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Customer Service

Sharpen Your Saw: Making Buyer Representation Work

The sky is still falling? Maybe. It is definitely time to begin sharpening two saws. The sharper, the better. Roughly a month ago, the lawsuit Nosalek v. MLSPIN was settled in New England. Similar to ongoing cases mentioned in this last newsletter, the focus of the suit revolved around the idea that the MLS could not have a rule, similar to an NAR rule, requiring listing brokers to offer a blanket, unilateral… Read More »Sharpen Your Saw: Making Buyer Representation Work

The Sky is Falling…..Maybe!

First it was computers. Computers were going to create situations where consumers no longer needed real estate agents. Next came Al Gore’s invention of the internet. Then, as noted a few weeks ago by yours truly, the robots are coming and they will probably kill us (that’s what Gary Vaynerchuk said…). ORRRRR maybe it will be court cases and/or the Department of Justice. In case you’re not paying attention, as… Read More »The Sky is Falling…..Maybe!

No Two Clients Are Alike, BUT…

No two buyers or Sellers are ever the same – regardless of generation. But, to arrive at individual needs and wants, it is beneficial to become familiar with groups and preferences. Generational groupings provide a unique framework from which to start. In several classes I teach, each of the four main home buying generations Millennials (Gen Y), Generation X, Baby Boomers and Matures are discussed in detail along with a… Read More »No Two Clients Are Alike, BUT…

Politicians, Sales People, and Loving the Process

Milton Berle once said, “You can lead a man to Congress, but you can’t make him think.” Thirty years ago, I used to teach American Government to 9th graders. I can’t imagine having to do it in the last two decade given the complete disregard politicians from BOTH sides of the aisle have for us, the people, and for the Constitution and Bill of Rights.  Centuries ago the phrase “public… Read More »Politicians, Sales People, and Loving the Process

Eight Simple Rules to Awesome Customer Service

Sometimes a great customer service story is focused on a grand gesture, an act that amazes the customer. A Nordstrom accepting the return of four tires from a dissatisfied man even though they don’t sell tires. A maid at the Ritz Carlton guaranteeing that the hotel would replace a guest’s missing laptop computer if it wasn’t found by days end. Most of the time, customer service can be found in… Read More »Eight Simple Rules to Awesome Customer Service

Nothing and Everything is Possimpible

In his landmark customer service book, Selling the Invisible, Harry Beckwith offers a three step approach to marketing your product or service(s). Step One is where you are trying to get what Beckwith calls, “a basic, acceptably reliable product” (or service). This occurs most often in budding businesses where the product or service is unique or new and customers will accept minimum standards. In fact, Beckwith calls this stage, the… Read More »Nothing and Everything is Possimpible

The Post Corona Classroom

Eventually, we’ll open up. Eventually, we will have real LIVE students in a real LIVE classroom. The Post-Corona classroom may be different, but many things will not change. Below, we’ll examine both. The three biggest challenges facing every class (at least from the student perspective) are: money, relevance and time. Income is down, budgets are tight and I (the student) am swamped. So in order for a student to want… Read More »The Post Corona Classroom

Daily RICHual #85: Lessons to my Sons

If you asked my sons what they learned from me growing up they would tell you TWO things: The 1st was to Be aware. If one of the boys was reaching across the table and knocked over their milk, no one was angry about the milk. The lesson was that next time, you should be aware of your surroundings. Headspace fonder, and former Buddhist monk Andy Puddicombe had a teacher… Read More »Daily RICHual #85: Lessons to my Sons

Daily RICHual #64: Ritz Carlton: It’s all an act.

I quote the Ritz Carlton credo: “The Ritz-Carlton is a place where the genuine care and comfort of our guests is our highest mission. We pledge to provide the finest personal service and facilities for our guests who will always enjoy a warm, relaxed, yet refined ambience. The Ritz-Carlton experience enlivens the senses, instills well-being, and fulfills even the unexpressed wishes and needs of our guests.” So, it’s all an… Read More »Daily RICHual #64: Ritz Carlton: It’s all an act.

Daily RICHual #63: Are you NICE?

I have an idea: Wanna be a great salesperson? Be nice. Bruce Nordstrom said: ‘‘We can hire nice people and teach them to sell, but we can’t hire salespeople and teach them to be nice.’’ If you think it’s all about you, if you have a cynical, negative view of others, especially customers; if you think they OWE you something, you don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell at being… Read More »Daily RICHual #63: Are you NICE?