THE SECRETS OF SALES SERVICE

How to Make Your Customers Forget about Price

By Bill Caraway, Hamister Hospitality

A recent experience with a real estate agent gave me a fresh perspective on what it means to be an outstanding salesperson. My agent was so good at her job that she made me—and most likely her other customers as well—completely forget to ask about her commission. Here’s how she did it:

This year I sold and bought a home. I chose my agent because she has sold more houses in my area than any of her peers. She has great visibility: her name is on signs throughout the surrounding neighborhoods. She is in my local Rotary Club and is well-liked. I respect the fact that she spends a generous amount of time on community activities.

After I signed a contract with her, I found that it was very easy to do business together. She took care of all my problems. I needed additional work on the house to get the best value in return. We needed painting, wall repair, new carpeting, and electrical work; all of these improvements had to be completed in a short period of time. My agent not only provided the names and phone numbers of reputable people, but she also intervened when a contractor lagged behind on the completion of the carpeting job. On top of this, she herself scheduled appointments with the electrician and plumber for the evaluation and completion of necessary repairs. Many contractors in our area work only on referral, so it would have been difficult to engage the best people without her. My agent’s assistance saved me a great deal of time, money, and worry.

She was also accessible anytime I needed to speak with her. She even referred me to qualified and pleasant professionals, such as mortgage and storage companies. She never considered the limits of her job description; she simply did whatever she could to serve her client.

Did I choose her based on price? Was I interested in the lowest real estate commission? Certainly not! I didn’t even ask about fees. We had two goals: to sell the house for maximum profit and to spare ourselves time and stress. Our agent was a master at both.

The experience made me re-evaluate my own sales techniques. I asked myself the following questions:

How easy is it for people to do business with me?
Am I accessible when someone needs information from me?
Do I have a network of professionals that can assist my clients?
Do people in my community like and respect me? Absolute candor is required for this one!
What makes me buy? Do I offer the same characteristics and services to my clients?

By emulating this real estate agent, we can reverse the negative connotations of the word “sales.” We can become valued and respected service providers who truly enjoy and appreciate the opportunity to help others. Once we have achieved this transformation, price is no longer the most important issue.

Bill Caraway is a Regional Director of Sales for Hamister Hospitality Group, LLC, a rapidly growing hotel and assisted living management company. For more information on Hamister Hospitality, visit www.hamisterhospitality.com . Questions and feedback can be sent to Bill at news@hamistergroup.com .