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Superfans for Customer Service
9 Plays8 days ago
Jenni and Max get real and share from their most recent trip—filled with unforgettable moments, both good and bad. Along the way, they were reminded just how much great (and not-so-great) customer service can impact an experience. They break down what businesses are getting right, where they’re missing the mark, and how these lessons apply to running a successful small business. Tune in for travel stories, real-world insights, and a fresh perspective on why exceptional customer service is always worth the effort. Tune in, subscribe, and let's keep it real!
https://www.mckennapropertymanagement.com/
702-434-(HOME)
Jenni McKenna (Broker/Owner) B.29819/ PM.163810
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Transcript
00:00:19
Irelynn Zurflueh
Welcome ladies and gentlemen to Thoughts for Rent, Realtors, keeping it real. I'm Max Zerflew and this is Jenny McKenna of McKenna Property Management and I'm of the McKenna team with Keller Williams.
00:00:33
Irelynn Zurflueh
Welcome to our podcast. Happy you are back here with us. We're going to talk about a couple of fun things today. I'll tell you what I'm excited about though. The start of the F One season. Go Red Bull. Max Verstappen all the way. No way. there's I don't like Max Verstappen.
00:00:51
Irelynn Zurflueh
it The Australian Grand Prix is tomorrow night at 10 p.m. our time. I am very excited. Are you excited? Yeah, but by the time they hear this, they're going already know the results. True. Anyway, I'm excited for f one ah but today we wanted to just join you and talk to you about a couple of things.
00:01:07
Irelynn Zurflueh
couple of things working us lately, and one of those is customer service. Does anybody else feel that maybe that's...
00:01:17
Irelynn Zurflueh
waned a little bit. Maybe, maybe it's not as good as it used to be. ah I think it's a lost art. I'm so frustrated. We did a ah trip to Alabama a week ago and I just cannot believe on an airline that they treat you like cattle.
00:01:33
Irelynn Zurflueh
No, seriously. I felt prodded and just to taken advantage of. and i felt like saying, wait, isn't my money something that keeps your money planes in the air air and they just didn't seem to care tell them a little bit about what happened it's a good example because what airlines get so big and but we we're not going to say the name of the airline american airlines um our flight got canceled and that's fine i know stuff happens but the the way they update you on why it's happening and the way they update you on how they're going to rebook you it's just very very um
00:02:08
Irelynn Zurflueh
There's no feelings in it. There's no emotion. It's just all, here you go. Here's your new flight. You know, we we were booked in different rows, different seats. It was going to be a six hour. The trip was going to be six hour longer than the one we planned.
00:02:20
Irelynn Zurflueh
and So just that part's crazy. yeah And everything would, might be okay if someone would just actually reach out. The problem is they're just so big. Now you're, you got a company and you're managing how many properties?
00:02:31
Irelynn Zurflueh
1300. That's pretty big. Yes, but you can do it the right way. Well, here's the thing. American Airlines has probably 250,000 employees. Obviously. You don't have that many. But with a company that big, it must be difficult to maintain good customer service throughout your whole organization. or maybe they don't play it as a top priority.
00:02:51
Irelynn Zurflueh
Well, you have 18 employees. how do you How do you keep a good customer service focus in your organization? I think it's all the time. So one of the things that I think is important is you've got to have it top of mind.
00:03:06
Irelynn Zurflueh
So example comes from me. So when somebody is upset and maybe once in a while you have to open up the checkbook and you have to make things right, you show that as an example to all of the team members that, hey, this should have been handled maybe a little bit better, even if it was out of our control.
00:03:23
Irelynn Zurflueh
Somebody got hurt. Somebody got damaged. Their feelings got hurt. Whatever. You make it right. And even if that means the company has to pay a little bit, you make it right. I also believe that you have to continue to educate the team members so that they always have top of mind the importance of customer service. yeah So to give you an example, if there is a resident who is late on their rent, right?
