I’m standing in line at Starbucks this morning, in dire need of an eggnog latte fix (sinfully delightful, and good for you!). It was readily apparent that the guy in front of me may be the only person left on the planet who has never before ordered a drink at Starbucks. He was the rare and elusive Starbucks Virgin.
And he looked mortified when the girl ahead of him fired off her order:
“I’ll have a venti half-caf triple shot four pump sugar-free vanilla caramel macchiato.”
The barista, full of typical Starbucks holiday cheer — nose ring and all — approaches Mr. New Customer who has been contemplating the menu for the last seven minutes and says, “What can I get for you?”
“Um, I think I just want a cup of coffee. Uh, maybe with some flavor in it??”
“We’ve got vanilla, hazlenut, Irish creme, almond, mint, Valencia, toffee…”
“Uhm, never mind. Can I just get plain old coffee?”
“Do you want short, tall, grande or venti? With or without room?”
“I just want a cup of coffee.”
As I watched this exchange take place, I saw an overwhelmed customer being “helped” by an experienced worker bee. One too busy to truly help this guy through the process of getting what he walked in for.
Granted, the line behind Mr. New Customer was building rapidly. I’m sure Ms. Nose Ring felt compelled to speed this guy through the line and help waiting customers, most of whom probably knew exactly what they wanted.
Mr. New Customer finally got his coffee, and he walked out mumbling and shaking his head. I wouldn’t be surprised if he never sets foot in a Starbucks again.
And so my warped, caffeine deprived brain began to do what it often does — attempt to associate what I’m witnessing to the real estate business.
Connect ordering at Starbucks to buying a home? Are you nuts?
Not really, and it’s not that big a stretch.
Ms. Nose Ring Barista seemed oblivious to the fact that Mr. New Customer was exactly that — a Starbucks virgin. The guy was overwhelmed with everything happening around him. He was afraid of making a mistake and looking foolish. All he wanted was a cup of coffee, and he was struggling to get it.
I’ll concede that ordering a drink at Starbucks pales in complexity to the home buying process. But Ms. Nose Ring missed a prime opportunity to — dare I say it — garner a “customer for life”.
How many times have real estate agents missed exactly the same opportunity? How many times have we missed the signals that our prospects and clients send out — that they are practically begging for help and need for us to guide them through the often daunting process of buying or selling real estate? How many times have we glossed over someones needs in order to get to the next person in line that knows exactly what they want?
I don’t consider myself a “salesman”. I prefer to think of myself as a “facilitator”. I don’t have the skills, nor desire, to “sell” a home to someone. The day I push a house on someone that they don’t really want, all in the name of the mighty commission check, is the day I’ll set my license on fire and never look back.
Our job as real estate agents is to help people navigate the stormy seas of buying and selling real estate. We have to recognize the signals that all human beings send out. We have to educate our prospects and clients — help them to make good decisions based on what they need in a property and what they can afford. Sure, we can skip over the newbie and cherry pick through the line to find the “easy” clients. Do that, and you’ll cash a commission check every now and then.
But take Mr. New Customer and educate him. Hold his hand and guide him. Teach him, help him, and you will gain that “client for life”. This is not to say that buyers are dumb. On the contrary, buyers are wicked smart. However, most people buy a home what, every 7 to 10 years? We help people buy and sell homes every day. We aren’t any smarter than Joe Homebuyer, just more experienced. People want to be helped, NEED that experience. Share that. Do it remarkably well and not only will Mr. New Customer keep coming back to you, so will his friends and family.
Brian Brady says:
Outstanding “virgin” post.
FWIW, superior “salesmanship” is all about facilitating but nobody likes the S word anymore.
November 23, 2007 — 2:36 pm
Greg Swann says:
Bravo! Masterfully done.
November 23, 2007 — 2:48 pm
Teri Lussier says:
Excellent point, wonderful post.
November 23, 2007 — 3:22 pm
Jeff Brown says:
And I thought the Starbucks Virgin was nothing but an urban myth. 🙂
Stellar.
November 23, 2007 — 3:42 pm
Derek Burress says:
“It was readily apparent that the guy in front of me may be the only person left on the planet who has never before ordered a drink at Starbucks.”
