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Use a Blog to Enhance New Home Customer Service
By Tracey Gundersen, CEO, Warranty Management Technologies
In the past, an unhappy customer might share his displeasure with a handful of people at a cocktail party or neighborhood barbeque. Today, unhappy customers can, in minutes, influence prospective buyers nationwide through the use of Web logs ― or blogs.
To become part of the conversation and reduce or reverse the potential negative impacts of blogs, consider establishing a blog of your own to enhance your customer service and bolster your message and reach.
Blogs are simple to set up and maintain and you don’t have to worry about hiring a programmer to get one established.
Blog Content Worth Considering
With a blog, you can put the content you want on the Web and add content as often as you like.
Customer-friendly content to consider that would enhance customer service includes:
- Post-maintenance tips for your customers.
- A construction diary about specific homes. What better way to show a prospect your attention to detail during the construction process?
- Pictures of homes during your construction process. Show Web viewers what makes you different from competitors.
- Customer comments about their experiences — good or bad. Don’t worry if a negative comment appears. The comment will give you a golden opportunity to highlight your customer service skills by responding with information on how you resolve particular problems and how quickly.
- Changes within your company. This will keep your customers and potential customers informed about new procedures and new personnel.
- Customer contests. Consider sponsoring contests that spur customers to write complimentary items about your company such as ― their favorite home features, positive experiences with your employees, why they would recommend your homes, etc.
- Employee stories. Encourage your employees to post stories of good encounters with customers on your blog. For instance, if a customer stops to talk to the superintendent at a subdivision and raves about how much they love their new home, the superintendent could post that on the blog.
Pointers to Keep in Mind
- Notify your customers and prospects of new information automatically. Get your customers and prospects to subscribe in order to stay informed of the latest news. That way, every time you post a new item on your blog, your subscribers will be notified automatically by e-mail of your new content.
- Help prospects find your blog. Internet search engines love quality, updated content and will rank you higher accordingly. That way, when prospects search your company name, they’ll find your blog and content more readily.
- Add content on a regular basis. Add content daily, weekly or even less frequently, but be sure to add content on a regular basis rather than haphazardly.
- Add informative, non-sales content. If your blog is nothing more than a brochure, people won’t read it. People read blocks to find content that helps make their lives better.
- Don’t ignore negative comments. If your customer service is not as good as it should be, expect to receive negative comments. Instead of ignoring them, make things right and then write about your solutions on your blog. You’ll develop better service — and happier customers.
Tracey Gundersen is the founder and CEO of Warranty Management Technologies, LLC, of Burnsville, Minn. The firm provides warranty process management software, consulting services and fully-outsourced customer service to new home builders. For more information, e-mail Gundersen, call her at 952-707-0725 or visit www.homsoft.com.
 NAHB Has Nearly 300 Resources to Help You Run Your Business More Profitably
Go to NAHB's Business Management Tools Web pages (available to members only) for instant access to nearly 300 timesaving, moneymaking and cost-cutting business resources to help you run your business more profitably. Get guidance on accounting and financial management, business strategy, computers and information technology, customer service, human resources and more.
Resources are added weekly, so bookmark www.nahb.org/biztools to go directly to these vital business management resources.
Local and state home builders associations can link directly to www.nahb.org/biztools from their Web site and give their members instant access to these resources. It will make your HBA's Web site the place to go for the information and guidance that members need to succeed.
Build a Profitable Relationship
Creating positive partnerships with brokers can enhance business and boost sales. Builders can learn how to profit from alliances with brokers by taking the “Increased Profits Through Effective Builder-Broker Cooperation” course from The NAHB University of Housing.
The course shows how to use common interests to connect with brokers and how to choose compatible sales professionals.
Find out where upcoming courses are being held here, or call 800-368-5242 x8154 for more information.
 Free NAHB Kit Gives Builders Back-to-Basics Tips to Navigate the Slowdown
What was once expected to be a relatively mild housing slump following three years of record new home construction and sales has given way to a significant downturn.
To help members navigate the uncharted waters of this slowdown, NAHB has compiled a comprehensive “Back to Basics” online toolkit — the best of the basics, the tried and true and the truly new. To access the toolkit, click here.
To access the “Back to Basics” toolkit, you must be an NAHB member and have a login to www.nahb.org. To create a login, go to www.nahb.org/login or click on the log-in button on the main menu bar.
For assistance, call the NAHB Member Service Center at 800-368-5242.
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