00:03:50
Irelynn Zurflueh
That probably never happens. It happens. oh It happens. Does it? Yes. Okay. There is a late fee policy that McKenna Property Management has. They were aware of it. They know it. It's in the lease.
00:04:03
Irelynn Zurflueh
Now at McKenna Property Management, we give one time waive. So we waive it one time. We understand things happen. So we'll waive it. What I get frustrated with is when we are being extremely nice, extremely courteous, we're explaining that we've already, you know, waved it once.
00:04:24
Irelynn Zurflueh
I need to make sure that my team continues to always be very respectful and just keep educating because they're never going to be happy when they have to pay the late fee.
00:04:37
Irelynn Zurflueh
They're never going to want to own up to it. They're never wanting to pay it. that's always going to be a contention. So you've got to get skilled in making sure that that contention is smoothed out.
00:04:50
Irelynn Zurflueh
So even in a situation where you know that they're in the wrong, they've been laid, they're laid on their rent, it's their problem, it's their fault that it's happening. You can't go back at them aggressively and and with the frame of mind that, hey, you're the one, you're the problem.
00:05:08
Irelynn Zurflueh
even though they are, you got to kind of create this feeling like we're just going to work through it. And is that what you're saying? Yes. And I think that in today's world, um, there's a lot of people that feel like, because it is the fault of that individual, they can just clearly say to them, it's your problem.
00:05:30
Irelynn Zurflueh
You deal with it. We're not going to, we're not going to help you out. Um, Now, McKenna property management isn't going to help them out to the essence that we're going to waive a second late fee. We can't. We're running a business.
00:05:42
Irelynn Zurflueh
But you can be very respectful. And this is what I like to tell my team. Treat everyone like they are the most important client that we have. So we have some clients that have 20, 25 properties with us.
00:05:55
Irelynn Zurflueh
When they walk through that door, we treat them like they're the king. What if they only have one property? Right. You treat them like they're a king. You do. Because everybody, in my opinion, deserves that respect. Absolutely.
00:06:10
Irelynn Zurflueh
And you can disagree. You can have a little bit of a debate. I mean, people have heard me on the phone as they walk by and I am educating owner, resident, vendor.
00:06:21
Irelynn Zurflueh
I'm educating them on things that I think are important. I'm willing to listen to their point of view. However, you've got to do it in a manner that is respectful. And I think that might be where the customer service is lacking.
00:06:35
Irelynn Zurflueh
I feel like that American Airlines situation that we ran into last week, if they had just shown like just a small little bit of respect. Respect, compassion, something. Yeah.
00:06:48
Irelynn Zurflueh
I would have even gone away with compassion. I don't even care about the compassion. Well, I'm not really a Karen. So i don't those things tend not to bother me. But on the return flight from that trip, we were on American again. Checked in in the morning. We had our two seats that we had booked five months ago, side by side on the return trip.
00:07:04
Irelynn Zurflueh
When I got to the airport, our seats were in different rows again, and the ah original seats we had booked had been given to somebody else. And I tried to talk to probably four or five different people in American Airlines. And the answer was, oh, things happen. We guarantee you a seat, but not the actual seat. and So I said, she said, you know, there could have been an access issue or somebody needed to get that. row And then I said to this one supervisor, I said, so, or it could have been somebody with a little more clout wanted to have those two seats together. And I got bumped and she said, well, anything can happen, which to me meant that's exactly what happened.
00:07:42
Irelynn Zurflueh
And I think that's probably unfortunate. So I hate to pick on American airlines, but those kinds of things can be handled better and differently. Right. So then the question comes is what's happened in the world of customer service?
00:07:55
Irelynn Zurflueh
Why do you think it's technology? Do you think it's a different generation? Do you think that we're so attached to email that we don't have to do a lot of personal contact? What's the deal? mean, in the situation of American Airlines, I think things are so big and it's possible that maybe the training of your employees is not being done properly. Like you, I know that you work and train and and and educate your staff all the time on customer service. It's a focus for you.
