Service delivery quality standards: A comparative survey between estate agents and clients

Abstract

Most clients leave the buying and selling of their homes to the hands of real estate agents. However, through the mass media, issues pertaining to the existence of errant real estate agents surfaced, leaving a poor impression on the professionalism and service quality of the real estate industry in Singapore. Realizing that the ability to provide superior customer service plays a significant role in maintaining a competitive advantage over others, there is a need to assess the performance of real estate agents pertaining to service quality. Survey questionnaire is conducted for the investigation into the service quality of real estate agents. The survey findings showed that while clients held high regard for real estate agents to be accredited, the agents themselves did not. A majority of the clients also felt that the agents were dishonest, unprofessional and unreliable. Hence, through this assessment, real estate agents can assess their own performance, seek improvements in areas they did not fare well in and bring service delivery standards up another notch.