Having just returned to my office in Newport, RI from my first Luxury Real Estate conference, I am reminded of how much I enjoy working in a high-touch, people-oriented industry. As a former luxury hotel exec, I appreciated the exceptional service at the Five Star Grand Del Mar resort. Every time I took a wrong turn a smiling face appeared and straightened me out. My room and the physical amenities were lovely and perfectly maintained, but it was the attentive service of the hotel employees that really set it apart. When I returned to my room in the afternoon, for example, my messy computer cables were neatly coiled and tied with a little ribbon! As beautiful as the resort was (and I assure you it was magnificent), the highlight was the employees’ cheerful attitude, exquisite training and the service culture in evidence throughout the resort.
Similarly, the LRE staff could not have been more accommodating introducing me to other agents and brokers and helping me get more familiar with the marketing opportunities available to my firm. The LRE members I met were warm, welcoming and anxious to connect - a very pleasant experience for a first timer and consistent with the elegant setting.
Yesterday at 3:45 AM I left all that friendliness behind and set out to reenter the real world. What I encountered underscored my sense that it's people who really make the difference. My flight back to Newport, RI was fraught with weather problems, unexpected landings, missed connections and disinterested employees. Still, during this wildly disorganized day, there was one person who came through. Her contribution was 90 seconds of extra attention to figure out a better routing option for me. That tidbit of useful information enabled me to ditch the rebooking line, call the 800 number and get home the same day instead of 24 hours later. Without her, I would still be at the Minneapolis airport.
So aside from a great conference and a nice getaway, I'm sporting a renewed sense of how exceptional service can separate you from the pack, and I'm working on some ideas to deliver more face-to-face, 5 star real estate services to our clients. Think the real estate equivalent of computer cables tied up in a bow.