How to make your customer journey count

Understanding the customer journey plays a huge role in the success of any estate agent.

From that very first viewing right through to securing that sale, your customer journey can mean the difference between a successful completion, and a lost opportunity – so it’s vital to get it right.

If you’re wondering why your agency isn’t securing as many leads as you anticipated, or your sales are falling through at the last hurdle, it could be time you reviewed your customer journey.

This is a process every business with growth ambitions needs to do regularly, to make sure they’re remaining competitive and keeping up with changes and trends in their market.

What is the customer journey?

The customer journey is the route an individual takes from the moment they learn about a property, to the minute they phone your office, attend a viewing, or make an offer– and even beyond this. The journey to becoming your customer consists of multiple touchpoints and it’s important that every one of them meets your customer’s expectations and desires.

When a customer journey works, you’ll notice a hugely positive impact on your agency’s performance. So how can you make sure yours counts?

Understand your process

Before you can make meaningful improvements to your customer journey, you need to understand it. Put yourself in the shoes of every type of customer you might come across; tenants, landlords, buyers, and sellers – both the experienced proprietor and the apprehensive first-time buyer. Walk through the steps each type of person usually takes before becoming your customer.

Map out all the potential streams and channels through which enquiries are made; on the phone, via your website, on Facebook, in the office. Then think about the various points of contact; be it an appointment confirmation by SMS, a post-viewing follow-up over the phone, or an email newsletter a week later, for example.

Once you have visualised exactly how your customer journey looks, you can then work out what’s missing from your process and what does or doesn’t work.

You may find it’s something fairly simple, like adding in an appointment confirmation to prevent ‘no-shows’ or following up 24 hours later to gain feedback from a viewing or valuation. Or perhaps the issue is wider than this.

Transform your journey with a telephone answering service

With the influx of new online agents, high street estate agents have the advantage of being able to deliver a personal touch that isn’t always as easy with online brands. Having a receptionist dedicated to answering calls can instantly transform your customer journey and your brand image.

Missing calls, on the other hand, can be detrimental to your business. Some 69% of callers will not leave a message on your answering machine, so it’s vital your callers are able to reach a real person whenever they phone your agency.

“69% of callers will not leave a message on your answering machine.”

Today, customers expect a speedier service than ever before – if you fail to respond to them that same morning or afternoon, you can expect them to move on with the assumption you’re never going to get back to them.

Having the support of a telephone answering service in place means your customers can reach your agency at any time and always speak with a dedicated receptionist, who understands your business and the way you like to communicate.

Impress your customers and capture more leads

Here at Moneypenny, we answer two million property calls on behalf of 2,000 estate agents, each year. Over 80% of these calls result in a detailed message, while 26% are handled outside of typical office hours and during weekends.

Reviewing your customer journey and continually looking for new ways to enhance it is an integral part of growing your business and making sure your agency is ahead of the competition.

*Samantha Jones is Head of Field Sales at Moneypenny