Trust Matters: How to Build and Maintain Customer Trust as a Home Builder

0
149

Share on LinkedIn

Young-black-couple-talking-to-new-home-sales-agent
Photo from Shutterstock Images

Maintaining customer trust is essential for builders looking to keep referrals up and maintain a strong reputation in the industry.

The home building industry experienced quite a bit of success during the COVID-19 pandemic as people spent more time at home and demand for new housing increased. However, builders may face challenges such as delays in construction and supply chain issues, which can lead to problems for buyers who have high expectations for the home buying process. It is crucial for builders to maintain trust with their customers in order to keep their reputation strong and garner positive feedback.

Maintaining trust with customers can be especially challenging in the current market, where construction problems, increased prices, and missed move-in dates are more likely to occur. These issues can lead to customer dissatisfaction and negative reviews, which can damage a builder’s reputation and negatively impact their business. Therefore, it is essential for builders to find ways to keep their referrals up and customer trust high despite these challenges.

Set realistic expectations and be proactive with communication.

One of the most effective ways to maintain customer trust is by setting realistic expectations and being proactive with communication. This includes accurately predicting project timelines and avoiding overpromising, as well as providing regular updates to customers about the progress of their home. Communication is key to ensuring that customers feel informed and involved in the process, and it can go a long way in preventing misunderstandings and building trust.

Practice transparency and respond promptly to customer inquiries.

Builders can also demonstrate their commitment to customer satisfaction by being transparent in their business practices. This includes being upfront about any potential issues or changes to the project, as well as responding promptly and professionally to customer inquiries or complaints. By being transparent and responsive, builders can show customers that they value their business and are committed to meeting their needs.

Show appreciation and solicit feedback from customers.

In addition to these steps, builders can also show appreciation for their customers by thanking them for their business and soliciting their feedback to continue improving their services. This can be done through customer surveys or by simply asking for feedback in person or through email. By actively seeking out customer feedback and using it to make improvements, builders can demonstrate their commitment to customer satisfaction and build trust.

Identify and manage key “moments of truth” in the customer journey.

It is also important for builders to identify key moments in the customer journey that will have a significant impact on their satisfaction. These moments, known as “moments of truth,” can be either positive or negative and can greatly influence a customer’s overall perception of the building process. By identifying these moments and striving to exceed expectations in these areas, builders can create positive experiences for their customers and increase the likelihood of positive reviews.

There are several practical ways that builders can identify and manage these moments of truth to improve customer satisfaction.

One effective approach is to map out the customer journey from start to finish and identify the key points where customers will have the most impactful experiences. This can help builders anticipate potential issues and take steps to address them before they occur.

For example, some key moments of truth for home buyers may include standing on their selected lot and imagining the view, walking into the kitchen for the first time and feeling the quartz counters, or having their first family meal at the dining room table. Negative moments of truth might include feeling rushed to make design selections, being talked down to by the construction supervisor, or walking into their home after closing and seeing trash or muddy footprints.

By identifying and managing these moments of truth, builders can create a more positive and satisfying home buying experience for their customers. This can help build trust and increase the likelihood of positive feedback and referrals.

Maintaining customer trust is crucial for builders looking to maintain a strong reputation in the industry. By setting realistic expectations, being proactive with communication, practicing transparency, responding promptly to customer inquiries, showing appreciation for customers, and identifying and managing key moments of truth, builders can build and maintain trust with their customers, resulting in positive feedback and a strong reputation.

Jimmy Diffee
Jimmy is a customer experience expert and keynote speaker for the home building industry. He also provides workshops and customer experience management services for leading builders in the US. Jimmy's passion is utilizing technology to create a better, more effective home buying process (and most importantly, a better customer experience). He has a background in user-centered design and possesses an intimate knowledge of research and technological tools for creating memorable user experiences.

ADD YOUR COMMENT

Please use comments to add value to the discussion. Maximum one link to an educational blog post or article. We will NOT PUBLISH brief comments like "good post," comments that mainly promote links, or comments with links to companies, products, or services.

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here