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What kind of service do you give?

By
Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Country

I am currently in the market for a new car and have been shopping around on the net.  The other day I decided to go take a look at the cars themselves so I headed down Route 1 (a major highway in New Jersey with thousand of car dealerships on it) and was going to look at the Honda Accord and the Audi A4. 

I stopped at the Honda dealership first.  I walked in and a young man with a sweater and khakis approached me and I sat down and spoke with a him.  I asked him to test drive the Accord EX-L in white with Ivory Leather.  He said no problem, grabbed his jacket, and asked him to follow him outside.  We headed into the big lot of cars and I was helping him look for the exact model and color that I had asked for.  We finally found one.  He got the VIN number and said wait right here, I have to go get the key.  So I waited -- now keep mind that in New Jersey it is in the 20's right now -- I was freezing and there was ice and snow all over the ground that we were on.  He finally came back out with the key three minutes later, gave it to me and said go in and start it up.  So I turned the key and guess what? -- yep -- the battery was dead!  So then he said (after cursing under his breath - which I heard) wait right here, I have to go get the jumper.  Three minutes later, he came back, I helped him jump it and we went for a test drive.

After I left the Honda dealership I went to go check out the Audi A4.  The Audi dealership was only 1 mile up the road.  I walked into the dealership and looked around and every salesperson was in a suit and tie (I liked that).  Then one of the salemen approached me and said, "Is there something I can help you with?"  I said that I was looking at the A4.  He took me over to the floor model, opened the door for me and as I sat in the driver seat he explained to me all features and engine quickness, etc.  I then asked to test drive one.  He said not a problem and to wait right here.  The next thing I know after looking through the glass doors ahead was the exact car I was looking for pull right up outside the door.  The salesman got out of the car, came inside and asked me if I was ready. I jumped into the car and we sat in the car in the lot and he showed me how all the features worked.  See, realizing that the features were my "hot button," that is all he talked about.  Now I have to admit, as smart as I may think I am to every salesman tactic (being one and all), this guy was in total control.  At that point is when it hit me!  SERVICE IS SO IMPORTANT!  This guy made me feel like a king while the Honda salesman showed that he just didn't care. 

As of today according to the National Association of Realtors there are 1,232,521 REALTORS® in the US, what kind of service are you giving your clients, "Honda service" or "Audi service?" 

DISCLAIMER:  This is no way a dis on Honda at all.  They are great cars and I am actually still may buy one.  It was just a great way to show how service does matter.

 

Comments (7)

Shari Evans
Better Properties Washington - Port Orchard, WA
Moments Like These

excellent point.

The service you recieved was of someone who actually thought about what YOUR experience was like rather than their own. It is amazing to me that the simple idea of

"what would it be like if I were in their shoes" can change how we take care of people's needs, questions, concerns rather than just "work 'em".

 

Jan 27, 2009 05:32 AM
Lori Isaacson
Credit Restoration Consultants - Plantation, FL

Service is what it is all about!! I have been on the giving side of customer service for so long I find it hard to be on the customer side, I am always comparing and thinking as you did, if this was me how would I handle this?

Shame we can't just be!!

Happy Tuesday!!

Lori

Jan 27, 2009 05:32 AM
Michael Wayne Jackson
Coldwell Banker - Novato, CA
Broker - Seniors Real Estate Specialist Novato

Going the extra mile does make a difference. Great post about service Frank.

Jan 27, 2009 05:33 AM
Quad Cities My RealTeam (Mel Foster Co.)
Keith Allen Allborty - Davenport, IA

I like to think that I'm the audi guy, but sometimes we all go honda.

Jan 27, 2009 05:35 AM
John Calandruccio
RE/MAX Country - North Brunswick, NJ

Great Post Frank, We certainly like to try our BEST to give that AUDI service here at THE CAL TEAM!!!

Jan 28, 2009 04:34 AM
Kathy Kooyman
Home Realty - Pella, IA

Excellent post, with good points.  As realtors we aren't always in as much control of the car (home) we are showing, but should always do everything we can to make our clients feel comfortable.

Jan 28, 2009 11:18 AM
Frank Calandruccio
RE/MAX Country - Milltown, NJ
Middlesex County, NJ - www.thecalteam.com

Shari, You always have to put yourself "in their shoes," sometimes it will change your thinking.

Lori, You're right.  As salespeople its out mentality.  But as long as you can learn from a situation, make sure you don't make those (what you thougt were) mistakes and better youself it is OK.

Mike, That is right! And the trick is to never forget it or lose touch of it.

Keith/Shellye, You're right, sometimes we do. But we should never lower our standards, despite temptations to lower them.

John, That's right John.  We do and that is what makes us so special to our client.  I love you like a brother -- hey wait -- you are my brother (lol).

Kathy, Sometimes are heads are not in the right place when showing a home to a client because another deal is dying or we are thinking about all the stuff we have to do tomorrow.  Like Shari said, we have to think about what THEIR experience was like rather than our own.

Jan 29, 2009 03:59 PM