…A Deadly Combination For Some…

Dear Reader…

There is only one thing that could force me to make the statement you see in the Tweet above.  And that is bad use of technology.

I am a HUGE advocate of utilizing the latest technology in the transaction of real estate.  Done correctly, it can streamline a negotiation process, and it can give your clients an advantage by being first with an offer or response.  It can also save gas, time, money and resources.

The flip side to technology is if you implement it and don’t know how to use it correctly.  You will aggravate, disillusion and, in the end, lose opportunities for your clients.

The tweet above was made in regards to scheduling some showings recently.  Our MLS has a nifty system where you can schedule showings online. Done correctly, only one phone call is needed, and that is from the listing office to the seller to confirm a showing.  Showing confirmation and instructions can be emailed or texted to your cell phone.  In this instance, I was emailed a confirmation, but no showing instructions; specifically, no lockbox combo was provided.

For me to show the home required all of the following: first, a phone call from me to the agent (of course….I got voicemail); second, the receipt of a phone call from the listing agent telling me to call his office, and third, another call from me to the listing office.  Funny part about calling the listing office: even though I had already received a confirmation email from them, they had no record of my original request.  That’s not streamlining a process…

Now, if this was an isolated incident or somehow an aberration for that office or agent, I could and would understand.  Heck, sometimes my own technology rises up in revolt!  But when one has to go through that routine three times out of six, technology becomes a hinderance.

“Old School” Real Estate Meets Web 2.0

For years I had a real estate trainer here in Michigan.  The guy knew how to sell real estate.  He was SO good, I’m convinced he could sell a refrigerator to an Eskimo!  Going “belly to belly” was this trainer’s specialty.  And boy did I learn a lot from him!

Routinely, when his class would gather, I would be called upon to expound on some of the “web stuff” I was doing and how it had added to my bottom line.  Privately and in front of his students, I would lay out exactly what and why I was doing what I was doing online.  The trainer, needless to say, was highly skeptical.  In fact, on more than one occasion, he encouraged me to give up my web interactions for a quarter and simply focus on going face to face with consumers exclusively.

The short story is that in 2008 I was the only student (out of 35) that had a better year than 2007.  Actually, I had a phenomenal year in 2008, while many in my training class were struggling with the rapid changes in the marketplace; both in terms of price fluctuation and technological change.

These days, the trainer contacts me for advice on how he can improve his reach across the ‘net.  In fact, while showing homes today, I bumped into one of my former classmates. This is what he had to say:

“Todd, you were right.  We should have been creating a presence for ourselves online and learning how to use these automated systems.”

Technology in real estate is not here to replace the agent.  Technology in real estate is here to bolster, support and streamline existing systems of business that we have.

Do we as agents need to go belly to belly with consumers?

This is a trick question.  If you want to stay in business, the answer can only ever be YES!

Should we as agents solely rely on technology to deliver more business to us? NO!

We still need to “get out there” and do what we do best.  But this does not mean that we limit ourselves to an either/or proposition.  It is not either go shake hands with local businessmen or bang out this month’s housing statistics post.

Both pressing the flesh and banging the keyboard are essential in today’s real estate market.  And oft times, they cross paths!

What does this pseudo-rant have to do with customer service?

Consider the opportunities that inadequately implemented technology could have cost the owners of the homes I tried to schedule.  Granted, my clients were determined to see these homes, which means I bent over backward to make it happen.

But…

What if I didn’t have the patience or my clients weren’t more determined to see those homes?  That would have been at least:

• One less showing for that home;
• One less opportunity for a purchase agreement;
• One less opportunity for feedback as to why it’s not selling;
• One more missed chance to satisfy the homeowners needs in this difficult market, and
• One less chance to be EXCELLENT at selling real estate.

Finally, I will drop a quote, a link and a question.  We all know Seth Godin.  He guest posted this article on TomPeters.com.

“Excellence isn’t about meeting the spec, it’s about setting the spec. It defines what the consumer sees as quality right this minute, and tomorrow, if you’re good, you’ll reset that expectation again.” – Seth Godin

What are you doing to be excellent in your clients’ eyes?