Property Point

At first glance I am a boring creature of habit who has a predictable life with very little variation in what I do, where I go, who I see and the businesses I use. That may still be true after the second glance. And the third.

I prefer to think that I am loyal. But it’s not blind loyalty, rather it’s loyalty that has been earned and deserved.

I like going to the Shamrock Hotel on a Saturday afternoon or a public holiday for a quiet drink with my wife because there is a quiet, civilized bar (not the sports bar) and the bar manager is efficient, attentive and friendly. It isn’t good some days and bad on others, it’s always good.

And I love going to the Austral Hotel for lunch with friends because the steaks are good and the restaurant manager knows me and my mates and she is efficient, attentive and friendly.

Yes, I know, a theme is emerging here … not that I spend all my time in pubs but that good, friendly service brings me back time after time.

I go to the Ampol service station on Nebo Road for my petrol because I like the middle-aged lady who usually serves me.  She is efficient, attentive and friendly. She doesn’t try to up-sell. She never does any of the very annoying; “would you like to get a can of coke, a Mars bar and a pie for $10?”. Just good service.  I don’t even check the petrol price before filling up and sometimes I do buy ice creams for the family or a bag of ice for the Esky.

I like going to Laffo’s for a Sunday breakfast because, well, Laffo’s a good bloke, the food is good and the service is efficient, attentive and friendly.

My loyalty list goes on … Trantech for IT, NB Industries for servicing the car etc. It all comes down to the great service and trust.

I know there are other outstanding IT guys and mechanics, but I pick and stick with those I know who haven’t let me down. I need someone to trust for IT and David Tranter from Trantech is my man. I need a good mechanic that I can trust, and Shaun from NB Industries never lets me down. So I stick.

The other day I rang a client that I sold a house for a few years ago. He told me a while ago that he would be selling again at some stage, so I rang to see how he was going.

He said he and his wife had been talking about selling.

“We said just the other day that we need to get David around to have a look at the house and start making plans for the sale,” he said.

He told me that he wouldn’t go with anyone else and, while that is a wonderful thing to hear, I know there is an over-riding principle when it comes to loyalty … you have to deliver, always.

You can’t rest on your laurels. Loyalty is great but it is only retained by maintaining the standard that created the loyalty in the first place.

In my experience, selling real estate is no different to working in others businesses …  deliver results, be trusted, create loyalty.

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