Author Chat: Shep Hyken Talks Client Loyalty

By Erica Christoffer, Contributing Editor, REALTOR® Magazine

So much of the real estate business is about building relationships. But how do you achieve the kind of relationship with your clients where they would never think of choosing anyone else? Professional speaker and author Shep Hyken talks about his new book, The Cult of the Customer (read our review), about ways to attain client loyalty and how to create a business culture people love.

At the beginning of the book, you explain the use of the word cult and defend its meaning. Why would you want a cult of clients, and how can that cult improve your business?

HYKEN: The average home owner moves roughly every seven years. The idea is they’re going to come back and buy another home down the road. They are also going to have friends who are going to move. You’ve got to do such a great job that they won’t think of anyone else when it comes time for their next move. And when they hear of other people moving, they will refer them to you. That’s the whole concept of evangelism.

Most people think of the word cult as something that ties into a fanatical or religious group. Really, the word cult is playing off the word culture. A company with a culture of taking care of customers, while at the same time taking care of their employees internally, will have a cult of customers. Read more

The Cult of the Customer: Turn Satisfied Clients into Evangelists

By Erica Christoffer, Contributing Editor, REALTOR® Magazine

QUICK SKIM
How do you create a consistently amazing customer service experience when your clients are used to ho-hum? Author Shep Hyken charts a path to take your business from just OK to revered by loyal customers in The Cult of the Customer (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2009). Hyken uses real-life best practices from today’s most successful companies that can be applied across the sales industry. He also makes the correlation between employee satisfaction and customer experience as a means to build better business relationships. A rewarding work environment entices employees to go the extra mile, especially if it’s modeled by management. Hyken’s mantra is: “The happier your customers and employees are, the more successful your company will be.” Read more