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Customer Experience Radio Welcomes Hotelier and Director of Operational Excellence Leticia Tavares

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Leticia Tavares is a Hotelier and Harvard MBA Grad, originally from Brazil.

Since 2016 she has been working in the Travel & Hospitality industry, and she is currently the Director of Operational Excellence in a large hotel in Atlanta.

After graduating with an MBA from Harvard Business School, Leticia joined Marriott International on a rotational program that brings MBA talent into hotel management. After concluding an 18-month rotation she became the Director of Operational Excellence of a well-known hotel in Downtown Atlanta, and she is responsible for increasing Guest Satisfaction, Intent to Return, and other Key Success Metrics.

Leticia’s passion for hospitality led her to create a Travel & Hospitality blog and Instagram account: Hospitality Vitae.

Connect with Leticia on LinkedIn and Instagram. You can find the article on Leticia’s day to day in operational excellence here.

* Please note that this interview represents Leticia’s own views and opinion and does not represent those of Marriott International.

Intro: [00:00:01] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX Studios in Atlanta, it’s time for Customer Experience Radio. Brought to you by Heineck and Company, real estate advisors specialized in corporate relocation. Now, here’s your host, Jill Heineck.

Jill Heineck: [00:00:17] Good afternoon, and welcome to this very special edition of Customer Experience Radio. I’m your host, Jill Heineck, and I’m a business owner, real estate adviser, and customer experience enthusiast. You know, I run my business mainly on deep relationships, and traveling around, and really getting to know people and where they’re from, and the areas in which they’re coming from so that I can share what Atlanta is about if they’re relocating to the area. And it’s a great way to really get a feel for other markets and get to know other people.

Jill Heineck: [00:00:50] And so, one of the things that I really love about our next guest is that part of her work is traveling. And that that has become a great big hobby for her as well. And so, I’m really excited to welcome Leticia Tavares. And she is the owner of the blog, Hospitality Vitae. Am I saying that right, Leticia?

Leticia Tavares: [00:01:14] Yes. Perfect.

Jill Heineck: [00:01:14] And she’s a hotelier and she’s also a Harvard MBA grad. And she’s originally from Brazil. And since 2016, she’s been working in the travel and hospitality industry. And she’s currently the director of operational excellence at a large hotel in Atlanta. So, I’m really excited to welcome you today, Leticia. I know we’ve had some scheduling challenges. So, welcome to the show.

Leticia Tavares: [00:01:42] Thanks so much for having me, Jill. I’m excited to talk to you today. As you said, I’ve been in the hospitality industry since 2016, but I’ve been always passionate about the industry. And I’ve been always passionate about traveling, you know, first of all. I’ve been to more than 40 countries, so hoping to share more with you.

Jill Heineck: [00:02:04] That is amazing. And has that been a lot on your own volition or is that been also part of work?

Leticia Tavares: [00:02:12] So, I have travelled a bit for work. So, since 2016, when I joined the company that I work for, I had to travel a bit because of work, but mainly in the U.S. Although, I was always based in Atlanta, I have worked in [inaudible]. I worked in D.C. I worked in Florida for a little bit. But, personally, I just love to travel. So, my first trip abroad, I think I was ten years old. I actually came to the U.S., so I went to Disney with my family back in ’96. And then, after that, I guess I didn’t stop traveling.

Jill Heineck: [00:02:55] You got the bug. I love it. So, do you think that your travel experiences leading up to, let’s say, the 2016 timeframe got you interested in giving that same kind of guest experience in your hospitality career?

Leticia Tavares: [00:03:17] So, I think that one of the things that drove me to hospitality was the fact that I feel it’s a career that you just deal with people from so many different cultures. You know, you work with people with so many different backgrounds. And I’ve always been interested about that diversity, which I think it’s really positive for the industry. So, when I came to the U.S. From Brazil back in 2014, I knew that I wanted to be in a company that was multicultural, you know, that value diversity. And I just found myself in hospitality. I think it’s wonderful that we get to work with people with so many different points of view. And we learn from their different backgrounds and from their experiences, too.

