Customer service is awfully important in modern commerce. Providing high levels of service is made exponentially easier through CRM systems. In some lines of business, customers don’t interact with employees that add value to products; for example, every employee who helps manufacture a tire adds value to it, though none of them interact with customers. Workers in other areas of business add immense value to customers’ experiences; take real estate, for example, in which an agent shows houses to potential customers – that agent can add limitless value to buyer experiences because they deal directly with customers and are often the only employees at real estate firms who come into contact with interested clients.
CRM – customer relationship management – systems readily realize the goal of realty agents to add value to customer experiences; at least when these programs are utilized correctly.
1. Avoid using pre-written messages in reaching out to clients
Everybody – at least everybody with a brain – would rather be connected to a living, breathing, thinking human being instead of a menu of pre-recorded options that don’t really answer callers’ questions.
Imagine that you’re reaching out to your real estate agent on social media because you want to see how the process of finding your family a new home is going. Just one second after you send a message to the agent, a seemingly-automated message appears that says, “I’ll respond to you as soon as possible.”
Isn’t that wonderful to read? Absolutely not. When you reach out to clients and customers, always write new messages from scratch – never take “advantage” of CRM programs‘ automated responses.
2. Do, however, automate processes that don’t involve pre-recorded messages
Any agent worth his or her weight in salt should have hundreds of clients with tons of particular, unique wants and needs. Keeping in close contact with clients is key; failing to automate the clicks, keypunches, and scrolls that work one’s way through the maze that ends up in Messageville is a poor idea.
3. If you use your CRM’s email marketing capabilities, keep them simple
Stay away from fancy, upscale wording in automated emails to clients. They understand that CRM-automated emails aren’t personal; however, if you make clear you’re giving away big prizes or rewards in the title or beginning of the email – don’t let the “bait” – if you will – fall beneath the fold.
4. Use automation to match clients with self-written articles you think they’ll enjoy
Again – do not send clients “robot” messages, though you should keep up with the interests, demographics, and shared thoughts of every client you serve. Every so often – whether it be once per week or every five weeks – devise an automation protocol using real estate CRM that matches never-before-released articles you’ve written with clients that are most likely to enjoy them. Next, write them personal messages and share away.