Quality Matters

Congratulations to the QSC Real Estate Professional of the Month:
Tricia Lyman
Quality Service Certified® Platinum

“I’ve always made SERVICE to my clients my #1 priority! Regardless of how many designations or certifications you earn, there is nothing like a satisfied well serviced client. I was elated when I finally had a way to document my service record. As a QSC member since early 2003, I have made this a focus in my listing and buying presentations. My clients get to “grade my report card”! They love the concept because they finally have a mechanism to tell the public what they really think. And, I in turn, get to reap the rewards of my efforts. THANK YOU all at QSC for making this possible.”- Tricia Lyman
Tomlinson North, Inc. Spokane, WA

Tricia Lyman is helping to set the new service standard for the industry. Tricia has earned her Platinum status by achieving 100% client satisfaction based on her past client service satisfaction evaluations. For more information about Tricia and her Customer Satisfaction Rating, go to her consumer site profile.

Congratulations to the Mortgage Professional of the Month:
Terri Tackett
Quality Service Certified® Platinum
“As a mortgage loan officer exceptional service is my first priority. During what is often a stressful situation for buyers, sellers and real estate agents my job is to be sure that the transaction flows from loan application to closing. It is a changing world in the mortgage industry and QSC has proven to be a vital tool more today than ever before. It lets my clients see a record of my performance from individuals that have actually worked with me in the past. The feedback comments that are featured on the website offer an excellent reflection of what my clients can expect working with me in the purchase of their new home.”- Terri Tackett
Bluegrass Mortgage, Inc., Lexington, KY

Terri Tackett is helping to set the new service standard for the industry. Terri has earned her Platinum status by achieving 100% client satisfaction based on her past client service satisfaction evaluations. For more information about Terri and her Customer Satisfaction Rating, go to her consumer profile.

How do the best real estate agents prove their value to consumers?

Marilyn Wilson of the WAV Group has just released a compelling whitepaper which is a must read for any quality real estate agent looking to grow their business. It details how to take credit for the quality of your customer service while benefiting from the consumer trend of using the internet to review peer comments and rating information on products and services before buying.

After reading Your Reputation, it will be clear to you how and why to turn your reputation into your most valuable marketing tool.

More information about WAV Group.
More information about QSC.

What if you could prove to your prospects that you are the best person for the job?

What if you could show them credible evidence of the quality of your work and of how satisfied your past customers have been?

What if you could demonstrate that you hold yourself to a higher professional standard, and are fully accountable to your clients? And what if your competition had every opportunity to adopt those same high standards and accountability, but chose not to?

Would that help you gain the trust and confidence of prospects? Would it help you grow your business faster?

Let us show you how!

What’s scarier than any tricks or treats Halloween might send your way?

Agreeing to spend your hard-earned dollars on a real estate agent without any confidence that you’ll get what you pay for.

Find the best real estate agent for you - that means one committed to accountability to keep their promises to you. Fortunately for those agents committed to the highest professional standards in the real estate industry, you can use a free, independent service to learn what their past clients have said about them.

Check out how QSC can help so you aren’t just relying on what someone promises to do.

There has been an increasing amount of talk in the real estate community lately about professionalism, and the negative impact those who are less than professional are having on the industry (one example of a discussion on professionalism in real estate). Not only does poor behavior by some harm the image of real estate agents as a whole, but it negatively impacts the profitability of brokerages and agents across the board as well.

It’s fairly common for sales agents learning about QSC for the first time to suggest that every real estate agent should be required to commit to the standards and client accountability of QSC because of how it positively impacts the quality and professionalism of service delivery. For those who wish to see the bar raised, the good news is that professionalism in an industry can be strengthened one person at a time – and the key is highly visible commitment and accountability.

Real estate agents who truly care enough about professionalism to commit to performance standards and accountability in a public way (www.qualityservice.org), not only make a statement to buyers, sellers and other professionals – that serious commitment actually gives the better agents a competitive advantage. Buyers and sellers know that those sales agents who are publicly committed to professionalism are the best ones to trust with what is likely one of the most important financial decisions of their lives.

Ultimately, when the top 10-20% of sales associates follow consumer-centered business practices, provide complete accountability to their clients and uphold the highest professional standards, the industry will have transformed its public perception in a meaningful way for the benefit of all.

Tom Gaye, a Platinum QSC Realtor with Rushing Realty Agency & Services, Inc. in Richmond, Virginia, has used his QSC status to differentiate himself in a tough marketplace.

“QSC is an integral part of my personal marketing for converting prospects into clients. I am a firm believer in the Real Estate profession being accountable for its previous outcomes, and particularly clients’ level of satisfaction, and feel that this differentiation has gained business for me.

Additionally, this past year with our market climate, I have found that sellers find great comfort and confidence after reviewing my QSC rating and previous sellers’ comments. This has been a cornerstone for success with obtaining listings.

With so many tools for agents, I truly feel that QSC is one of the best “ROI” out there!”

Tom Gaye

Customer satisfaction results collected from nearly one million home sellers and buyers reveal several service strengths and weaknesses in the real estate service process.

Home buyers rate their real estate agents highest in the availability of the sales agent and lowest in negotiating assistance.

Sellers rate their agents highest in attention to the details of the transaction and lowest in their assistance in negotiating the price/term of the sales.

Prospective home sellers and buyers, knowing these vulnerable areas in the real estate transaction service process, can use this information to help select their sales agent. Sellers and buyers can request proof of past customer satisfaction in these specific areas. They can easily obtain this information if the request is made of a Quality Service Certified® (QSC) sales agent. QSC agents subscribe to an independent customer satisfaction survey process that provides customer feedback in several specific service areas, including negotiation skills and attention to details during the transaction.

Leading Research Corporation (LRC) conducts the customer satisfaction survey process on behalf of QSC sales agents. LRC sends the surveys, and then compiles the ratings from returned surveys, assuring an objective collection and reporting process.

QSC sales agents also make use of the customer feedback to improve any service areas that may be weak. For negotiation skills, John Hamilton, well known instructor and coach offers his popular and proven effective, “What’s Mine is Mine, What’s Yours is Negotiable” The Ultimate Negotiating Seminar. Learn more by visiting John’s website at www.jhseminars.com

QSC has launched its new home page which makes it easier than ever for home buyers and home sellers to find the best real estate agents and mortgage professionals to work with. The QSC website is unique on the web in offering independently gathered ratings and customer satisfaction details on top real estate agents and mortgage professionals, along with standards for performance for service professionals.

The combination of higher professional standards and accountability to the customer have resulted in a revolution in professional service in the real estate industry. Check out this free service to consumers at www.qualityservice.org.

How does one find a real estate agent with a great reputation?
You can ask friends and family, but for most of us that won’t result in more than a few anecdotal comments - not enough information to be helpful. Wouldn’t it be great to know of a place to see agent ratings and past customer comments, where every customer has a chance to participate (not just those that the agent wants you to see)?
Check out QualityService.org to see a website that does just that.