Leticia Tavares: [00:04:03] And I think, you know, maybe when you travel, you don’t realize, but you get to learn so much about the local culture. And one thing that I always try to do when I travel is get to meet locals as well. If either it’s like, you know, I have a friend who lives in that country that introduced me to someone who is there at the moment. I just love being able to get to know a place through the eyes of the locals. So, I think everyone, when we’re thinking about our careers, if we connect the dots, I think that part of looking back in my previous careers or previous experiences, traveling was always something that was part of it that I could see now, again, being part of my career. So, I think no matter what I do next, I think that’s always going to be important to me.

Jill Heineck: [00:05:01] Yes. And I relate to that so much, because being in the relocation industry, so much of our network is outside of my market. So, I’m traveling to these events to meet other relocation professionals. But I’ve always built some time or a day or extra to see the city that we’re in. So, we go to Chicago, we’ve done L.A., we’ve done Dallas, Houston, places that I wouldn’t normally probably go. Maybe a few of those I would go more often. But it gives you that flavor. And like you said, and I try to find those couple of things that are locally based, not necessarily tourist based that you would do when you’re in the city. So, I totally agree with that. And I think that that makes it so much more exciting whether you build it in on the front end or the back end, but either way, it makes work more exciting as well.

Leticia Tavares: [00:05:56] Yeah. Yeah. It’s always fun to be working in a new city and a new place. I always try to get the time to just do something interesting and get out of the hotel, get out of your comfort zone there, and just go explore a little bit.

Jill Heineck: [00:06:12] So, talk to us a little bit about your role in Operational Excellence. Because I think that this does really connect well with the customer experience. So, talk to us a little about what your day-to-day looks like.

Leticia Tavares: [00:06:24] Sure. So, first, when I joined the company that I work for, I did a rotation. So, for like one-year-and-a-half, I was doing different things and help that operations. So, I think after coming out of an MBA, I didn’t see myself going into a corporate role. I wanted to learn from the ground up. And, especially, you know, if you work in a hospitality company, it’s important to understand how to manage a hotel. Because I didn’t want to be in a corporate role without knowing what really happens on the day- to-day, relating to the staff and knowing what a front office agent does or a housekeeper does. And, you know, there’s just so much to learn with the staff. And that’s why I decided to go into the operational side. And for one-year-and-a-half, I did a rotation. So, I was in housekeeping, front office. I did marketing. I did a little bit of corporate. So, I was a few months in an office we have in Miami. I did marketing. I did finance in L.A. Actually, I did guest relations. So, I just got a few of so many different areas in operations.

Leticia Tavares: [00:07:38] And then, I thought that was perfect because when I found this position as director of Operational Excellence, it was kind of a position that I could bring all that I learned into this perfect position that is almost, like, made for me. Because you get to be in operations, but you also get to be a little bit in the background and, like, do some analysis, and look at data, look at customer research. You know, you read what the customers are saying. So, I like that balance of being part in operations and part doing more like a strategic planning, strategic thinking. So, that was perfect for me in, I think, on the day-to-day what I would say that I do. And that was more, I guess, before COVID. Because after COVID, my role changed a little bit.

Leticia Tavares: [00:08:32] But I do, basically, run process improvement projects within the hotel. Since my hotel is really big, it’s almost 2,000 rooms, we do have many process improvement projects that we want to work with. And that really starts by reading the customer research. So, by reading what the customers are saying and identifying what’s kind of wrong or what could be better, that gives me ideas for projects that I could work on in the hotel. And, you know, I never do anything isolated. My projects, I always build a team with hosts, so front of the line hosts that are living that on the day- to-day, they’re part of my work team. And together, we work to solve an issue and make the experience of the guests better.

Leticia Tavares: [00:09:22] So, that’s my goal. You know, I want to make my associate’s life easier and their work easier. I want to eliminate what we call wastes in their work. And I want to make the guest experience better and seamless. So, that’s very important to me as I do any projects in Operational Excellence.

Jill Heineck: [00:09:46] Right. Which makes perfect sense, because if your associate team is feeling empowered and feeling like they are all working towards a goal, they’re going to deliver an excellent experience to the guest.

Leticia Tavares: [00:09:57] Yes. Absolutely. Yes.

Jill Heineck: [00:09:59] That’s ultimately the goal.

