Real estate has a hospitality problem, and it’s costing agents business

Before entering real estate, I spent time in hospitality, an industry where the customer experience is central to the business. It taught me something that I think our industry could pay more attention to: good service and a good experience are not necessarily the same thing.

Service is delivering what you promised. Experience is how someone feels throughout the process, and what they remember afterwards.

In real estate, we can become so focused on the transaction, securing the listing, negotiating the deal and getting to settlement, that we lose sight of the person experiencing it.

Buying or selling property is a significant moment in someone’s life. It can involve financial pressure, uncertainty, family changes and difficult decisions. Getting the paperwork right and communicating the next step matters, but so does understanding what the experience feels like from the client’s side.

That distinction becomes particularly important when something goes wrong. Anyone can deliver a smooth experience when everything is on track. How an agent responds when there is a delay, a difficult conversation or an unexpected problem is often what determines whether the client feels supported.

It is not about getting everything right every time. It is about how we communicate, take responsibility and help people navigate the situation.

Look beyond the transaction

One area where I think we can do better is how we treat buyers.

Agents naturally invest time in vendors, because they have a property to sell and an immediate business opportunity. But buyers are people with their own plans, pressures and aspirations. They may not purchase the property they inspect with us today, but they could become a seller, a repeat client or a source of referrals in the future.

The same applies to the people already in our databases. We often put considerable energy into finding the next lead while overlooking relationships we have already established.

Staying in touch, offering useful advice and showing genuine interest does not need to be complicated. It simply requires consistency and a willingness to build a relationship without expecting an immediate return.

The opportunity is to think beyond the current transaction and consider how we want people to remember working with us.

The foundations matter

In a tougher market, the quality of those relationships becomes even more apparent. When activity is strong, it can be easier to generate business. When conditions change, the strength of an agency’s relationships, processes and day-to-day discipline can make a real difference.

For agency leaders, that means looking closely at how the business operates. Are our people supported by systems that help them deliver a consistent experience? Are we making good use of our databases? Do our teams understand the part they play in the client journey?

Culture matters here, too. People are more likely to deliver thoughtful, personal service when they feel supported, understand what is expected of them and have the confidence to take ownership of a problem.

This is not about adding more steps to an already busy day. It is about making sure the way we work supports the experience we want clients to have.

The relationship doesn’t end at settlement

Settlement may mark the end of a transaction, but it should not automatically mark the end of the relationship.

A genuine client experience considers the whole journey: the connection made before someone needs an agent, the support provided while they are buying or selling, and the relationship maintained afterwards.

That approach takes time and consistency, but it also makes good business sense. People are more likely to recommend an agent when they feel they were understood, kept informed and treated with care, not simply when the transaction was completed.

Real estate is, at its heart, a people business. We help people make decisions that can have a lasting impact on their lives. The opportunity is to make sure the experience we deliver reflects the importance of those decisions.

Our clients deserve more than service.

They deserve an experience worth remembering.