Why it's important to be upfront with your customers

We’re in the middle of house hunting at the moment and it can be quite overwhelming. A notification pings when a new property is listed online. Great, I go check it out and what I find next, is the part I want to talk about.

You view on average about 20 images of a property. When you get to the bathroom or kitchen photos in particular, they seem stretched. The sinks and baths look abnormally lengthy. It’s easy to notice and what it does is then make the room seem wider or longer than it actually is. 

Manipulating 

There’s trick photography going on for sure, and I get it, it’s to lure you in and make you want to go and check it out. The thing is though, it’s a waste of everyones time. You see a property, like the look or sound of it, go and visit. You get there and you feel underwhelmed. It’s not like the photos. It’s smaller, darker, in worse condition, and you realise why some areas were not part of the photo gallery.

A property that needs renovating, not a problem, a survey inspection will identify areas that need addressing. Now, when a property includes a grandiose description beside a gallery of manipulated photos…alarm bells anyone? Or there’s only a few images of the property and the rest are popular images of the area. This also makes me not trust the property or the estate agents to some degree.

Harmless Consequences?

I can understand that they’re trying to ‘sell’ the property and doing what they can to promote the best parts. It makes me wonder how many people fall for this and then after visiting, do they put in an offer? Or walk away feeling disappointed? Most properties include the floor plans, so you can see the size of the rooms, so why continue to stretch the truth?

For the hard sell? In some cases I’m sure this works, but for the majority it sows seeds of doubt about the property and the sellers. Now, I’m not addressing underlying problems with a property, only what you can see in the photos. The first point of contact before deciding to visit.

By visiting, you see the reality and can weigh up the pros and cons. Trying to attract visits by showing obvious manipulation in the photos is not the best way to go about it. It puts people off and makes you think “how bad is it?”. Now, some might think this is harmless, but is it?

Let’s apply this to your business. 

• Do you stretch the truth about your products and services to your customers? If so, why?
• What’s so bad that stops you from being upfront with them?

If you feel like you need to stretch the truth, it’s better to address the why and look at the underlying reasons. What can you do to fix those?

Why be upfront with your customers?

Being honest with your customers builds trust. It also builds loyalty, which in return will increase retention. Think about the products and services you use. What is it about that particular brand that keeps you as their customer?

Another plus for being upfront with your customers is word of mouth. People are more likely to trust a brand if they’ve heard great things about them, and vice versa. It’s easier than ever these days to share opinions online. Do you want your products and services to be praised or scathed?

If you’re unsure of where to start, here at Under the Bonnet, I can help. With my services, I’ll identify areas to improve and provide you with recommendations. First, let’s talk and tell me your concerns with your business.

If you’d like to know more and have any questions, get in touch. 

What’s underneath matters.

-Donna