Leticia Tavares: [00:09:59] And I talk a lot about customer, but for me, there’s always the internal customer, that is the associate. And the external customer, that is, in my case, my guests. So, when I do the voice of the customer, basically, when I read the surveys, I’m reading external surveys from guests. But I’m also talking to the associates to understand, “Okay. So, what’s your point of view? What’s wrong? What could we do better? Tell me about your job. Let’s walk through the process. What do you do on a day-to-day?” So, both points of view are extremely important. And I think that sometimes we talk so much about customer, customer, customer. But our internal customer, which is our associate, they have the best ideas, right? So, they’re the ones that I want to be working very close with.

Jill Heineck: [00:10:52] Right. So, is there a recent project that you’ve completed that you can talk about or kind of give us an overview of, possibly, what the challenge was and then how you overcame that or what you implemented to overcome it?

Leticia Tavares: [00:11:09] Sure. So, actually, I’ll share with you two. I don’t know if you’re putting this video and you can share a link (Here is the link: https://asksuite.com/blog/how-to-improve-hotel-operations/

). But I have an interview that I talk a lot about this specific project. So, if anyone has more questions, I’ll be happy to share with you. But, basically, we saw that our scores in in-room dining, which is the food you order from your room, they were not great. They were kind of stable. Not where we wanted to be. And we were wondering, like, what is going on? So, my first step was, you know, let’s look back and let’s see what the guests are saying. I mean, I’m lucky to have a lot of data. I know that many companies don’t have the amount of data. But because we send surveys to guests regularly, I have a lot that I can read. And from that point of view, the voice of the customer, which is my guests, I had a lot of people saying either, “The food is cold.” Or, “It’s taking too long to get my meal.”

Leticia Tavares: [00:12:10] So, I think, basically, timing and quality were, like, the two big things. And then, I then spoke to the associates to understand what’s going on. And, you know, and it’s the chefs saying, “Well, the chicken is not right.” And then, the runner, that is the person that actually brings the food up saying, “Well, I got the request to pick up the food. It was too late already. The food had been sitting there.” So, that first discovery phase, I guess, in the Six Sigma language, we had some tools that we used. But that first phase, it’s all about understanding that voice of the customer and really understanding, “Okay. What’s the process we’re trying to analyze?” Because you can’t tackle it all.

Leticia Tavares: [00:12:58] You can say, “Okay. I want to understand, you know, how the food is made and what happened.” So, you could try to understand as much as you want. But, in fact, you need to be a little bit more, you know, “Let’s focus. What do we really want?” So, you need to define when the process begin and when the process end. And for us, the process begin when the order is placed on the phone. The process ends when the order is delivered. That’s what I was trying to see. You know, I didn’t want to see anything before that and anything after that. And then, I built a team of hosts and including chefs, the runners, the person that takes the call that is talking about the food, because these are all the people that live and breathes that process.

Leticia Tavares: [00:13:47] And then, from there, there are different phases in the project. But, basically, we’re trying to understand what’s the root cause, what’s really wrong. And you’ll never do a Six Sigma project jumping into conclusions. I think that was my biggest learning when I went through green belt and black belt training is, you can’t jump into conclusions right away. You need to understand the root cause. And so, that was eye opening for me. And that’s kind of the mentality that I always try to bring because people tend to jump to conclusions too fast. I mean, that’s just one of the examples.

Leticia Tavares: [00:14:24] And then, of course, we put some new processes in place and new tools. And we saw this was growing.

Jill Heineck: [00:14:30] Like what?

Leticia Tavares: [00:14:30] So, it worked. You have a control phase that is after the project. You keep checking to make sure it’s working. And if not, of course, you’re going to go back and you see what needs to be changed. But at the time, our scores went back up and it really worked. So, that’s just –

Jill Heineck: [00:14:48] So, what did you change or what did you implement? An example of one thing that you might have changed in the process.

Leticia Tavares: [00:14:55] So, a big thing that we realized was that when the host was taking the order via the telephone, they were not necessarily taking notes. They were inputting in the system while the –

Jill Heineck: [00:15:11] And could forget. And could forget.

