Last week, we touched briefly on the new Facebook messenger icon and how it gives the impression that your business is responsive and accessible. This is really something you're going to want to pay attention to in 2016, so we'd like to spend a little time unpacking this feature and its potential value to homebuilders moving forward. Changing Customer Service Culture This icon is already drastically changing the way people view customer service. As more and more businesses have hired social media teams to manage their accounts full time, customers have begun to view social media as a faster, more accessible way to get in touch with a business. When you think about brand reputation being a huge part of social media, this makes sense. A receptionist or call center is far less interested in your feedback than a social media team is. Customers have come to realize that when they complain about something on a business' Facebook page, for instance, that they are far more likely to be responded to and taken care of in a timely manner than they would filling out a form on the company website. Today's consumer values control over the B2C relationship. Messaging a business on Facebook allows them to get fast answers to their questions without giving any personal information up-front or facing the awkwardness of a phone call. We already know millennials have been raised on the fast and impersonal being their preferred method of communication, so it's safe to assume that Facebook messenger could grow into the preferred method of contacting homebuilders in the very near future. Setting Appointments Through Facebook Part of what makes us believe this is where homebuyer inquiries are heading is that we are already seeing this happen with some of our builders on Facebook. And it's incredibly interesting. Take a look: Case #1: Prospect (11:15 pm):  Hello I was wondering if you had any finished homes done with the Sherwood plan I am very interested in it but was wondering if there was a finished house I could look at it or any pictures you may have of it. Builder replies (11:25 pm). An appointment is scheduled within 24 hours. Case #2: Prospect (8:44 pm): We would like to set up a time to go over questions we have. There's a few floor plans we like but have never built before, so we'd like to learn about the process, what steps we would need to take, etc. Thanks Builder (8:45 pm) replies and asks for number. Prospect replies with phone number (8:45 pm). Case #3: Prospect (1:18 pm): Hi! We are interested in having a home built in and saw a special you were running in June of $5000 in free upgrades and something else in closing. Do you know if/when their might be another special like that? Or any specials. Builder replies (3:14 pm). An exchange follows and an appointment is set within 24 hours. Case #4: Prospect (5:58 am): I'm interested in getting more information on building a home. Do you only build in new subdivisions or can you purchase a private lot? We are looking to build a home that has several acres of land. Builder replies (8:27 am). Client sets appointment for the same afternoon.   We've noticed that prospects on Facebook are typically looking to make an appointment quickly, and many do so within the same day of messaging the builder. Unlike some website leads which can be in the early research phase, these prospects for the most part are already in the buying phase.   How To Capitalize on Facebook Messenger In order to earn the icon that attracts homebuyers to message your page, you have to have a 100% response rate to messages and wait no more than 24 hours to reply. This means that you should be responding to messages even when you're being solicited. The faster you reply, the more enticing your page will look to homebuyers. For instance, a page that has the badge "typically replies within minutes" gets more leads than a page whose badge says "typically replies within a day." Don't wait until Facebook messenger becomes the preferred method of contact to begin utilizing this strategy. Make no mistake, Facebook for business is about to make huge strides in 2016. Recently, Facebook quietly launched its new local business search platform designed to help users find local businesses with the best reviews and ratings. In mid 2015, Google began deprecating a lot of their products that helped local businesses market themselves, and we see this as Facebook's move to step in and fill a void. It's no secret that Facebook is working to position itself as a type of search engine, and we feel this is definitely one of those opportunities builders will want to capitalize on as early as possible. So work toward becoming a highly rated local business by posting and checking Facebook daily, encouraging homebuyers to message you, and inviting current homeowners to give you a review. Don't be surprised if by the end of 2016 Facebook has become the new go-to platform for local search.