Providing good customer service. Such a simple concept and a necessity in today’s customer centric on-demand world. Yet it seems to be somewhat of a unique and sometimes hard-to-find skill in business.  It is both art and science. Customer service plays an essential role in basically every industry, which is why companies holistically need to embrace customer service in an integrated way for it impacts their bottom line. In the real estate industry, the quality and value of customer service – from real estate agents, brokers, brokerages, teams and companies alike – must be strong, concise, authentic, integrated and memorable in order to be successful and market aligned.

In a recent survey by American Express, “seven in 10 U.S. consumers say they’ve spent more money to do business with a company that delivers great service.” To succeed, businesses will need to coach their customer service representatives to use a personal touch, maintain a positive tone, be proactive about resolving concerns and respond promptly to questions. As a benchmark standard, at Realty Executives, 91% of customer service chats are answered in less than a minute – an unparalleled comparison to competing real estate brands. This performance, highlights the Realty Executives value proposition of delivering quality customer service to its agents who in turn, deliver superb customer service to their clients.  

The most successful agents come from real estate firms that prioritize the customer service experience both within and external to the organization. Much like Amazon, who is a  gold standard of superior service, Realty Executives strives to put the customer at the center of everything it does. While customers can range from franchisees to brokers, agents, home buyers and sellers, the Realty Executives customer service model remains a pillar of their business model and is an integral piece to the company’s continued success. Real Estate agents and brokers can adopt best practices – like Amazon’s – to apply to their own business model. Here are five of Amazon’s best practices to consider for a customer service centric business:

1. Start everything with a core commitment to the customer. 

Customer service is in the DNA of a successful business. 

2. Build a corporate culture that knows how to listen

When you listen, you understand. By understanding, you can take the appropriate steps to meet the needs of your customers. 

 3. Make personal interactions easy.

Human interaction is an important role to ensure quality customer service.

4. Help your buyer stay connected. 

Always keep mobile in mind.

5. Make your customer needs the driver of innovation.

Create your own tools that meet the demands of your customers. Customer preferences are always evolving so let their needs drive your innovation.

Overall, customer service is about going the extra mile to make sure your clients are satisfied. It is delivering on a promise that is beyond what the expectation is.  Making the effort creates the intrinsic value that will keep your customers coming back for your service time and time again. Whether it’s being there as a listening ear when they’re worried about finding the perfect home or taking the time to go through home staging tips, being available, in the present, and supporting your clients is the key to creating long-lasting and valuable business relationships. Take care of your customers and your customers will take care of you. 

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Everyone wants to save money but it’s usually easier said than done. And let’s face it, you’re only human! When there’s so many tempting things to purchase related to home buying, it’s essential to set yourself up for success early on. If you’re wary about where to start, try some of these helpful tips for how to save for a down payment.

Lower your Current Mortgage Rate with Refinancing

Purchasing a home is a huge expense. If you already own a home and are looking to relocate, consider refinancing your current mortgage to save for a down payment. 

Refinancing pays off and replaces your current loan with a new one that has different terms and conditions. These terms and conditions may include your interest rate, the balance itself and the length of your loan. 

In turn, the benefits of refinancing can lower your monthly payment or rate, change your loan type, get rid of mortgage insurance (PMI), provide funds for repairs or home improvements, consolidate debt and, most importantly, give your savings a boost!

Practice More Mindful Spending

Avoid the constant urge to frivolously spend by steering clear of stores that are your Achilles heel. Prioritize your needs first and then ask yourself if what you’re purchasing will improve your way of life.

A good way to do this is by taking a personal inventory of your goals and aspirations. If saving for a down payment is your prime concern, it may be helpful to ask yourself if what you’re buying is actually necessary. Spend smarter by being more mindful. In the end, your savings account will thank you!

Invest Any Extra Savings

Investing is a great way to save money for any upcoming plans such as securing a down payment. The easiest way to begin investing is by enrolling in your employers retirement plan. Many companies offer contribution matching up to a certain percentage which means free money for you! If this is not an option available to you, consider contacting a financial investment firm to help manage your money for a profitable future.

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Buying a new home is an exciting time for anyone! Getting to show off your new pad to friends, family and neighbors…even more exciting. Here are some tips to get you ready to hold an easy and fun housewarming party.

Who to Invite?

Knowing who to invite to a housewarming party can be stressful. Do you want it more of a intimate gathering or open to many? It is ultimately up to you but typically family, close friends, new neighbors and even some of their friends should be included on the guest list. The point of welcoming people into your new home is to expand your circle and make friends in your new area. If you have young kids, this is also a great opportunity for them to meet kids their own age and schedule play dates. Meeting new friends, introducing your family to your new home…all this will help acclimate you to your new neighborhood.