I have never set a foot inside Starbucks before. I would not know what to order if I did and we have 5 of them (if you count the one on campus) within a 5 mile radius of one another.
November 23, 2007 — 3:51 pm
Scoot says:
Congrats Jay, I wondered how long it would take to find you writing here as well!
November 23, 2007 — 4:36 pm
Ann Cummings says:
I’ve never been inside a Starbucks either, and I’m afraid I’d be like Mr. Starbucks Virgin if I ever attempted that venture.
I do agree with you about the analogy with Starbucks. We have awesome opportunites every day to “garner a customer for life” if we just do what we know needs to be done.
Just as with Mr. Starbucks Virgin, we need to make sure to use language those buyers and sellers understand, and not our industry lingo – just as Ms. Nose Ring Barista did not choose to do. Too bad……
Great post!
November 23, 2007 — 4:50 pm
Geno Petro says:
Jay, great post…and welcome. Ah, Starbucks. Like Dennis Miller once said about the Muslim concept that promises 72 virgins, “the first half dozen or so will be nice, but after that, I’m going to want a pro.”
November 23, 2007 — 6:29 pm
Jillayne Schlicke says:
GENO!
OMG.
The term to use if you just want a cup of coffee, is to just order a drip.
Sometimes there is more than one coffee blend being sold that day so you may have a choice between Verona, say, or Christmas Blend (I wonder if they’ve re-named it “holiday blend” and I’m not up to speed on that yet.)
Sometimes we zone out, no matter who we are, a nose-ring barista or a Realtor, and we’re not completely listening to the person in front of us.
Today at the checkout counter at the Pet store, the sales clerk asked me if I found everything I needed THREE TIMES. By the third time, it was obvious that she was operating on autopilot.
Makes me want to go back and analyze my own client conflicts and ask myself if I wasn’t completely listening to what my client needed.
BTW, I attended the big parade in Seattle this morning and it seemed every other person was holding a Starbucks cup.
November 23, 2007 — 10:36 pm
Russell Shaw says:
Jay, I’ve BEEN that virgin in Starbucks. I just wanted a cup of coffee. Just plain coffee. The girl (she did have a nose ring and a somewhat less than charming rushed attitude to accompany it, too) couldn’t have been more condescending. I didn’t even like the coffee and I most certainly didn’t like having to make all those decisions when I just wanted a cup of black coffee. As you might suspect, I never go out of my way to stop by Starbucks (as I just want COFFEE).
I thought your analogy was spot on and totally accurate too. Other than really vague concepts, I really doubt many of our clients even know what words like, “escrow” or “title insurance” mean at all. Yet they are hearing them endlessly.
Great first post here. Welcome!
November 23, 2007 — 10:55 pm
Sean M. Broderick, CCIM says:
Excellent post, Jay.. I agree with Russell because I, too, am the guy who was in line in front of you, because I can’t stand the choices (I just want a ‘cup of coffee’).. which is why I don’t call it Starbucks.. but Fivebucks!
BTW, since the recent market activity, the old high $$$ NNN lease that epitomized a Starbucks tenant has now been dropping like a stone, old ‘Fivebucks’ is not paying out the nose for ‘trophy’ locations anymore..
November 23, 2007 — 11:02 pm
Jay Thompson says:
@Jillayne – “(I wonder if they’ve re-named it “holiday blend” and I’m not up to speed on that yet.)”
Actually, they have both Christmas and Holiday blend. Exact same coffee. One in a red bag, one in a blue bag.
The vocabulary used in our business — by agents, lenders, title, appraisers, inspectors — can be quite abstract to most. And lots of folks out there won’t stop to ask for clarification. They’ll just nod their heads and roll with the flow.
November 24, 2007 — 12:49 am
Jeff Royce says:
I am a regular at Starbucks, but took my grandmother their this week who had never been (can’t call grandma a virgin!). I told the clerk that it was her first time and she promptly offered to let her try some different samples. It made grandma comfortable even though she looked at me and said, “can I just get a cup of coffee.” I’m not sure how to give out samples in real estate, but simple explanations would be helpful, and the better an agent understands the process and their client the simpler he can explain it.
