March 2019 Newsletter Your service is your brand

   Your service is your brand

2018 was a very busy year for me, packed with keynote speeches and workshops. Every speech was created for a specific audience, but it dawned on me that they all shared an underlying message: we are defined by how we serve our customers. Your reputation is defined by your service, your company’s success is defined by your service, and your sales performance is defined by your service. I am confident that if you really think about it, you will agree that this is true.

Service makes or breaks us! In a society where less than average service has become the “new normal,” you can excel and gather an increased market share by keeping the sales process simple and by providing better customer service than any of your competitors.

When you go to work each day, what are your main goals? At the top of the list should be “delivering unmatched service.” You are in control of the quality of service you provide to each of your customers, from your smallest client to your largest. When you focus on serving your customers to the best of your ability, your other goals will be much easier to accomplish.

One of my main goals in building DEEB Realty was to do everything in my power and utilize all of my resources to make sure our agents and our customers were served in the best way possible. Our motto was “A company built by agents for agents to better serve our customers.” Our service was our brand.

“A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so.”  – Kenneth B. Elliott

How do you define the word “service”? Take a minute and write down the first definition that comes to mind. This is who you are, this is your brand, and your answer will play a key role in the success you attain.

“Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends.”  –  Walt Disney

You’ve probably heard more than one definition of the word “brand,” but one thing is clear: your brand is yours alone. It’s as unique as your fingerprints. Each day, I strive to make sure “responsive” is a key aspect of my brand. When people are talking about my service, I want them to say, “Van gets back to me quickly.” Plain and simple, this is one of my main goals and it always will be. I serve my customers and show my respect for them by getting back to them in a timely manner. My service is my brand.

Customer service is not a department – it’s an attitude. How we do business and serve our customers is what separates us from our competitors.

Think about a few companies where you have been a customer for a long time. Do you keep coming back because of their great prices or their excellent service? Maybe both reasons are important to you, but many people remain loyal to a business because of service alone. Maya Angelou said it better than anyone else: “People will forget what you said, they will forget what you did, but they will never forget the way you made them feel.” If you focus on how people feel about doing business with you, then you are making service part of who you are and defining your brand.

“The purpose of a business is to create a customer who creates a customer.”

– Shiv Singh

If you have heard me give a presentation or workshop, you know I always preach that you should make sure each customer’s experience is so enjoyable that they will go out of their way to recommend you to others. Serve and you will be served. Your service is your brand!

If not now, then when… and if not you, then who?

Van Deeb is recognized as an authority on customer service. His proven methods and techniques helped Van build one of the largest real estate companies in the country, growing his business from just himself to an agency with 350 associates. Invite Van to present a workshop, keynote, or event at your company. Contact Van at his direct line: 402-680-8448, through email: van@vandeeb.com, or on the Web at www.vandeeb.com