00:08:23
Irelynn Zurflueh
Maybe the focus for American Airlines is just getting airplanes there on time. So, you know, who knows? But I also know that, you know, everybody wants to be treated with respect. Everybody wants to think that they're being treated as if they're they're important.
00:08:35
Irelynn Zurflueh
So there's a lack of that, I think, in many places and corporations. And i's it's the same way for me in sales, by the way. If I'm going to work with a client, I want them to know that I'm treating them the way I would treat my brother, my family member. I'm going to take great care of them.
00:08:49
Irelynn Zurflueh
And my our customer service in the McKenna team is top notch. I'm i'm confident to say that. Because I want them to walk away thinking he really cared about my transaction. wasn't just It wasn't just the commission for him.
00:09:00
Irelynn Zurflueh
Well, and I think that that's the that's the secret sauce. I mean, the secret sauce is that you've got to be able to create an experience that people feel really good about themselves when they're done.
00:09:13
Irelynn Zurflueh
Because I know that if you're just average or you know just below average, you're not going to get accolates people aren't going to say, hey, Max Zerflu is a great realtor. Hey, Jenny McKenna with the McKenna Property Management is a phenomenal property management company.
00:09:30
Irelynn Zurflueh
You have to wow them. So you have to find ways to wow them. So what's something that you do with your clients that you would consider is a wow factor?
00:09:42
Irelynn Zurflueh
Well, our wow factor is when we initially start working with somebody, we find out what their best mode of communication is, be it text, email, whatever it is. And i we pride ourselves in getting back to people almost immediately.
00:09:54
Irelynn Zurflueh
You know, a lot of people have this, oh, 24 hours, I'll get back to you. But when we get an email from a client, we're going to respond to that in probably five to 10 minutes. Between me and Emily, Melinda, the team, we're going to get back to them right away.
00:10:05
Irelynn Zurflueh
Our clients, they have my personal cell phone throughout the process. And i I have text conversations with my clients. you know, even at odd odd hours, like at 10 p.m. early in the morning.
00:10:18
Irelynn Zurflueh
But i and being accessible, I think, is the most important thing for us and what we focus on. And the flip side, I'm not as accessible. I mean, we are ours. We have an office that is open Monday through Thursday, nine to five, and then Friday, nine to noon.
00:10:33
Irelynn Zurflueh
So we are structured more in the aspect of, you know, make the appointment and come in just like you would for a doctor. Now, of course, after hours, emergencies, we have a whole set up for that, you know, cause we're in property management.
00:10:47
Irelynn Zurflueh
But I think a wow factor can be yours is it says accessibility. Mine is they get to actually know me, see me and understand that I'm not just Jenny McKenna, you know, CEO of the company that I'm actually ingrained in this company on a day-to-day basis.
00:11:07
Irelynn Zurflueh
not just on the letterhead here. Yeah. And even though I might not be touching every aspect of property management, I am still very much involved in the day-to-day routine. I know.
00:11:18
Irelynn Zurflueh
I live with you. did Remember that. I know some of the conversations that happen in and around our house. And you know the ones that happened with me for real estate. Right. And I just think that... I want to bring back the wow factor. If you're struggling out there in your business and you're wondering why, I would say, look in the mirror and figure out what would impress you.
00:11:40
Irelynn Zurflueh
And then just start there. So for me, I am impressed when somebody knows my name. And in fact, I'll tell you a scenario. Just a week ago, I walked into an office for an appointment and I had an 11 o'clock time.
00:11:55
Irelynn Zurflueh
I came into the lobby and you know, when you're trying to find a new place, you know how you kind of feel like deer in a headlight. You're kind of looking around. I've never been in here before. I came in, the girl behind the front desk stood up.
00:12:07
Irelynn Zurflueh
She looked me eye to eye and she said, Jenny, And I go, yes. She goes, yeah, I'm so glad you made it for your 11 o'clock appointment. If you would just sit right here, um the owner of the company is going to come over and talk to you for a little bit. And that was just the receptionist person.
