Hello, friends!
Ben with Veracity Research here. I hope all is well with you.
As a middleman, my abstractor partners sometimes ask me what they can do to win more of my business. Sometimes, they offer to cut their prices. I always tell them the same thing: it's not about price. As a middleman, I rise and fall on the quality of the work I get from my abstractor partners.
I think a lot about how to keep clients happy in our current market and economy. You know as well as I do that things have changed. So for the sake of discussion, in the manner of David Letterman, I present to you Ben's Top Ten Ways To Keep Clients Happy:
10. Pricing. It's on the list but it's all the way down here. The clients that only care about pricing are already sending all their work to India.
9. Type your report. It doesn't need to be complicated, but it should be clear and organized.
8. Include a chain of title... especially on a Full Search. I'm amazed how many abstractors still refuse to do this.
7. Check the copies. If you can't read a document, neither can the end user, so what good is it?
6. Delivery format. If you need help delivering a large file, call us and we'll figure something out. If you send in a mess something important could be missed.
5. Mind your TAT. It's 2024. Most title folks expect a Current Owner search within 2 days, a Two Owner in 3, a Full Search in 4 or less, and Updates in 24 hours.
4. Proofread before you send! Little mistakes like omitted effective dates or invoice errors delay delivery and cause problems down the line.
3. Read and follow the search requirements. Abstractors refusing to follow requirements has cost us more clients than anything else.
2. Communication. Don't disappear for weeks at a time. Try to reply to inquiries within 24 hours.
And the NUMBER ONE way to keep clients happy:
1. Reliability! Be a reliable partner and make good on your promises.
I remain fully dedicated to the principle that nothing beats local knowledge. I believe it is irresponsible not to work with local abstractors. Veracity will never abandon that way of doing business - we are completely dependent on our local partners. But some of the old ways just don't work well anymore in today's market. Making a few changes can mean all the difference.
Thank you! Best of luck to everyone this fall.
Ben
to post a reply:
login - or -
register