Having lunch today with a friend and we got on the topic of customer service.  He was upset because over the weekend he was working with a very large bank that will remain nameless, trying to approve a business line of credit.  He was frustrated because he felt as if he was being treated like a number, just a small cog in this big banks red tape process, and no one seemed to really care about him

whatsoever. I asked him to tell me what he would deem to be amazing customer service.

The first thing he said was that he wanted to at least feel like they care. I said, “Well, how do you measure that? How do you know at any point they care?”  He said:

· when he feels like the relationship is genuine

· when the conversations is more about why he needs this line, vs. what the process is to get the line

· when there is daily communication, good or bad, about what is needed

· when questions are answered before they are asked

· when the person working for him is two steps in front of him making sure that any possible problems are  anticipated and dealt with together, keeping him in the loop

· when his questions are answered in a timely manner

At the end of the day, they know who he is and what he is about. They are now on his side making sure the services he is getting will end with a positive result. And no matter what it takes, the job will get done, and there are no surprises .

He said, “I’m not asking for a miracle I just what a loan!” I laughed, but he had a point.  So now I was curious. I wanted to know what other people deem to be great customer service.  What better place to go then to yelp.com and see what is being said.

Here are just a few I found.

“She doesn’t just know her way around houses, she is very well versed in real estate law, and can handle even the trickiest of transactions with grace and a genuinely vested interest in the happiness of both parties.”

“He worked wonders in negotiation and helped us land an amazing house.  I fully recommend Kevin, he is a good soul that wants to see you happy in your new home!!”

“Kimberlee is a one of a kind agent.  She takes your real estate needs and expectations personally and ensures everything goes smoothly.  Kimberlee gives a 150% to all her clients!”

“I really can’t say enough good things about Desiree and also her assistant Jesse.  Bottom line is that their attention to detail, expertise, friendly and amazing service have made a daunting process accessible and almost pleasurable. If you’ve ever bought your first house you’ll know it’s a roller coaster no matter who your agent is because of all the emotional attachments plus the seller, lender, inspection issues.  Good agents practically become counselors – helping you to manage your expectations and emotions and stay focused and on-track with what is really possible and achievable and Desiree really excelled at this.”

“Through the whole process, even though she had other clients, we always felt like the top priority. They say that buying a house is stressful but we didn’t think so. Domenica even helped us find a great mortgage broker. The whole process was totally painless, she let us make decisions and was frank and honest when reality checks were needed.”

As you can see, they all have a common theme, just like my friend wanted.  You! The customer wants to know that he or she is taken care of, that the company cares, that the company is professional at what we do. And that your stress is minimized because someone has your back. So the whole point to this post is this: As you demand quality services, seek out the professionals that have a proven track record, or come highly recommended. Find the individuals you connect with and then establish a relationship that is based on trust and great communication.  If you do this, I guarantee your customer service expectation will be exceeded.