Leticia Tavares: [00:15:14] Because they’re doing that every day, so in their mind, I get it. You know, it’s like, “Oh, it’s an automatic process. I’m not going to forget it.” But you do forget. So, basically, what we created was exactly what you need to tell the guests, then spaces for you to write down what the guests say. Because there is a standard. You need to explain what room service is, because – I don’t know – I’ve been in a lot of hotels, it’s not the traditional room service anymore. So, you need to explain that it’s made to order, but it’s packaged to go. And a lot of the comments from guests were, “Oh, I didn’t know it came in a bag. I thought it would be the tray.” So, basically, this checklist reminded the host of what to say and also spaces for them to write things down, to then put in the system to send the order to the kitchen.

Leticia Tavares: [00:16:11] We also updated the whole MICROS. So, MICROS is the system where you put the order thing. Because when I observed – because part of the process improvement project is observing the process – there are a lot of items that were not in MICROS. So, the host had to write a lot of things manually, which doesn’t make sense. You know, you need to make their jobs easier.

Jill Heineck: [00:16:36] No. And that would make sense why the chef wouldn’t see it or would miss it.

Leticia Tavares: [00:16:42] But the thing is, I think for our associates – and any different industry – sometimes our associates are just tired of telling us because we’re not doing anything. And you just need to stop, listen, and make changes because they know it’s wrong. They’ve been doing it. So, I think that it’s the moment when you’re running this project that you really saw a police and then you’re like, “Okay. What are quick ways that we can change right now?” Like MICROS, we changed it in a week. And I’m not saying that no one was paying attention. It’s just that the hosts are just so used to do it that, maybe, it got to a point that no one was just voicing their opinion. And that’s why it’s important to talk and ask and checking with your associates to make sure that things are going well. So, we changed MICROS.

Leticia Tavares: [00:17:30] Well, we have a phone that we dispatch the orders. And we dispatch it to the runners when to pick it up or where to drop the order. So, just try tracking that data better to see how long it’s actually taking for the runner to deliver the order. What are the issues? So, we realized it was important to have people actually stationed at the kitchen. Not runners running around the building, which is 47 floors. That can take a long time to come up and down to deliver food.

Jill Heineck: [00:18:05] You think? My food is definitely going to be cold.

Leticia Tavares: [00:18:10] So, many small things but it’s just I love doing that kind of work because I’m making the whole slice – I mean, the associates we call them hosts – the associate’s lives easier. And that really makes me happy. I love doing that.

Jill Heineck: [00:18:29] I love that you love improving the process because I know that a lot of us have high aspirations for that. But when you’re actually seeing the change happen, it’s so rewarding, isn’t it?

Leticia Tavares: [00:18:40] Yes. Yes. That’s true.

Jill Heineck: [00:18:41] It’s so rewarding. So, talk to us a little bit about – I mean, I happen to be from the Boston area. I grew up on the Cape and went to school in Boston myself. So, tell us during your time there, what were your favorite things to do in Boston?

Leticia Tavares: [00:18:57] Oh, my God. So, I was in Boston for two years during my MBA. And I, actually, was coming straight from Brazil. And I think it was the worst winter ever in so many years. So, that was really interesting. From that moment, I realized I want to move down to the south. But no –

Jill Heineck: [00:19:23] Me, too.

Leticia Tavares: [00:19:23] So, I really enjoyed – do you remember this pastry shop called Mike’s Pastry?

Jill Heineck: [00:19:30] Of course. In the north end. It’s still there.

Leticia Tavares: [00:19:31] Yes. So, I like my Mike’s because they were in Cambridge. And to be fair, you know, school is so demanding that I didn’t have a lot of time to go to Boston. I mean, it’s really close, but I was most of the time in Cambridge. There is a Venezuelan restaurant, it’s called Orinoco. Very good. It’s in Cambridge as well. I loved it. I mean, I haven’t been back in a few years, but I think they had been there for a long time so I’m hoping they’re still there.

Leticia Tavares: [00:20:04] But so many things opened in Cambridge. I love this salad place called Sweet Green. And they were not in Boston when I was there. But I heard that they opened now. And you have Peet’s Coffee in Cambridge. I just love walking in that area. It’s so, so cute. And I just love walking through campus because my campus was not where, like, Harvard is. You know, the business campus is – I don’t know – maybe ten minutes away. So, I just felt that the business campus is a little bit isolated. So, I like to cross the bridge and just go towards Cambridge.

