DEEDED INTEREST
The delusion of self-service satisfaction
The Apen Times | April 28, 2024
I’ve been thinking a lot about the concept of service lately; the standard definition of which describes an experience increasingly elusive. The notion of someone offering their help and assistance, whether as a part of their job or as an act of kindness, has become so rare in fact, when it does appear, we sometimes have difficulty recognizing and trusting its motive.
In this age of self-checkouts, bot-powered customer support and do-it-yourself restaurant service, we’ve become numb to the very notion there might be a live person, at the ready and even excited to share their knowledge of the menu much less show us the way to the restroom. There is now an entire generation that finds asking another human being for directions or posing a question daunting. After all, all can be quickly referenced after a few clicks without looking up.
As a kiddo, I remember riding with my dad to the gas station. Then, full service meant you didn’t have to get out of your car to pump or even clean your own windshield. Before that I’m told they even wore bowties and said things like please, thank you and come again!
It’s our fault of course. We Americans suddenly decided getting out of our cars, grabbing that grimy hose, and standing there smelling the fumes was worth saving a few pennies a gallon. Not to mention our collective condemnation sending gas jockeys to the ash pile of history.
Station attendants weren’t the first victims of extinction by irrelevancy and certainly won’t be the last. When was the last time the milkman came to your house? Have you ever met a clock setter, a lamplighter or human computer? NASA hired them by the dozens before room-sized machines replaced them.
More recently apps and the internet have largely reduced demand for travel agents, stockbrokers, and bank tellers. Soon, autonomous vehicles are likely to supplant real people behind the wheels of trucks, taxicabs, and Ubers. Considering the recent settlement by the National Association of Realtors
(NAR) regarding commissions, now it seems real estate brokers’ heads are on the chopping block as well.
Indeed, Andrew Spieler, a professor at Hofstra University, recently likened realtors to travel agents, proclaiming in Fortune.com, “You just don’t need them anymore.” According to Spieler, one reason is brokers are no longer the “gatekeepers” of information regarding what’s available for sale.
Irrespective of these kinds of arms-length academic observations and acknowledging consumers heavy use of online platforms like Zillow and Realtor.com, I would suggest there’s a bit more we brokers have to offer.
For example, in our market, with inventory so low now, a fair percentage of sales are off-market properties. Who finds and presents those? Real estate pros who have knowledge of the local market, inside intel, and relationships with quiet sellers.
And while it’s true an attorney or an AI app can write up a contract, the process of negotiation is far more nuanced and often requires some creativity, even a dose of psychology. And what happens after a contract is accepted? Who will coordinate with the title company, hold earnest money in escrow, arrange for inspections and repair estimates, help manage any issues related to water or easements and help interpret HOA rules and local zoning laws?
When I started in this business nearly 20 years ago, I had no idea how much there was to manage within a critical timeframe. And that’s when it all goes to plan. Deals can go sideways overnight and require skill to rescue.
And that brings us back to the oft-dismissed concept of service and human interaction. Retail behemoth Walmart recently announced it is replacing self-check terminals with cashiers. Bookings by travel agents are up significantly since the pandemic. A leading tire store in the Pacific Northwest trains attendants to run out to your car indicating employees are ready and excited to assist. The extra hustle delights unsuspecting customers. The novel approach makes the mundane an entertaining experience.
And that brings us to what’s referred to as the “white glove treatment.” I heard it used recently when we had furniture delivered to the house. Instead of leaving the box on the front porch, it meant they brought it inside, unpacked and assembled it; all for an extra fee of course.
No, I’m referring to what happens when a human being — one with mastery of their craft or profession — looks you in the eyes and says, “I got this.” It’s likely we’ll be suspicious or expect to be disappointed. But when we sense their confidence and passion, whether they be a convenience store clerk or a sommelier, it’s profound, it’s emotional, even physical.
We relax, our breathing slows, the stressors fall away, as the burden of the task is lifted and taken for us. It is then, with genuine enthusiasm, we are cheerfully led to the chips on aisle 4, or, germane to my point, expertly delivered to the closing table and handed the keys to your new home.
Is that white glove service worth 5-6%? That’s a topic for another column.