Why Bespoke Matters: A Guide for Personalising Homebuyer Handovers
We all know that feeling you get when gifting a bespoke item to a loved one. It feels special. It shows you’ve gone further than was required in order to have that particular item personalised. You’ve made an effort. They will love it.
That feeling can also be achieved by a business, in its consumers. And homebuilders, who are celebrating one of life’s great milestones with their customers, have arguably got the best opportunity to do this.
Where Did the Idea of Bespoke Come From?
The word ‘bespoke’ is now readily applied to so many types of product and service that we easily forget where the original term came from. An article in the Observer reminds us that ‘The word “bespoke” originated in the days of William Shakespeare. When a customer chose a piece of cloth it was said to have “been spoken for” and the pattern was cut specifically for that person rather than tweaking a template.’ The tailor was, at one time, the only professional offering a service described as ‘bespoke’.
Why is Bespoke Important for Handovers?
Today we find bespoke products ranging from beverages to stationary, bathrooms to pyjamas. The world, you could argue, has gone a bit bespoke mad!
Imagine then, when you have a pencil with your name on it, a coffee that’s been personalised to your liking and a mug printed with a charming photo of your pet dog, it comes time to buy a house.
This is the largest financial investment most of us will make in our adult lives. And yet, in exchange for this huge investment, so many new homebuyers are handed a pile of documents and wished well in their new home.
Sure, the house is fantastic. But the transaction? The handover itself? Generic information clumsily piled together in a flimsy folder from the stationary shop down the road.
For the homebuyer, this is one of the most exciting days in their life. But their developer has just as good as told them that they are just one of many. Talk about an anti-climax.
It is not a great impression to be made by a homebuilder.
Do People Really Want Bespoke?
Simply put: yes, they do.
Back in 2015, Deloitte projected that ‘Mass personalisation is set to become a reality, with 36% of consumers saying they are interested in personalised products or services.’ Then in 2020, The New York Times reported ‘a wave of mass customization rolling through industries of every description, including footwear, apparel, jewellery, and medical and dental implants.’
Now, earlier this year, The Next Scoop wrote an article on customisation positing that, ‘The customer is the king- old adage; customization is the king- new adage,’ and went on to argue that, ‘Every customer is unique with its set of demands or needs. This is why businesses need to identify that uniqueness and cater to each of them.’
So, as predicted by Deloitte eight years ago, the desire for personalisation has only increased over time. This is a trend that isn’t expected to slow down, either: ‘This Next in Personalization 2021 Report reveals that companies who excel at demonstrating customer intimacy generate faster rates of revenue growth than their peers.’ And, as McKinsey & Company go on to reveal further findings of the report, they state that ‘Seventy-one percent of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized interactions. And seventy-six percent get frustrated when this doesn’t happen.’
What Does this Mean for Homebuilders?
As mentioned previously, the purchase of a new home, whether the first home, a move up the property ladder or downsizing in retirement, comes with a huge emotional and financial impact on the consumer.
Homebuilders have a rare opportunity to be a part of a life-changing event with their customers. With emotions operating at a high level, the possibilities for wowing customers with a personalised approach will turn homebuyers into long-term advocates of your brand.
As Jimmy Diffee in Customer Think argues, ‘For those of us in the building industry, investing in customer service is a no-brainer. There are many moving parts and a plethora of things that can go wrong (especially when we’re put at the mercy of the trades). So we install a net to improve customer service scores.’
When so many aspects of your transaction are ‘at the mercy of the trades’ or weather extremes or materials shortages, the only sensible thing to do is ensure all aspects of your house selling capabilities that are fully under your control, are performing at their very best.
You have a great opportunity to perform well at handover by ensuring your buyers feel special and valued with a personalised experience.
For some inspiration on new ideas, our blog Alternative Styles of Customer Care, gives an insight into other businesses who have tailored products and services to their customers with great success.
How Can Homebuilders Provide a Bespoke Service?
Getting to know your customers throughout the journey of the sale is free and will pay dividends in how your homebuyers view you as a brand.
It may take a little extra time to ask a question or two about the buyer and their life, but entering future conversations with a further enquiry about anything they’ve shared shows them that you care about more than the transaction itself.
Also, if you have taken the time to get to know your customers, providing a thoughtful Welcome Gift at handover will come easily and that gift will be genuinely appreciated.
If you take the time to tailor the documents for each of your homes, this also ensures your customers feel special with the personalised approach. You will also provide them with a practical advantage, by not having to wade through information that doesn’t apply to their property.
As a company we have been supplying plot-specific content for over 25 years and have a range of Reservation and Completion Manual options, as well as beautiful Folios and Document Boxes, which we create in your colours and branding. Each can be fronted with an aluminium plate, where the homebuyer’s new address is beautifully engraved. This attractive handover adds a real wow factor to the final stage of the homebuying transaction and ensures your customers that you are a homebuilder to be trusted.
We can also customise our residential portal, Spaciable, to provide a unique and personalised experience for your homebuyers.
To find out more about how we can help you personalise your processes, go to: https://www.classicfolios.com/contact