Jill Heineck: [00:20:42] And Harvard does have a gorgeous campus. I’ve been on the undergrad campus and walked by the MBA campus, but that whole area is so pretty and it’s so different now. I mean, it’s been a long time since I’ve gone to school there. So, it’s been a long time since I’ve actually kind of investigated Cambridge. Because every time we go back, we’re going back for a short stint in the summer because we try to avoid the cold.

Leticia Tavares: [00:21:12] Yeah. Yeah. I think it was in the summer that they have the Charles River – what is that big event that they have the sailing team?

Jill Heineck: [00:21:24] It’s the crew. It’s the crew event. Why am I losing my mind?

Leticia Tavares: [00:21:31] Yeah. Me, too. But that was beautiful because it was nice weather and the river just looks so pretty with everybody there. And I think, now, I guess things will be a little bit different, but I hope they keep those traditions.

Jill Heineck: [00:21:47] I do, too. Even in the really, really cold weather. I’d love to hear a little bit about any recent experiences that you’ve had that kind of wowed you from other big brands. Or it really wouldn’t matter to me, I just am interested to hear what you’ve experienced in your travels or just in your day-to-day. Any particular customer or guest experience that’s kind of blown you away and that you’ve taken away and you might kind of try to implement that in your day-to-day work.

Leticia Tavares: [00:22:23] So, I think that now travelling during coronaviruses times, not a lot of people have traveled and I completely understand that. I decided to travel a little bit, of course, taking all the precautions, wearing a mask, and doing whatever I can do to make my life safer and also all those people’s lives safer. But I try to travel because I want to experience that change. And since I work in hospitality, I want to see what other companies are doing. And it doesn’t necessarily need to be in a hotel. I like going to a restaurant to see what they’re doing or just visiting an attraction to see what are the things they have in place.

Leticia Tavares: [00:23:05] And I, actually went, recently – maybe a-month-and-a-half ago – to Disney. They have a resort in Hilton Head. It’s very cute. And I have a friend who has, you know, the timeshare, I think they call it Disney Vacation Club. So, she had points with Disney Vacation Club, and we found a very good deal in the middle of the week. And since I was working different hours that week, we were able to go from, like, a Monday to a Wednesday. And that was pretty busy, you know, there were a lot of kids and families. And I just thought they were doing such a great job. So, first of all, you get there, they have to check. The first house where you come with your car, it’s where they have the check-in area. And they tell you when you first come in that they just want one person off the party to go up and check, you know, to avoid crowds. So, my friend went up. She did the checking. They told us where to park.

Leticia Tavares: [00:24:10] The rooms there a little bit different because they are the Disney Vacation Club, so they’re larger. In the room, we had signs explaining how the room was cleaning and disinfected. They have those big shampoos, conditioner amenities in the bathroom, like a lot of hotels now have instead of the small ones. All those amenities were covered in plastic with signs saying it had been cleaned. The remote control was also covered in plastic with a sticker. So, all these new things in place that I thought, you know, was really nice to see. And then, of course, all the other things they had in the closet, like extra blankets, extra duvet covers, they were all packaged and nicely done.

Leticia Tavares: [00:25:03] And then, in the public space, of course, lots of signs. The pool, the chairs were six feet away or, I mean, adapt it to whatever kind of family. If you had four people in your party, of course, they would put chairs close by. And in the pool, they had someone cleaning the pool. Not the pool itself, but like the rails all the time. That person was like going around. You know, if someone touches the rail, that person would go and clean.

Jill Heineck: [00:25:36] In circles.

Leticia Tavares: [00:25:36] In circles. So, I was [inaudible] in the pool for two hours, that lady did not stop cleaning that pool. So, I think that now it’s a lot about first impressions and what you see. I think that before, if you think about hospitality as a concert or a theater, there’s the backstage and there’s onstage. I think that now it’s all onstage, because people want to know what you’re doing. Like, the guests wants to know how do you clean, how is it done. I remember when I started my career back in 2016, it was all about, you know, creating a seamless experience and doing things in the back stage so that for the guests it was like, “Oh, my God. How did this show up here? You know, that’s so magical.” But, now, I think people just want to know. Like, if there is an amenity in my room, how was this sanitized. Is the amenity put in plastic? So, all these things that before, maybe, people are not paying attention, now, they want to know. And that’s why I think training the staff and everybody needs to be on the same page, that’s more important than ever.

