Guest post Monday and we have Van Deeb, who has excelled as a business owner, salesman and motivational speaker. He speaks authentically about the phenomenal difference you can experience in your sales career by differentiating yourself from your competitor with exceptional service.
When I started DEEB Realty in 1993 after more than 10 years in the real estate business, I decided to build a real estate company that would specialize in treating agents better than they were treated by competitors in my industry.
We came up with a slogan that we lived by: “A company built by agents for agents to better serve our customers.”
DEEB Realty carried out this slogan in a number of ways.
We paid our agents a better commission split than our competitors.
We had fewer meetings than our competitors.
We had fewer fees than our competitors.
We had fewer policies and restrictions than our competitors.
I could go on and on about what we did that they didn’t do, but basically in a nutshell we kicked their rear in every category. Yes, even a company that was owned by Warren Buffett was not immune to our wrath. I say all this not to impress you but to impress something upon you.
How did we do it?
By treating people with respect, by treating people like they mattered, and by letting people know they were important to us.
We set the standard on how real estate companies should treat their associates, and our competitors eventually had to copy us as much as they possibly could. We created our own structure that benefited the people in our company.
Why did we focus on the people who worked in our company?
Because in my opinion they are the customer—they built the company and they own the success of the company.
I love to brag about companies that are passionate about giving great service. The company I use most often as an example in my speeches is hands-down alone at the top… Lexus of Omaha. They know that customer service is not a department; it’s an attitude. They make it clear that if there is a way to accommodate your needs and wants and they have the ability to do it, then they will. They know how I feel about their service because I tell them every chance I get that they are doing a great job.
How many people are you giving your money to right now that really show you how much they appreciate it?
My Lexus dealer does—from the service department to the top brass, they show their appreciation. My life is too short to do business with people who don’t make me feel good. Lexus of Omaha knows how to make people feel good.
Wouldn’t you love to have people brag about your company and how great it is?
Could you get a better form of advertising than that? Not likely.
Set a benchmark; strive to be like another company that has developed a proven formula for success and a customer-centered culture like Lexus of Omaha or DEEB Realty. If you can’t think of a company that you would like to emulate, then you’re not being honest with yourself.
You have the same ability to build what they built, to give service like they do, and to accommodate people’s needs like they will.
If you want to be recognized as the best in your industry, then what are they doing that you’re not doing yet or are not willing to do?
Who is your Lexus?
If you would like to schedule a consultation, plan a workshop, or hire a keynote speaker who will deliver a message designed for your company on creating a winning culture and a reputation for great service, please contact Van at va*@va*****.com or call his direct line at 402-680-8448.
