that never stop and ask for directions, rotfl. Have a great night :)

Ummm...apparently I cannot reblog a members only post...sorry - I tried :-( But it is definitely worthy of a reblog!!!

You know what an excellent idea!!

Hi Elizabeth...I wanted you to feel twice as important so I reblogged it also.

Kate

Elizabeth, what a great idea! I hope they come back and write an offer with you.... and also that they remember to return the NAVIGATION tool!

Join my new AR group and post your blog at http://activerain.com/groups/virtualoffice

Regina P. Brown

Pretty ingenious my friend and kudos to you for having your thinking cap on! I love creativity and "Thinking outiside the box"!

I love my navigation system... since I am directionally challenged. What a brilliant idea to give your clients to use.

Hi Elizabeth, WOW! You are brillant! What a fabulous idea.

U Rock!!! Wonderful idea. Most often, newcomers want to drive around and learn the area on their own. This would make it soooooo easy.

Hi Elizebeth, After I bought mine about a year and half ago, I thought it was the best things since sliced bread. I hadn't thought of having an extra one for the buyers, great idea. Pre-loading the data makes it a snap.

This is a great idea. It allows the client freedom to gain knowledge without taking all of your time.

I love using my GPS system.. some clients are just amazed at how it knows where to go..

MAR

A great investment indeed. Wonderful idea, thank you for sharing!

Sounds like a good idea, but "giving" it to them to ride around on their own? 'Not sure I'd ever see it again. 'Gonna think about this one with an open mind, though.

Jeanette-Thanks girl! How's life since Makeover2takeover? Hope you are doing well :)

Kate-Wow! Thanks so much. I truly appreciate it!

Regina-That's the plan anyway, lol. I do form a relationship with them first, so it hasn't been a problem to date :)

George-Thank you so much! How are you? I think of you often!

Judy-Glad to know I"m not the only directionally challenged person around, lol. Great phrase for it, btw :)

Marian-Thanks so much for the compliment!

Linda-So far my buyers have LOVED it. Gives them the freedom they need to roam around on their own time frame.

William-I couldn't live without my GPS now. My buyers LOVE having all my favorite restaurants loaded. I didn't put in the large chains, since the GPS lists those anyway. I put in local favorites and it's been a hit :) Have a great week my friend. Are you going to Inman this year?

Hi there ERCG, I think it's a brilliant idea! It would have been great to have a GPS when my husband and I had to re-lo in Georgia.

I'm sure your client's appreciate the extra effort you put into making it easier to maneuver around in unfamiliar territory.

Doughnuts for you this morning!

Christine-Thanks girl! So far all of my buyers have just loved the freedom.

Roland-I can't find my way out of a wet paper bag so thank goodness for GPS systems :)

Holly-You are so very welcome!

Margaret-By the time my buyers get into Huntsville, I feel I know them fairly well via phone calls and email. The typical RELO buyer begins their search at least a few weeks before, online. I feel like we are old friends by the time I meet them the first time. I do spend several hours with them before setting them off on their own. I pity the first person to not return it to me, LOL.

Cynthia-Thanks girlfriend! So far, buyers are thrilled. I"m sure I will meet one eventually that doesn't want to go off on their own and that will be great as well....Most enjoy the adventure of it all :) Thanks for the donuts! A girl after my own heart. I hope you have a fantastic Thursday :)

This is a great idea - I may have to implement it with our relocation clients as well. Thanks for sharing!

Cool idea!!

I really like the idea of programming the homes as well as nearby restaurants into the GPS! It not only demonstrates your level of service to your client but makes it a more user-friendly process for clients that may not be as tech savvy. How about programming your office address so they can go back and write an offer asap?! Thanks for sharing an excellent idea!!

I don't know what I did before I bought a Garmin. THat is the one best purchase I have made. That is a good idea to load it and let out of town buyers use it for a day or 2. GOod suggestion.

Genius! i already own a portable gps so this will be an easy one to try. Thanks for the advice

MAR

Talk about thinking outside the box. This is a great idea.

MAR

Elizabeth ... that is a FABULOUS suggestion!

MAR

Great idea! What do you do if there is new construction and they go into the builder without you?

ERCG!!! On the front page again!! Congrats on the feature and for being one of the featured bloggers in the AR email AGAIN!!! YOU GO GIRL!! XXOO Great idea, by the way!

GEEZ! I have got to figure out how to work that dang thing.

WOOO HOOOO! What a great idea. It is pure genius!

Elizabeth, You defintely deserved a gold star for this idea! I would have loved that when we visited West TN looking for our home. Congrats!

Cool tool. I think I may be one of the last hold outs that does not yet have a Nav system....maybe I can talk the hubby into getting me one for my B-day :)

What a great idea. When do the clients have to return the GPS?

This is a great idea because it also ties your clients back to you. My fear of telling a client to drive by without me is that they will run into and open house and I may loose them to another real estate agent.

