Making customers happy: are you easy to reach?

Today’s consumers expect the businesses they buy from to be accessible and responsive 24/7.  Global brands like Amazon and Netflix have created this instant ‘on demand’ retail culture and now, we’ve all come to expect this immediacy from all the businesses we buy from – whether that’s the local car garage, a law firm, a care provider or an estate agent.

Here, Sharon Boyle, Head of Property at Moneypenny, which manages telephone calls and live chat for more than 2,500 property businesses in the UK, explains why being contactable is so crucial for estate agents striving to deliver positive first impressions and customer experiences.

Sharon said: “Even though we are in the midst of a digital age, the phone is still consumers’ favourite method of contacting a business, but there are some call handling mistakes they consider unforgivable, and rightly so.

“Phone calls not being answered, and annoying hold music top the list of gripes for customers. These are closely followed by complex automated phone messages, being told to check the website, leaving a voicemail, feeling rushed and not listened to, and intrusive background noise. All of these things make customers feel they’re not valued, which can impact customer satisfaction, future revenues and reputation significantly.”

Some of these call handling gripes may sound familiar, but they are especially worrying when you consider how people have come to use the phone. UK consumers spend longer on the phone now than three years ago and it’s all because they have more urgent, complex or sensitive needs.

Sharon said: “When people call with complex needs, they really do expect to have their queries handled quickly. The chances are they’ve already tried to self-serve, perhaps by visiting your website first, so when they pick up the phone it’s because they need to explain their situation and seek the support of a person right away.

“With homes already being one of the biggest purchases we’ll ever make and the rising cost of living creating additional worry for many families, potential homebuyers want help when they need it. As a consequence they deserve to be met with a timely, professional and empathetic response every time. It’s never been more important.”

According to Moneypenny’s own research 75% of people say good customer service is a powerful differentiator, but great service isn’t just about how calls are handled. It’s also about online channels such as live chat, which can be used to triage online enquiries and capture leads in real time.

Sharon said: “Almost half of all the chats we handle occur outside the traditional 9-5, which really shows just how much of a 24/7 culture we live in. Live chat satisfies peoples’ need for instant answers while they’re on a website, which could be at 10 at night or 6 in the morning, and because it’s a real person answering the chat, customers feel valued, heard, and supported.

“We know that live chat technology generates 6 times more website engagement – so it gives estate agents a voice and a cost-effective and responsive way to deliver customer care outside traditional office hours.”

It seems that the old adage, ‘the customer is king,’ has never been more true. Today’s homebuyers and sellers are not prepared to wait. Sharon added: “The danger is that if a potential customer isn’t happy with how contactable and responsive you are at the start of their journey, they could see this as a reflection of your business as a whole, perhaps even the quality of your work, or your aftercare service. This could turn a potential sale into lost revenue as well as a complaint or negative review.”

Estate agents have to be contactable via as many channels as possible, which means gearing themselves around customers’ wants rather than a perception of what they need. Sharon added: “A phone line that’s only answered between 9am and 5pm just won’t cut it anymore. Customers expect good quality care around the clock, and crucially, on their terms. To improve the likelihood of an enquiry becoming a sale, estate agents have to be easy to reach and ready to talk.”

Insights are taken from Moneypenny’s 2022 Call Trends Report.