The orientation rep was organizing manufacturer brochures when I arrived. After introductions, I asked what he knew about the home buyers we’d be working with in just a few minutes. “Well, they don’t speak much English.” That was all he knew. Later that same day, at a closing table I asked the same question. “I guess he’s from New York.” Nothing more was known. And in a design studio: “I heard that they’re mad about a tree—I’m supposed to give them something.” Again, that was the extent of the information available.
In each of these scenarios, more details should have been available. Background information would increase understanding, empathy, and perhaps suggest potential actions to be taken. At the least, sharing such information helps mitigate the customers’ need to repeat their story. This sharing of background information among your staff is referred to as a hand-off. The smoother company personnel are in managing this the better they serve their home buyers.
A smooth hand-off is a process by which one person or department conveys background information about the customer to the next person or department that will work with that customer. The information might be demographic (this young Asian-American family wants their three children to go to school in this district because of its scholastic reputation; the husband’s mother may join them in a few months—she has some health challenges), financial (one of the partners just inherited their down payment but they will need to be conservative in making selections to achieve a monthly payment that is comfortable), or emotional (he got a big promotion and job transfer; she is not the least bit happy about moving but is resigned to it).
An effective hand-off procedure generates benefits for the company and for the home buyers:
- Staff members work more confidently with buyers—fewer issues catch company personnel off-guard.
- When personnel have an opportunity to discuss a situation in an unpressured setting (translation, without having the buyer right in front of them waiting for a response) responses are thought out more thoroughly.
- Buyers continue to feel well cared for even though they are now working with a new person or department.
- Staff can make a “connection” with buyers more readily, establishing a healthy rapport.
- Buyers avoid having to repeat their story to each department as they navigate the new-home process.
- Issues are known from the start so often more options can be considered and resolution achieved without last-minute excitement.
- Manipulative buyers are seldom successful in their efforts to play staff off against each other.