Jill Heineck: [00:26:57] So, I know you profiled that property, the experience that you had there on your blog. Will you talk a little bit about your blog?

Leticia Tavares: [00:27:07] Oh, yes. Sure. So, you know, I have started my blog because so many people asks me how is life working in hospitality. And I think people just think it was so different. You know, coming out of an MBA and just choosing a career that is not a very traditional path. It’s not very common to see people going into hotel operations, in general, after an MBA. So, in the beginning, I was like, “You know what? I’m just going to start and I’m just going to do whatever I feel like posting. I want to show my career in hospitality.” You know, I travel so much, too, that also became a way for me to show my travels and give people a different point of view. You know, I’m not a blogger that travels. I want to take pretty pictures. I think that that’s okay. But my goal is to bring a different perspective. Yes, I want to have a nice picture, but I want to show from a hotelier point of view how my experience was. And I think that people are so interested in that because I’m bringing that different perspective. And that’s why I started my blog.

Leticia Tavares: [00:28:14] So, it kind of evolved and so I brought more travel in, because in the end, you know, it’s not that I can show a lot of the backstage. I cannot be taking pictures off the backstage of a hotel, but I can talk about it. But, you know, not necessarily through images. And I tried to interview hoteliers nowadays. I try to talk about my travels. But to be fair, I mean, someone once told me, if you want to start something, just start. And that was how I started. I didn’t have any plans or any, what they call, content strategy. It was, I’m going to show what I feel like showing regarding hospitality. You know, I’m a small blog, small Instagram, but I just find a way to – it’s my creative side, like you have your podcasts. You know, I just like having something for my creative side. I have fun doing it.

Jill Heineck: [00:29:13] And remind everybody where they can find it.

Leticia Tavares: [00:29:17] So, it’s hospitalityvitae.com. Vitae means life or career in Latin. And, you know, I speak Portuguese, and Portuguese comes from Latin. So, there are a few words that I know and I just wheeled off that word and I just worked with them together. So, that’s it.

Jill Heineck: [00:29:39] And your Instagram handle is also Hospitality Vitae?

Leticia Tavares: [00:29:42] Vitae. Yes. Yes. The same handle. Yes.

Jill Heineck: [00:29:45] Excellent. So, give us a couple of examples of some special things that your team does to make guests feel special when they’re in the hotel.

Leticia Tavares: [00:29:58] Yeah. Sure. So, I think that there are two things that I usually look at. One, it’s anticipating needs. And I think when you have a lot of data available – that I told you I’m lucky to have – if you don’t really translate that data into actionable information, that’s just lost. So, I really like to dig into the data to understand who is my customer, why is he coming here, what is he doing here. So, all those things I can find very easily with the data I have on-hand. And that helps me anticipate needs. So, if you think about your business, if you have a restaurant or if you have a small retail shop, you know, who are your customers? So, that’s square one. And in the hotel pre-COVID, we did get huge conferences in my hotel. So, I know it’s business travelers. You know, they’re maybe there for one to three days. They like using the mobile checking because they’re in and out. So, all these things that we knew about them, we could use to make their experience seamless. So, I think anticipation of needs is a big, big one.

Leticia Tavares: [00:31:24] And one thing that I learned when I told you I did my rotations, I worked in the Ritz Carlton in Washington, D.C. And I really love luxury hotels. I’m passionate about it. And I think one day in my career, I’ll go back to a luxury property. It was all about preferences. So, that was back in 2017. Now, we have a system for that. But before, you know, we would give our hosts at the Ritz Carlton a piece of paper, like it was a little notepad, and they would discover preferences of the guests. So, like, if you talk to a guest in the restaurant and you’re a server, and you found out it’s their wedding day or you found out that they really like orange juice with two ice cubes, whatever, you could write that down. And we had a database of preferences so that we knew what the guests wanted or liked.

Jill Heineck: [00:32:29] And then, they’re very surprised later on when they go to another potential Ritz property and they have the orange juice with the two cubes. How did you know that?

