What the Buyers Are Saying
A very strong argument can be made that the homebuilding industry has never seen such a dramatic shift in buying conditions. The year began at a frenetic pace with bidding wars and massive overpayments. It approaches its finale with discounts, incentives and heavy competition.
The end result: confusion and consternation leading to many buyers simply hitting the pause button on any purchase decision. Builders from coast-to-coast are involved in a “try everything” strategy in an attempt to find new sources of leads. But they might need to look further than their existing homeowners.
Homebuyers love to talk about their purchase experience. And when they are delighted by the experience they want to talk about it to their friends.
Bob Mirman, founder and chief executive officer of Eliant, a North American customer survey firm, suggests that referrals are there to be had, but only if builders are paying close attention to the messages being sent.
In the new book, “From Contract to Close, How to Create Compelling Homebuyer Experiences that Earn Referrals”, longtime industry veterans myself and Mirman share dozens of stories from homebuyers who are more than willing to tutor their builder in how to provide outstanding customer care. These lessons, largely gathered from years of Eliant homebuyer surveys offer a compelling education.
PERSONAL ATTENTION MEANS EVERYTHING
Buyers are real people, and they love connecting with real people. Genuine relationships matter. “Before we had even finished signing the contract, we had met our builder in person and our designer over Zoom. That opportunity to talk to real people made us so comfortable about the decision.” “Superintendent was so informative and responsive. Even though I was 1,000 miles away, he always made me feel close to the property. His updates and photos…were always met with anticipation.”
LITTLE MOMENTS MAKE FOR BIG IMPACT
We call these “surprise and delight” opportunities, and they go a very long way toward exceeding expectations. “Our salesperson took our picture signing the contract. She gave us a nice bottle of wine when we finished. It was a nice touch.” “We received a nice letter from the principal of the elementary school where our kids would attend. She welcomed us to the neighborhood and encouraged us to ask any questions we might have. It was great of the builder to set that up.”