As letting agents, our instinct is to believe that we have to
make our
service faster, costs less, works so much better and is generally off
the charts at doing what the service is supposed to do. Us agents get our minds
around one performance measure and decide that the one and only way we can be
remarkable is to knock that measure out of the Cricket ground (wasn’t it good
that we won The Ashes).
What a load of tosh I say. Humans do choose something because it is the fastest or smallest, when they have a choice.
I don’t know about you, but I never buy the item because it excels at a certain announced measure. Almost no one drives the fastest car nor do choose the most efficient credit card. No, we buy a story. The story is the thing that the service also does. It's the other reason we buy something, and usually, the real reason. Why .. well lest think? You have a six year old son. The last time he unexpectedly woke up after going to bed was two years ago. Of course, you're going to hire a babysitter and not leave him alone, but really, what are you hiring when you hire a babysitter? Is it her ability to do CPR, cook gourmet food or teach your little one French? Not if she shows up after the kid goes to bed.
No, you're hiring peace of mind. You're hiring the way it makes you feel to know that just in case, someone talented is standing by. If her goal is to be a great babysitter, then, good performance doesn't involve honing her CPR skills or standing at the door, listening to your daughter breathe. Good performance is showing up a few minutes early, dressed appropriately, with an air of confidence. Good performance is sending a text every 90 minutes, if requested, to the neurotic parents. Good performance is leaving the kitchen cleaner than she found it.
What a load of tosh I say. Humans do choose something because it is the fastest or smallest, when they have a choice.
I don’t know about you, but I never buy the item because it excels at a certain announced measure. Almost no one drives the fastest car nor do choose the most efficient credit card. No, we buy a story. The story is the thing that the service also does. It's the other reason we buy something, and usually, the real reason. Why .. well lest think? You have a six year old son. The last time he unexpectedly woke up after going to bed was two years ago. Of course, you're going to hire a babysitter and not leave him alone, but really, what are you hiring when you hire a babysitter? Is it her ability to do CPR, cook gourmet food or teach your little one French? Not if she shows up after the kid goes to bed.
No, you're hiring peace of mind. You're hiring the way it makes you feel to know that just in case, someone talented is standing by. If her goal is to be a great babysitter, then, good performance doesn't involve honing her CPR skills or standing at the door, listening to your daughter breathe. Good performance is showing up a few minutes early, dressed appropriately, with an air of confidence. Good performance is sending a text every 90 minutes, if requested, to the neurotic parents. Good performance is leaving the kitchen cleaner than she found it.
So as in baby sitting and as in business, it sounds obvious, but it's rarely done. So, what story are you going to tell Mr or Mrs Letting Agent? … and please don’t tell you are more professional, that your free valuations are free'er than everyone else’s or you no sale no fee is has even less fee than the others … that is what I taught my new business owners when they open. … and does it work?
Well one of my offices let 105 properties from a cold start in 8 months with a stream of properties to come … and boy, their story is very
interesting!