That's why I love AR. Getting these great ideas for FREE. I currently have not invested in a GPS but it is high on my "Wish List". I can remember back a few months ago where this would have really come in handy for a couple who were first time homebuyers. They wanted to look at houses in several counties in Central Arkansas. They were interested in looking at every house, that fit their criteria. I tried every way that I could to get them to take some time to do "drive bys" on the listings and to check out the different neighborhoodds. This may have been the right gadget to make that happen. Also, I guess since they are using a $300 piece of equipment on loan from you, that may help a little with "Buyer loyalty".

MAR

Unbelievable. Such a simple idea. I love it. My time is worth more than driving to egypt.

Kim, Music City USA

What a great idea, Elizabeth. I might just have to do the same. Thanks for the post.

MAR

Wow this is good. I have worked with relos before . Yes they take up lots of time. And they depend on you for lots of help while they here. Most of time you are the only contact they have while in town. the GPS would be a lifesaver for them. Love this

Liz, I actually have three GPS systems for office use, but I never thought about letting a customer use one. Thanks, for the post!

This was a fabulous idea and definately red carpet treatment! Wondering, could you email me and let me know how you pre-loaded a list of homes? I've tried that on my own and couldn't seem to input a list. I also have a Garmin GPS (I believe the Nuvi 350).

MAR

Wow that is a slick trick. I need to buy one for myself first.

MAR

I am going to ....

.... make sure that this post ...

... GETS 100 COMMENTS !!!!

YIPPEEEEEE CONGRATS ELIZABETH !!!

IT IS VERY TOUGH TO GET 100 COMMENTS - BUT YOU WROTE A FABULOUS POST !

... SO CONGRATS

Cheers E-Gold !!

ThatBritishAgent

PS: Hope mom is doing well :o)

MAR

That is the best idea I have heard in a very long time! The only thing I think I would worry about is not getting it back or having to buy 5 of them when I have 5 buyers in town.

MAR

Brilliant. And thanks for sharing it with us! I don't use one, because Mesquite is so small, but I could use it to keep some busy if I am not going to be able to be with them their first day of looking.

APR

Elizabeth this is the best Idea I have heard yet and sometimes you can get a deal on the GPS's as well when you talk to the sales clerk.

Bettina

elizabeth what an amazingly original idea - toyou take the gps back when you're done with it and give it to your next client? :-)

APR

Sounds like a great idea, Elizabeth. I see that some are concerned about getting it back. I'd assume that you'd already have a buyer's agent agreement or something in place, so I don't really see that as being an issue.

The only problem I think I'd have implementing this idea, is that the streets are so screwed up here that often the GPS's can't find the location at all! Still, worth a shot. Thanks

APR

The Garmin is the best purchase I have made just to get me around town. It is a great idea to give it to clients to start that elimination process.

APR

Elizabeth, till now I didn't know what that is. I'll have to buy one soon and check out.

APR

Sounds like a great idea for some clients. Some I would not give my Garmin to :)

APR

Elizabeth - I don't even have a GPS for myself yet. Perhaps I can use the excuse that it is for my buyer clients, and then use it in my vehicle when it's not with buyers I am working with. That way, we both benefit, ha, ha.

APR

Like the innovative approach... Our listings are generally within a 1 mile radius so it probably doesn't work for me. But, I think it is a great idea.

MAY

That's a great idea. Our area is very small so we don't need a Garmin here. Seriously though, I never would have thought of it - what a great idea!

Leslie

<a href="http://outerbanksgreatescapes.com">Great Escapes Realty </a>

I do think that is a good idea when you don't have time to show then around. And you are right a lot of the things I have had on my list people wouldn't even get out of the car to look at.

Liz

MAY

A true storke of genius! Wish I had thought of that! What a wonderful idea and so so simple! Thanks!

JUN

That is a wonderful idea, I cant wait to get one and program it. It's a great way to be able to work with more than one client at the same time.

JUN

This is such a CLEVER IDEA! I love it! What a way to make your clients feel special by allowing them their time to explore, find the neighborhood that's right for them, while even considering their favorite restaurants. This solution makes everyone happy!

JUN

Elizabeth, What a great idea... and I can tell by the comments...everyone else thinks so too!

JUN

Nice idea -- unique to -- something different than all the others

JUN

Wow! Thanks for sharing your great unique customer service idea.

JUN

Elizabeth, I didn't read all of the comments, Wow! However, I thought I would share this with you. At SAM's Clubs they sell the GPS systems for much less than the retail stores. Last year, I purchased three for $124.00 each. They were the Tom Tom Brand, that you can hand carry if you like. I let the clients use them and then, I would gift it to them at their closing table. Huge hit:) It was already loaded with the good restaurants and I added a few more points of interest for them. I don't have relo's all that often, but, you can bet that the ones that I have had, remember me and refer their friends!

It's a Good Life,

Fran

SEP

That is a brilliant idea, Elizabeth. Hopefully there are not more than one group in at one time.

SEP

Great idea!! Your clients must truly appreciate it!

OCT

Wow! What a great idea! Red carpet is good!

NOV

What a BRIGHT IDEA! This is good for faithful clinets. I might worry a little doing this with a new client.

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