Should You Have a Theme?

Not all parties need to have a theme, but it can help bring the decor, food and place settings all together and look cohesive to your guests. Maybe you want something more casual? Then go with a block party type housewarming, full of easy handheld food and games. Looking for something sophisticated? An open house with a seasonal theme is more for you. Some examples are for spring, your guests could expect fresh flowers from the garden and bright colors. For fall, rustic place settings and pumpkin based desserts could tie everything together. Whatever the theme, choose something that best fits your friends, family and new home.

Decor

Your new place may not be completely in order by the time the party comes around but that’s OK! Not having everything done means you can ask your guests for decorating or organizing advice. For the party decor itself, go back to your color scheme or a theme you decided on. Gather simple items to place on tables or trays, put out candles or flowers to spruce up the place. 

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It’s spooky season! We know that every year when fall rolls around, many of us create our October bucket lists: visit a pumpkin patch, watch Halloween movies, visit a haunted house, and throw a Halloween party. But if you’ve never thrown a spooky event before, where do you start? Now that Halloween is right around the corner, here are some tips, tricks, and treats to planning the best Halloween party for your family. 

Festive Invitations

One of the most fun parts of planning a seasonal party is creating festive invitations. But since this is a kid-friendly party with your family, get your kids involved! Work together to create fun and creative party invites and let your kids decide which Halloween characters, colors, and icons you want to represent. You can take a look at fun ideas here. After you create the invitations, you can mail them out, or you and your kids can hand-deliver them to friends and family while wearing your Halloween costumes to get in the spirit from the start!

Spooky Decorations

Next up: the decorations! If you’re throwing a Halloween party and you want to surprise your kids, then you can check out our post all about how to create the spookiest haunted house that your family will love. But another fun idea is to get your whole family involved and create some adorable spooky decorations together. This post shares some awesome crafts like toilet paper roll bats, Q-tip skeletons, paper plate ghosts and more fun decor ideas that your kids will love making for the party. Remember that the decorations are what will make your party spooky but not so scary. No tricks and only treats here!

Themed Food

What would a seasonal party be without some ghoulish grub? Put on your festive fall apron and get ready to cook up some themed Halloween party food that’s easy, delicious, and totally photo-worthy. This list of Halloween snack recipes is perfect for parties that take place at any time of day for all ages, and your kids can even help you with the cooking! Don’t worry — these snacks aren’t difficult or time consuming, so you can create them the day of your event or even the day before in no time at all.

Happy Haunted Games

No party is complete without some games, and all ages can enjoy having fun at the spooky soiree you’re throwing this season. A costume contest is always a go-to at any Halloween party, but why not take your event to the next level and host a haunted Olympics? Games like a haunted scavenger hunt, balloon stomp (with orange balloons to mimic a pumpkin patch), a pumpkin carving or decorating contest, and a witch hat ring toss are definite crowd pleasers that all ages can have fun with. Check out this list of awesome Halloween party games!

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Overworked. Stretched too thin. Struggling to balance it all.

 This was how Lindsay Herrell of Escondido, Calif., felt when she signed up for a Buffini & Company real estate coach back in 2015. As a former lawyer, Herrell was quite familiar with the effects of an unbalanced work and family life—and what happens when you let it get out of hand. 

“Real estate can be a 24/7-type business, and my personality is not very good at saying no to things,” Herrell said. “I was finding myself just putting business before family again.” 

As a mom of three children, finding that family balance was important to Herrell. That’s why right away, her real estate coach helped her prioritize boundaries. 

“She established these little systems during that first call that put really amazing boundaries in my life, so I could be very present for my family and very fulfilled by that,” Herrell said. “Then, when I was working, I could be very present in my business and for my clients.” 

During this time, Herrell was expecting her third child. The structures suggested by her coach helped her do something she had been unable to do before—take a planned maternity leave from her business. She spent time with her now-complete family without scrambling to manage her real estate business, and she even closed a few deals. 

“While I was on maternity leave, the leads were still rolling in, and I actually earned Agent of the Month at my firm because of the deals I had put together before I had my daughter,” Herrell said. 

Another huge win for Herrell with One2One Coaching™ was the introduction of her annual client party. A people person at heart, Herrell has always loved that Buffini & Company systems include several client appreciation events. She had always dreamed of hosting an Easter egg hunt and brunch for all the families in her database. Within her first year of coaching, this became a reality.

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