Leticia Tavares: [00:32:41] So, that was a big thing at Ritz Carlton. And, now, we have one system now in place so we can really see preferences from other hotels as well. Preferences are like the guests preference translates to different brands. So, if I look at the guest profile and I know that he likes this, it doesn’t matter if I’m on a Ritz Carlton or Marriott or Renaissance, I could act on that preference. But there is a difference because preference is something that’s constant. It’s like if they travel with their kids and someone found out the kids really like chocolate and they put chocolate in the room. If that guest travels for business and all the time he gets chocolate in the room, then it doesn’t necessarily a preference because he could go back and say, “Why do you always put chocolate in my room? Like, I really like to workout. I eat healthy. I don’t need chocolate.” So, you can’t really mix what’s a preference with what’s something that happened on one travel in a hotel.

Jill Heineck: [00:33:48] Right. Exactly. Exactly.

Leticia Tavares: [00:33:51] Because he was there with his kids.

Jill Heineck: [00:33:54] With the family. Right. Different trip.

Leticia Tavares: [00:33:56] Different trip. Sometimes we had some mix up, but then we would figure it out this is really a preference. This is not a preference. It’s a one off. He’s with his family.

Jill Heineck: [00:34:09] That’s a big thing in our business as well when we talk about anticipating needs. And that’s based on customer feedback over several years. It’s the same thing that you’re talking about, where we go back and where we say, “Okay. We can do this better. We can do that better.” You and I, we’re in our businesses, our companies, in our jobs, and our roles every single day, all day long so we kind of know what we’re doing. And sometimes when you’re not conscious about kind of making these little milestones along the way for the experience, it definitely does make an impact whether you do it or not. So, when you do do it, when you do, do that little thing with serving the orange juice with the two ice cubes, that can really set the tone for the rest of the experience. That one little thing.

Jill Heineck: [00:35:04] And so, that’s definitely something that we’ve also focused on. And I love hearing that other companies are doing the same thing. We did have [inaudible] came on last year and he talked to us about the anticipatory needs. He talked about empowering the teammates to help any guest having a situation or a challenge. And so, you’re speaking right to that. And I really appreciate that, because it just kind of threads all the way through.

Leticia Tavares: [00:35:34] And he’s a role model. Definitely.

Jill Heineck: [00:35:37] He’s definitely a role model. So, before we wrap up, tell me, do you have a couple of, maybe, one or two actionable pieces of advice that you would share with our listeners to get more engagement either from your teammates in order to deliver that guest experience or anything that you would like to share with our listeners would be great.

Leticia Tavares: [00:36:04] Yeah. Sure. So, when we spoke about some of the projects I do at my role as Operational Excellence, I think a big actionable item that you can start right away is, listen to your associates. Stop whatever you’re doing. Put in your calendar, “I’m going to have a one-on-one meeting with my front of the line hosts to understand what is going on.” If you can do it this week, I would say, do it. Because there’s just so many things happening now and so many things impacting the day-to-day of our hosts and associates that taking that 15 minute, 30 minute of your time to talk to them will really, I think, make an impact. And that’s, again, what I call the voice of the customers, so that’s the internal customer. Which, if he’s happy, if your associate is engaged, if they have the tools and resources they need, they will do their job. They will perform. And your job as a leader will be even easier because you have a team that is empowered and a team that is ready to make a difference. So, I think that’s definitely a big one.

Leticia Tavares: [00:37:18] And then, the voice of the customer, your guests or your clients, how are you getting their feedback? Not necessarily you have research in place. You know, I’m very grateful to have a lot of researches and a lot of data. But what can you do? What’s the one question you can ask your clients to get that feedback and that input that you need to understand how your processes are going or how your business is going if people are satisfied. And I think in the hotel perspective, the big question is, what’s your intent to return? Would you return to my place? That’s what tells us if they give us a nine or ten, you know, it means that they had a very good experience. And if they give us a seven and eight, how we can make that experience better for the next time they can give us a nine or ten? So, I think you can look at, you know, net promoter score or you can do some research to see the different ways, the different types of research that are out there. But, you know, if you can ask one question, what would you ask? And if you are on the front line with your associates, how can you interact with the guests right away? Ask how was your experience, was there anything I could do that I could have made it better. I think that really is impactful.

