Article by: Linda Brakeall

The Golden Rule says: Treat others as you would be treated. That's fine if the other person is exactly like you. Chances are he or she is not. Most customer service faux pas (and when you're dealing with either borrowers or Realtors - they are your customers!) are not made when people intentionally or unintentionally make an error. Many are made when the service provider (LO) gives that service to the Realtor, for example, in a way that would delight said service provider.

Let me translate. You, Loan Officer Person, are working with me and my buyer and want to keep me fully informed about the status of the loan. You send me lots and lots of pages of information every single week trying to keep me up to date. I feel overwhelmed. "Who has time to read all of this?" Your LO perspective is that YOU would want to know everything! You assume that I do too. But I am a bottom line type of person. Is the loan progressing appropriately? Is any documentation missing? Is there anything I as a Realtor have to do to keep things moving along? That's all I want to know so I do not greet your valiant effort with delight; only with frustration. It just looks like too much paper and print to me. I am frustrated with the very reports that you labor over. Is there a way out of this conundrum?

Yes, and it is oh-so-simple! Use the Platinum Rule which says: Treat people the way they want to be treated! A s k ! Ask your Realtor, your borrower and anyone else that your give "customer service" to:

How would you like this done?
How would you like me to follow up?
How would you like me to keep in touch?
How often would like a status report?
What information is important to you?
Is there anything else that I can do to help you ?

When you do what is requested, as opposed to what you believe is required, the result is met with delight. The other person believes that you are doing a good job, because it meets his or her needs, and you are rewarded with golden customer loyalty!

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Linda Brakeall is the author of Unlocking The Secrets of Successful Women in Business, and has trained 36,000 people in 27 states in sales, marketing, presentations, and communications since 1992. She has authored 99 magazine articles on sales, marketing, selecting salespeople, managing sales teams and communications. You can find out more about Linda and what she can do for you at http://www.lindabrakeall.com Ph: 800-662-7249

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