“Excellence is the new currency. As Tech tools take over the easy mundane jobs, we are freed up to do the important work of emotional labour, negotiation, strategic planning, problem solving, building relationships, developing networks, understanding the psychology of decision making, communicating and having the courage, persistence and confidence to protect our clients during this important process of buying and selling Real Estate.” Suze Cummings
This is an excerpt from an excellent blog, from a very distinguished Realtor, coach and mentor, and it also made me wonder…..
Excellence is the new currency. But should it be? Shouldn’t excellence be like “the Gold Standard” for our industry, which is so often plagued with mediocrity? The gold standard was used to set the standard of value for a monetary system and I think Excellence should be that minimum standard by which all activities and performances of Realtors are measured. I think excellence should be the the oldest currency in our business life…..not the newest….and yet, some of the stories I hear from clients and colleagues alike, are very disturbing, to say the very least.
The tasks of addressing your clients’ real estate concerns, serving them at the highest professional level and bringing about for them the shiny outcome you promised are not easy ones. They take time, skill, expertise, a detailed eye, a tight schedule to be adhered to and an understanding both of the market AND of your clients’ mindsets and goals. This is what we signed up for, and accomplishing anything less should not be considered a “job well done”.
The expectations of our clients need to be managed in tricky markets like the one we are currently facing, but we still need to EXCEED their expectations of us. We need to OVER-deliver on our promises wherever and whenever possible. If we can’t over-deliver on price because the market has a different assessment of “fair market value” of our listing, then we had better be able to show our clients that every detail was looked after, in terms of traditional and digital marketing, exposure of the property, proper preparation of the house, quick response for feedback from the buyers’ agents and constant communication with our clients every step of the way. And then, when the offers do come in, we had better be able to demonstrate our skill and expertise at the offer table while negotiating the very best outcome with only our clients’ best interests in mind.
I have been fortunate to have served many many wonderful clients and though the roads to transaction completion were often both bumpy and twisted, the post-sale remarks from them have been very encouraging and serve as a reminder that I am on the “right path” (if not the easy path) and that consistently going that EXTRA mile on their behalf, (the loneliest stretch of road, I can assure you !) is another currency worth spending. Time, patience, skill and empathy are the alloys for this currency we call Excellence.
So, while that moment of absolute perfection never arrives, I can assure you that in the pursuit of that perfection, you will find your Excellence, and that is not only our currency, but it is our DUTY to provide to each and every client we serve.
If you (or someone you know), are looking for a Realtor who cares MORE about focusing on your concerns, goals and the successful purchase or sale of YOUR unique home, than they care about their volume of
transactions and awards, please let me know the best way for me to connect. I would love to offer my highly personal service. Contrary to that old expression, not only IS this business, but it IS personal! And, please, I encourage you to ask me any questions you may have about this post. I value your input and appreciate the time you took to read it.