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Saturday, January 26, 2019

Customer Service 2019: A New Paradigm for Builders

Customer Service is Now the Customer Experience

No doubt you've heard: business is moving faster than ever -- and the customer experience is becoming more of a top priority for all types of businesses.

But...what does that mean for you as a builder?

There seem to be 2 important components to today's customer service concept:
  1. Customer service is critical to competing effectively.  It's not all about price, in other words. Check Yelp or Google restaurant comments if that doesn't resonate. 
  2. The customer process has expanded to be the customer experience -- not just service after the sale.  That means every touch point from prior to the sale, during the sales process and post-sale. 

What Makes a Great Customer Experience?

How "convenient" is your sales center?
Shep Hyken just released The Convenience Revolution and is recognized for helping businesses deliver great customer experiences. Ideas include:
  1. A quick response time can help generate that remarkable WOW! moment you wish every customer experiences with your business.
  2. There are many ways to be convenient for your customer.  Think about your sales center, as an example: are the hours convenient to your buyer demographic? Is there seating? Is it comfortable? How available is your team to answer questions; address issues? After hours?
  3. Digital transformation is personalizing; too many think it is static.

Using Personalized Technology to Enhance the Customer Experience


You might be asking yourself: so....they're telling me that customer service needs to be quick, convenient and personal? How does that play out for a home builder?
  1. Provide convenience -- from the website to sales center to sales process, closing and post-sale. Innovative ways include: interactive kiosks to engage and inform your home shoppers as soon as they walk into the door. Use e-brochures; keep the paper weight down!
  2. Self-service is not only acceptable; it's expected. Your buyers want information -- and they want it now! Add web-based Portals to disseminate information about their home, your process and status updates. Self-service reduces friction -- providing the desired convenience, as well!
  3. Make your operation consistent and predictable.  Let home shoppers, buyers and homeowners know what to expect -- and deliver to that expectation. Home shoppers and buyers gets anxious about the unknown; letting people know what is happening is critical; use web Portals to deliver construction and customer service information that's already available in your organization. You're not doing more work; just making access more convenient!

Interested in Enhancing Your Customer Experience?


CPS will be at IBS2019 in Las Vegas the week of February 18; visit us at Booth SU631 -- or start your journey now! Or, use our contact form and we'll schedule a demo that fits your schedule.


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