Guest Post: Customer Experience in the Fast Lane: A Key to Closing Home Sales

Pioneering home builders have started to embrace the reality of selling homes completely online. However, buying a home online does not mean the process will be completely self-service.  A new home is often the largest purchase someone will ever make, buyers will have questions along the way.  Even if your company is far from embracing fully online home sales, quickly responding to home buyer questions is still a critical factor in creating positive customer experiences and ultimately driving sales.

In today’s digital age, customers across industries have come to expect instant access to information and prompt responses to their questions. Home buyers, regardless of whether they are buying a home fully online or seeking additional information before an in-person visit, value responsiveness and personalized assistance. Addressing their questions and concerns quickly is important because it demonstrates your commitment to exceptional customer service and builds trust throughout the buying process.

Home buyer behavior has evolved significantly in recent years. Today prospective buyers rely heavily on online research to explore their options before making a purchase. A study conducted by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) in 2020, showed that 97% of homebuyers used the internet in their home search process, just how important a strong online presence is for home builders.  Buyers now demand instant access to information and prompt responses to their questions. Understanding these changing dynamics is essential in creating an effective strategy to meet and exceed customer expectations.
Aircall, a company specializing in customer service call centers, conducted a survey in 2019 to understand customers’ willingness to wait for a response from a customer service agent. Their findings shed light on the escalating expectations, and diminishing patience, of customers across various channels:

• 94% of respondents expect a response to an email within 24 hours. This statistic emphasizes the need for timely follow-up on customer questions. Failing to meet this expectation can result in frustration and potential loss of business.
• 96% of respondents expect a response within 5 minutes of initiating an online chat. This near-instantaneous expectation demonstrates the urgency customers feel when seeking information or assistance online.
• After calling a customer support team, 90% of respondents said they are willing to wait on hold for no more than 5 minutes to speak with a live person. This statistic emphasizes the impatience that customers feel when waiting for assistance over the phone and highlights the importance of prompt, human-to-human interactions.

These statistics clearly indicate that customer expectations for response time have risen significantly across various communication channels. As a home builder, meeting and exceeding buyer expectations is vital to providing a positive customer experience and maximizing sales opportunities.

Fast response times are more than just a courtesy, they are a powerful tool for building trust and credibility with prospective buyers. When you promptly address customer questions, it demonstrates your commitment to providing exceptional customer service. It shows you value their time and are eager to assist them in their homebuying journey. By establishing trust and credibility from the start, you lay the foundation for a positive customer experience that can ultimately lead to a sale.

Timely responses have a direct impact on your ability to convert website visitors into home buyers. Delayed responses can lead to frustration and a loss of interest. Prospective buyers are often comparing multiple options, and a delayed response can give your competitors an advantage. Alternately, fast response times can create a sense of urgency and demonstrate your commitment to meeting their needs. It demonstrates you are a responsive and reliable home builder, increasing the likelihood of converting them into satisfied customers.

When you understand buyer expectations and the benefits that can come from focusing on fast customer service responses, you can quickly recognize the importance for home builders to have effective online sales counselor (OSC) programs in place.  However, too many builders are still not making it a priority to install this critical role on their sales and marketing teams.