No matter what business you are in, developing relevant delivery goals and then earning your client’s trust (resulting in more work for you) is the key to success.

Based on the Nordstrom way of doing business, ERA Real Estate All-Star Agent Retreat speaker Maura Neill provided insight on how to prove your value through goal setting and earning your work.

  1. Make sure your goals are client-centric. Meaning, what do you want to accomplish and how will you get there.
    1. For example, what does your business plan measure? Is it transactions, volume, commissions, listings taken / sold?
    2. When setting these goals, where does the client fit in? To incorporate your client, try adding these measurable goals to your plan: happily closed clients, incoming testimonials, and referrals from past clients.
  2. Then, earn your worth. Separate yourself form the competition.
    1. Nordstrom does this by creating employee autonomy, giving them the ability to solve customer problems quickly. In addition, the Company developed a customer first mentality and provides a lack of rules that limited employees’ ability to serve. Now they are encouraged to use their best judgment.
    2. Their salespeople take interest in the customer and there is a money back guarantee. So ask yourself this, “what is your money back guarantee?” How do you build trust that your product or service will be held to the utmost standard and if not, your company will do what it can to right the situation.

When you put your customer first, you differentiate yourself from the competition and can eventually build a great reputation for unparalleled customer service.

Let me leave you with this quick story to illustrate. The other day, I placed an order with Zappos. When only part of my order arrived, I called Zappos customer service. It was a bright spot in my day. They sent out a replacement package so that they could ensure I’d have my order before I left for vacation (in two days!) and then added me as a lifetime VIP, affording me free overnight shipping on all future orders. The call was fun and pleasant and the service impeccable. I was their main concern. Extra shipping costs and additional data entry did not matter. Only I mattered.

Now that is a great example of setting customer centric goals (their goal is to serve up happiness), delivering them and thereby earning loyalty. I am now a Zappos customer for life.

Find your own client sweet spot and let us know what it is and how it works for you.