00:12:24
Irelynn Zurflueh
But I all of a sudden felt not like a number, not like a dollar sign. I actually felt so good before I even spent any money in their company. Your first impression of that office? Yes.
00:12:38
Irelynn Zurflueh
Which is sometimes you only get one first impression. That in yours was positive. And now you'll always think highly of that, right? It was definitely a wow factor. And how hard was it? Not hard at all. That's why our our person that's up front, Michelle, we call her the director of first impressions.
00:12:54
Irelynn Zurflueh
Correct. So just for that exact reason. Yeah, no, that's great. I mean, I think that everybody just has to care. We just got to care more. I think sometimes social media and the way things are going, people care a little bit less about other people, which is kind of odd because that seems to be ah ah important to a lot of people. But we I think we need to just care more about other people, the people we work with, the people that that hire us, the people that we hire.
00:13:18
Irelynn Zurflueh
We have to be have to start with care. And I think that's kind of the key thing for good customer service. So what was the last place you've been that you would say was excellent customer service that you remember? Oh, just this morning, and I drove through Starbucks to get a Hazelnut latte. It's kind of my thing.
00:13:40
Irelynn Zurflueh
And the person in the window, I mean, you know how many people they meet every day. my gosh. That line never ending. She was just energetic, smiling.
00:13:51
Irelynn Zurflueh
and that And you get that more than not at Starbucks. They're usually pretty good. But this this this morning, the woman that was there was tremendous. And and it stuck with me. So it doesn't take much. It really doesn't take much.
00:14:03
Irelynn Zurflueh
Yeah, that's funny that you said that because we went through um ah different coffee company and ordered something. And when I came up to the drive-in window, the individual who handed me that what I ordered had a smile on his face.
00:14:20
Irelynn Zurflueh
He was pleasant. um we He joked a little bit about something and we we chuckled. And it was it made a big difference. It does. Listen, it reminds me of something that you and experienced.
00:14:33
Irelynn Zurflueh
The pleasantries can win the day, right? We were at a drive-thru when you were pregnant with Ireland, our second child. And we were in Virginia. And we went through a McDonald's drive-thru. And we ordered, we ordered i think, I can't remember what exactly we ordered.
00:14:49
Irelynn Zurflueh
But this, we got up, this guy had messed up everything in our order. He did. Like he handed you like a filet of fish that you hadn't ordered. And he was like, yeah, I love these. These are great. And I'm like, I don't like filet of fish.
00:15:01
Irelynn Zurflueh
We didn't get our order, but we still drove away. Smiles on our face. Happy as can be. Right. That's 27 years ago. And we still it's for talk about that. So I think. Just be pleasant, right? So care, pleasant, smile.
00:15:15
Irelynn Zurflueh
You're going to win the day That's what think. Well, and who's not going to mess up? I mean, it's clear. That guy messed up our order. There's no doubt about it. It was absolutely. I think he gave us somebody else's order. It was so bad.
00:15:27
Irelynn Zurflueh
But you know what? We can all say people mess up. But if they mess up and they're not defensive and they're not angry. Which people get kind defensively. Yeah. I mean, when I'm wrong and do I ever get defensively? Oh my goodness.
00:15:41
Irelynn Zurflueh
Yes. And I mean, husband wife, we all know this, But like it says on Forrest Gump's shirt when he was jogging, stuff happens. That's right. You cleaned it up. I did clean it up for the purpose of this podcast. Yes. Stuff happens.
00:15:52
Irelynn Zurflueh
When it does, be positive. Show care. you know Show people that you care about what their feelings are and what their experience is, and that's going to win the day as far as customer service goes. I think we're about wrapped up here on this episode.
00:16:05
Irelynn Zurflueh
ah We will be back soon to talk about other things, real estate and beyond. Jenny, closing parting words, please. Keeping it real, everybody.
00:16:15
Irelynn Zurflueh
I like it. See you later.