Real estate used to be regarded as a sales industry generally. However such impressions have changed. Real estate agents are now convinced that the vital success of any real estate transaction comes from the value and service they provide more than the sales alone.

With so much competition coupled with innovation, clients these days have boundless options when it comes to selling homes. This is why agents are compelled to work harder and shell out more to win listings. They now realize that happy customers are more likely to return to a business because of good customer service experience and that each of these happy customers can steer dozens of new businesses their way through word-of-mouth.

Nothing can beat loyalty and good-will when it comes to selling a home. Customers like to be treated with sincerity, respect, and integrity. They want a realistic and accurate property appraisal. They want a real estate agent who is committed to his work and can show action. Someone whom they can rely on for advice, feel welcomed and not just be fed with a line or hand down with advertising.

Any real estate agent with a sound business sense know that if they can provide this customer service in real estate, they will have a real upper hand on their competitors. Far from being an impediment to success, they see today’s marketplace as an opportunity to flourish.

Obviously, the sale is still critical, but it’s part of a greater whole – almost like a critical KPI (Key Performance Indicator). It’s based on the simple premise – serve and you will sell. Make business by doing good business. The premise holds true because all the pre-requisites of a sale are elemental to good customer service: The price is realistic, the marketing is intelligent, the advertising appropriate, and commitments are made and kept. Vendors, buyers, landlords, and tenants alike receive the same high level of customer service.

Excellent customer service is a must-have for any successful business. Whatever your goal is, may it be a sale or a lease of a home, you should never treat your client as simply another business. You have to earn trust through consistency and reliability, and you have to show your commitment to the client by offering excellent customer service. When you make the extra effort to truly connect with your clients, you’ll not only see how this influences your sales—but you may also make some life-long friends in the process.