SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif., Sept. 27, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Overall satisfaction remains flat and in some industries is declining, according to the University of Michigan's 2007 American Customer Satisfaction survey. But in the real estate industry, customer satisfaction is being keenly met by one group of elite sales associates.
The nationally recognized real estate industry leader in customer service, Quality Service Certification, Inc. (QSC), based in San Juan Capistrano, has released its list of the industry's Best in the Business.
"We are very proud to be the herald of service excellence in identifying nearly 300 real estate sales professionals who deliver the very best service and customer satisfaction in North America," stated Larry D. Romito, CEO of QSC.
"This group of professionals, which averaged more than 32 closed transactions, delivered perfect or near-perfect service based upon independently-validated feedback of past clients. Every client over an eighteen-month period was given a detailed customer satisfaction-assessment survey to complete. Surveys were delivered, collected, and tabulated by Leading Research Corporation (LRC) of San Clemente, California," Romito added.
According to research from LRC, the top three consumer complaints about real estate agents are: lack of communication, follow through, and accountability.
"I think it's ironic that you can sell a baseball card on eBay and get rated but you sell a half-a-million dollar house and nobody knows how you did," said Realtor Brad Garbutt, Real Estate Professionals GMAC.
But QSC is changing that. The company provides specialized training on superior service delivery and requires QSC agents to offer consumers a guarantee of service. Then LRC independently surveys every consumer of a QSC agent following the closing of each real estate transaction.
"I think customer service is always based on respect and listening to what my clients want and then trying to work together toward that end result and the Quality Service Survey and the whole program is a tool to measure my success at those skills," said Linda Davis, Realtor, Prudential Northwest Properties.
Consumers can review agents' independently-validated overall Customer Satisfaction Rating (CSR) by visiting www.QualityService.org.
Meanwhile, QSC agents utilize the feedback to become better. Agents like Josie Barcenas of Coldwell Banker Pennington-Chen really do listen to what her clients have to say. "I can see where my high points are and where I need a little more help. I see the things that my clients are quite satisfied with and I continue to do them better," said Barcenas.
That's what has earned Barcenas a top 5.0 CSR.
"It makes you stand out above the rest," said Barcenas.
It also gives consumers a solid indicator of the quality of service they can expect from a real estate agent. Real estate agents Garbutt, Davis, and Barcenas are named in this year's Best in the Business; to see the complete list visit www.QualityCertified.org.
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