Unless you're a top producer with a number of assistants, you may believe your real estate business is pretty much a solo effort. In actuality, you have more people on your team than you realize, but are they pulling their weight?

Take this quick quiz to evaluate how strong your team is. Answer each item as "true" or "false."

1. I have a lender/mortgage broker who I can count on 100% to handle buyer qualification in a timely manner.

2. I have an escrow/closing agent who normally handles all my transactions and always does an excellent job.

3. I have a team of inspectors to handle physical inspections, geology, etc. who are reliable and whose reports don't panic buyers and sellers.

4. I have a service that sends birthday and holiday cards to all past clients after their transaction has closed.

5. I have a reliable, competitively priced mover with whom my clients have always been satisfied.

6. I have a web page whose content is updated regularly and is maintained by someone other than myself.

7. I have a plumber, roofer, handyman, etc. who provides high quality work for my clients at a reasonable price with a guarantee.

8. I have an insurance agent who can obtain home insurance quickly and at a fair price.

9. I use a home protection plan on every transaction that provides quick, reliable service when needed.

10. The person(s) responsible for greeting callers to my office are professional and courteous.

11. My manager and at least two other people in my office are willing to help me with pricing a home or getting a price reduction.

12. I have a dependable service that provides me with excellent material for my marketing/prospecting pieces.

13. My family and loved ones actively support me in my real estate business.

14. I have an assistant or another agent who can handle emergencies for me when needed.

15. I have a strong personal support team, including hairdresser, auto mechanic, MD, dentist, vet, dry cleaner, pharmacist, banker, attorney, photographer, handyman, child-care, etc.

16. I have 3 agents that I can confidently refer qualified buyers and sellers to on short notice.

Scoring:

Each "false" indicates an area where your business would benefit by "adding to your team." High levels of customer service make for satisfied consumers as well as for future referrals. One poor service provider, however, can cost you not only this transaction, but future transactions as well.

13-16: You have a strong team in place. Congratulations! Be sure to regularly monitor customer satisfaction of your team's services. Up to a real challenge? Try raising your standards so your score drops to 9 or less, and then work on raising your score back to 16.

9-12: You have a good foundation in place. For those areas needing improvement, begin by upgrading any area. Where you start makes no difference. The key is to approach upgrading your services by continually strengthening your team. Make sure any one you add to your team meets the same high quality standards you hold for yourself.

8 or below: Lack of a solid support system is probably leaving you stressed out and feeling unappreciated. Begin by finding a reliable mortgage lender who provides excellent customer service to both you and your clients. Next, find a strong escrow/closing agent. After that, work on upgrading any of the items on the quiz. The point is to always focus on continually raising your standards and level of service.

Published: December 15, 2000

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