One of the worst feelings for a home buyer is when they sign the papers and rarely hear from the builder again. They start to actually regret building a home with the business they selected and feel like a number over a person. While you may have a hard time keeping in contact with every new homeowner, your customer service before, during, and after the sale is so important. Of course, sending a thank you card or giving personalized gifts is wonderful, but your continued conversation needs to follow them throughout their new home buying process. So, where’s the conversation happening? Online. Implementing an online approach to home buying customer service isn’t an easy feat. We understand there are a thousand tasks to accomplish daily, but we've broken it down to 3 top reasons to continue your customer service online.

Buyers Are Online

Whether you sold a home to a social media follower or have a prospective client following your business, clients are watching your online content. It’s remarkable that over 68% of the American population is on social media. While we all go to mostly interact with our friends, it’s no lie businesses are a part of the conversation. 

 

Since businesses are already part of the conversation, why not chime in with relevant content and responses to your home building clients? At any given moment, a potential homeowner could be asking questions online, messaging you on social media, or looking to chat on your website. Timing is everything and so is being helpful. New home buyers want their questions answered and want them answered quickly.

How do you respond online in a timely manner?

You can implement any one of these easy tips to stay on top of the online customer service game:

• Set up Google Alerts for your business name or keywords in your area. Anytime someone comments about your brand on website content, you can see what they are saying.
• Turn on email notifications for your social media accounts. Get an alert anytime someone posts, comments, reviews, or messages you. Pro tip: schedule responses on Facebook Messenger so your followers get an immediate response. You can always go into more detail once you receive the email notification of the message.
• Turn on review notifications for Google My Business. You will be sent a notification everytime someone leaves a Google review.

 

Buyers Want to Be Heard

 

Great online engagement from social media It’s not only a matter of knowing your new home business interactions online, it’s also a matter a listening. In the crazy noise of the online game, your followers want to be heard. Social media and forums exist to exchange ideas and converse on topics. Buyers are coming to you online to give you their opinions and to help you better serve them. It’s important to acknowledge they are heard and take their feedback into consideration.

Be Human

Don’t forget to take a human approach. We all want to be treated as an individual with unique answers. Take the time to craft a different response to each person even if it’s the same question. This shows you understand people are more than just a number on the profit line. The biggest complaint people have about online marketing is that it easily becomes "salesy." Followers want more robust information than your latest listing. They want to see you care just as much about your clients and the community as you do about selling. Keep this in mind when you are crafting an email, editing your website, planning a social media posts, or developing any other online customer content. Think about how you would actually talk to a client. It’s a conversation. Most of all, don’t be afraid to have some fun! While emojis and jokes can get confusing, it’s always good to add a little personality in a safe, professional manner. Ask questions, get their opinions, and give them an opportunity to engage in your new home business. Remember, social media, and most of the online world, is meant to be social and elevate conversations. Participate in the conversation and, for the sake of all your customers, be human.  

Buyers Are Watching

It’s no secret. In today’s home buying industry, a buyer typically takes one year to research homes before making the purchase. What are they doing during this time? 

 

Example of handling a poor online review Watching and researching your business online. That means a potential client could go through your entire Facebook page, read all your online reviews, and dive into your website testimonial. I’ve even seen potential buyers connect with previous buyers so they can learn about their new home experience. Your previous buyers are your best marketing tool and may be the most underinvested asset of new home builders.

Reviews Matter

Across all industries, an average of 71% of people are influenced on a buying decision based on a social review of the business. Monitoring your online reviews and buyer conversations are so important for continued sales and your overall reputation. Above all, make sure to respond to each and every person whether they are leaving a positive or negative review. Not replying to clients online speaks volumes more than having an upset client. People expect that mistakes will happen. They are actually valuing your conflict response more than having a perfect review rating. To avoid going back and forth on a public forum, acknowledge their review and ask to speak to them personally. For specific tips on handling negative reviews, we found a great article to share. While the world of online customer service can be overwhelming for builders, keep in mind these three simple reasons you should engage your service side online. It doesn’t have to be complicated and you don’t have to be a thousand places all at one. If you continue to put quality content online and commit to replying to your customers, you would be surprised at the results.

So, how are you taking care of your current and future buyers online?

 

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If you need help evaluating your online presence and customer service, contact us and one of our experts will reach out!