While the real estate industry still maintains a preoccupation with more – more sales people, more listings, more clients, more sales, and ever more services - consumers are focusing on better. "More" is a typical producer/service provider orientation. "Better" is more commonly a consumer perspective.

As human beings and businesses mature, the pursuit of "better" is a natural substitute for the passion of "more." Perhaps it's the process of growing up, learning, becoming more discriminating and maybe growing a little older too. So is the real estate industry really stuck in the adolescent mind-set of just wanting more? The evidence is pretty damning based upon what is measured, what's bragged about and what's recognized, awarded, rewarded and compensated.

Learning from history

If consumers "grow up" and those providing service don't, can consumers outgrow an entire industry? Is there real danger here? Actually it's quite safe... as long as all the service providers continue to play the same game, by the same rules and no one offers a "better" alternative. If every pizza parlor makes pizza essentially the same way then the consumer has little choice, that's just the way it is.

But what if someone offers a better alternative? In the 80s, the Japanese and German auto makers introduced more fuel-efficient, better quality, longer-lasting cars to U.S markets. Although complacent U.S automakers were forced to make radical and painful changes to survive, they never regained their earlier market share and are still struggling to keep up over 30 years later.

Superior Service – An Equal Opportunity Employer

Let's assume home sellers and buyers really do want better quality service for the substantial commissions they pay for real estate brokerage services. What are the implications? First of all, the good news: any person or company can compete in the game of "The best service wins!" Size, resources, brand, name recognition, clever ad slogans, etc. – none of this matters much. None of these variables is key to a quality service experience for a consumer.

The bad news is that any person or company can compete in the game of "The best service wins." Real estate, as a trillion dollar industry, will attract the interest and attention of the best and the brightest outside the industry and that will force changes from the outside-in.

Quality Service – What does matter?

Consistency, reliability, accountability and responsiveness are the four underlying key elements to quality service delivery for service professionals. But without systems, standards, measurements, controls, performance feedback, learning and rewards - these underlying key elements are just words.

Service is serious business. Serious business demands training, systems, processes, metrics, performance feedback and solutions to make measurably better service a reality for consumers, service professionals and businesses. Organizational leaders truly committed to better service delivery should assess the benefits of seeking outside expertise with proven resources and results to accelerate quality service delivery and quality management. A focus on doing more without focusing on doing better does not have a place in the delivery of professional services today. Quality...it's time!

Quality Service Certification, Inc. the real estate industry's leading resource for systems, education, metrics and solutions that can make the delivery of measurably better service a reality. For more information, contact [email protected] or call 1-888-547-4772.