November 24, 2007 — 11:14 am
monika says:
Excellent analogy Jay.
I remember being a Starbucks virgin not too long ago and like that guy you described I didn’t want to look foolish and felt rushed through the whole ordering process. To this day I don’t like Starbucks…they didn’t make a customer out of me.
I think if we “sales people” just walked in the other person’s shoes for awhile…we might be so much better off.
November 25, 2007 — 4:19 pm
Jim Gatos says:
Well, Jay, I’d like to “chime” in and congratulate you on your well written post..
A few years ago, I was at a Starbucks. I DO have to make an observation here and say that yes, even in Worcester, Massachusetts (reserved attitudes abound!) I had the good fortune to get served by a “Nosed Ring” Starbucks Girl. My best friend was in front of me. Picture a “crusty” Greek immigrant who’s been in America since the early 70’s. who works day and night as a self employed contractor.. Hasn’t really been able to shake off that accent yet; not that he’s really trying.. His name is “Spiro”…The only difference with the girl was that, instead of a ring, she had a silver “Bone” “drilled under her nostrils, normally where the ring would be hanging…
He proceeds to ask for a simple cup of coffee (he thinks all this “latte” stuff is for “sissies”.. LOL) and goes through a similar experience as the guy standing in front of Jay. Only worst, my friend had a bad temper that day…
“Let me ask you a question”, my friend asks the nosed boned girl sarcastically…
“if all of the sudden, you get the urge to sneeze, the way that thing is hanging from your nose, are you going to blow your “freaking” brains out, and splatter yourself ALL over the place here”?
She looked at him, with her tongue hanging out, giving him a very nasty shake of the head. She looks at him, and just completely walks away. The line behind me got larger and larger, may I add. That is until a manager stepped in and took over her job.
I guess SHE Had a bad day.. LOL..
That is how some customers should act… Repression is bad for you… LOL
November 26, 2007 — 6:24 am
Kris Berg says:
Great post, Jay, except…
My daughter is a proud Starbucks barista, and she does NOT have a nose ring. (If she did, she would be dead and, therefore, unable to perform her duties.)
Stereotypes aside, I totally agree with the analogy.
By the way, Phoenix guy, I have joined the ranks of Athol in that your blog has blacklisted my IP as of this morning. Boo.
November 26, 2007 — 9:17 am
Brian Wilson says:
@Jay – nice post! I’ve already enjoyed reading your other blogs, and you’ll be a great fit here.
@Jillayne – your pet store story reminds me of what I’ve seen a lot of recently, for whatever reason, when people are greeting each other:
Person 1: “Hi, how are you?”
Person 2: “Good, how are you?”
Person 1: “I’m fine, how are you?”
Another instance of autopilot, I suppose, but kind of irritates me when I hear it; we should be more attentive and less small-talkish whenever we can help it.
Brian Wilson, Zolve.com
November 26, 2007 — 9:22 am
Jay Thompson says:
Kris wrote: “By the way, Phoenix guy, I have joined the ranks of Athol in that your blog has blacklisted my IP as of this morning. Boo.”
Huh. I didn’t do it, I swear! I do have the sensitivity on the spam filters cranked up pretty high in the never ending battle… You should have gotten a “second chance” captcha.
I added your blog domain to a “white list”. That should help. In addition, I dialed down the strength a bit. Give it a whirl if you get a chance.
November 26, 2007 — 11:23 am
Tom Burris says:
I bet that Ms. Nose Ring had a tip jar on the counter….
November 26, 2007 — 2:42 pm
Cal Carter says:
Jay,
That must have been me! But I really did just want a cup of plain coffee – black. You may have noticed that like Russell I received a condescending look from old nose ring.
There is nothing that great about a 5 dollar cup of coffee other than some weird feeling of exclusivity to be had by a designer label.
It was like being sneered at by someone with a $1200.00 purse with no money in it because I have a $10.00 wallet with $1190.00 in it.
Give me the plain black coffee!
December 24, 2007 — 4:36 pm