If you’ve ever had to face an unhappy or dissatisfied client, you know the feeling. The stress and pressure that arises during these situations is enough to discourage some people from staging altogether. But it does not have to be this way.

All it takes is some mindset adjustment.

We at Foxy believe it is all about perspective.

What some view as problems, we see as opportunities. Opportunities to learn and grow, but more importantly to get more business referrals, strengthen relationships and ultimately build reputation.

We will share with you 3 positive outcomes that we personally experienced as a result of resolving perceived problems.

1) Create Raving Fans

Think about your own behaviour – when you make a decision about something new (e.g. which restaurant to visit, movie to watch, plumber to call, etc.) a referral or recommendation from someone you know holds a lot of weight.  So as a business owner, understanding how positive and negative feedback affects your brand is vital in your success.

Statistically speaking:

    • only one in 10 customers who had a positive experience will leave a good review
    • dissatisfied customers typically tell 9 to 15 other people

This is an incredibly powerful opportunity, because when you fix a problem for a dissatisfied client, their experience will be completely transformed. Doing this will not stop them from telling 9 to 15 other people, but it sure will change the narrative of their story.

2) Build a Better Relationship With the Agent

As a business where we are an ‘expert’ in presenting a property for sale, it can be tempting to fall into the ‘my way or the highway’ approach, especially when a client or agent doesn’t like some of our choices. In fact, this is something we see regularly in the home staging industry, and it was an advice we’ve received in the past.

But we believe this is an inward-looking approach, and a missed opportunity.

What has proven to be a more effective method for us is Teamwork. We make ourselves approachable from the start, including the sales agent in the entire process. After all, they have the best insight into the buyers’ minds, which is a skillset not-to-be-underestimated.

In practice, listening to and appreciating the agents for their input solidifies the relationship, which leads to more potential business referrals in the future.

To be clear, that does not necessarily mean we make every requested change. What it means is that we have a discussion where we listen to the feedback, explain our design choices, and be prepared to make changes, big or small. It’s often the simple act of listening and being open to feedback that creates a stronger relationship.

3) Build Your Reputation

Turning a disheartened client into a brand advocate seems to be an almost impossible task, until it is done. What has always worked well for us is showing genuine care & being willing to go over and above.

In reality, this means jumping into the truck on a Sunday morning to make changes before photos the next day.  It means making numerous phone calls every day to check-in with clients and make sure they are happy. It means changing the plan last minute to accommodate a client’s request. It can even be something as simple as changing out some artwork that didn’t suit a client’s personal taste (we all know staging isn’t about the seller’s tastes but remember this is an opportunity for brand building).

The best thing about taking these small actions? People see and hear about it.

You might not always hear what is said about you, but know that those conversations are happening and they are crucial to building a strong brand.

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