The Dreaded Negative Feedback

Weston prides itself on our reputation. Our reputation is everything to us, because without that, we would be a fly by night business that is not around for very long.  We are delighted by how many positive customer testimonials we get, many of which are viewable on our website. The widely held belief around Weston is that we have a good reputation within the industry; that we hold true to our word and we are known for that. However, as much as I hate to admit it, yesterday I heard the phrase that every business owner dreads: Negative Feedback. And our belief in all that was good in the world came to a screeching halt. Rob Namy and Chris Kiely from our office showed one of our vacancies to a broker and his client. It was a showing that we were looking forward to – we thought it was a really good fit for this user, and that the space would work perfectly for him. They proceed with the tour, recounting all of the features of the building. As with each tour he gives, Chris began to talk about Weston and what kind of company we are, all of the good service that we give, and that we are the Best Landlord in Town. The client reacted immediately. “Best landlord in town? Worst landlord in town!” Chris and Rob felt like they got hit by a truck. The client went on to talk about his perception of Weston and how at one time our previous negotiations had gone awry. Rob and Chris did a good job at assuaging him by discussing how the company has changed since his last encounter with us, but hearing that shocked them. We don’t hear a comment like that often, if ever. The dreaded Negative Feedback, something no business owner wants to hear. Yet, here we are, presented with an opportunity. How do we change someone’s perception of us? I want to tell him that Weston has made and continues to make improvements since that moment in time. I want to say that we continually focus on customer service, and we are extremely responsive to customer needs. I want to tell him to look at all of the positive things that people say about us on our website. That we partner with our clients and work together to keep their occupancy costs low. I want to add that we have multiple space options which allow us to accommodate a wide variety of tenants and their expansion needs. That we are a full service real estate provider – if we don’t own the product, we will go out and buy it for the right client. I want to tell him that we have helped thousands of businesses across the country solve their commercial real estate needs, and we can help him, too. While the lease it important to us, what matters most is our relationship with our clients. I want to tell him to give us a second chance. Do you think he will?