Leticia Tavares: [00:38:49] Sometimes we might think, “Oh, there’s just one question.” But you can find out so many things. Because when I’m checking guests out and I ask, “How was your stay?” If they tell me it’s okay. Okay is not okay. I want it to be excellent. So, what could I have done better? Sometimes we’re a little bit afraid of asking the question because we know that we might hear what we don’t want to hear. But that’s the only way to act on those issues and change it for the better. And I think the last one would be, you know, I think with coronavirus, we had to be flexible, right? Like, we had to change and make changes on a daily basis. But there’s still some resistance to change. And that’s going to be in any business.

Jill Heineck: [00:39:37] Always.

Leticia Tavares: [00:39:37] Always. So, I think for you as a business owner or even if you don’t own a business, you just work in a corporate office, I think, for me, it’s always when you’re trying to implement changes, you always need to show to the people that are impacted what’s in for them. So, that’s the big question. So, in my case, the room service project that we were talking about, like, what’s in for the person who is taking the calls? What’s in for the chef? What’s in for the hotel? You know, for the hotel, our food scores are going to go up. For the chef, he’s going to stop having orders that are not right. He’s going to deliver a better product. And for the associate that is picking up the calls, you’re going to have guests that are not calling back and say, “Where’s my order? Where’s my fork? You forgot something.” So, you really need to show it to everybody who is involved in that process what’s in it for them. Because once they understand that they will win, that together we will win, they will want to, at least, try to make that happen.

Leticia Tavares: [00:40:54] And I love that because then it also shows that you and management or operations are actually listening to the team that is delivering the service. And when they feel heard and understood and then things that they’re giving you feedback on actually get addressed, that makes a giant impact on the end user’s experience. I so enjoyed talking to you today. Thank you so much for taking time out. And we definitely, in the show notes, have your blog and Instagram handle up there for people to come check you out.

Jill Heineck: [00:41:33] And I wanted to thank everybody for listening. I’m so proud to share this show with you as these stories do prioritize the customer experience or guest experience as a legit business strategy, reminding us that no matter the business that you are in, whether it be real estate, hospitality, teaching, consulting, the customer experience should always be the heart of the business.

About Your Host

Jill Heineck is a leading authority on corporate relocations, and is highly sought after for her real estate industry acumen and business insights. As a published author, frequent panelist and keynote speaker, Jill shares her experience and perceptions with people from around the globe.

Jill is a founding partner of Keller Williams Southeast, established in 1999, and the founder and managing partner of Heineck & Co. Her real estate practice specializes in corporate relocations, individual relocations, luxury residential, and commercial properties. Jill’s analytical approach to problem-solving, along with her expert negotiation skills and sophisticated marketing, deliver superior results to her clients. Her winning strategies and tenacious client advocacy have earned her a reputation for excellence among Atlanta’s top producers.

While Jill has received many accolades throughout her career, she is most gratified by the personal testimonials and referrals she receives from her clients. Jill’s unwavering commitment to the customer experience, and her focus on the unique needs of each client, serve as the foundation of her success.

Follow Jill Heineck on LinkedIn.

Customer Experience Radio

Customer Experience Radio Welcomes Brady Sandahl with KW Luxury Homes and Debbie Sharp with The Sharp Group

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Brady Sandahl of KW Luxury Homes in Palm Springs, California is widely recognized as one of the leading forces in the Greater Palm Springs, CA/Coachella Valley real estate market, and in 2019, his group was recognized as being Coachella Valley’s highest producing team as well as the only team who sold over $100 million within that year.

In addition to representing clients as well as leading this award-winning group, Brady is an active member of Desert Estates Network, Coachella Valley’s premier consortium of real estate professionals who specialize in selling luxury real estate; a Board Member and President for the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce; a local, regional and national presenter on topics related to personal production, organizational culture and customer experience and engagement strategies; was co-host of the desert’s “Home Makeover in the Desert” and has presented on several HGTV shows including “National Open House” and “What You Get for the Money”.

Brady has earned a Master of Arts in Organization Management, a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, and has completed a series of courses delivered by leading organizations like The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

Debbie Sharp is the founder and group leader of The Sharp Group, heading the sales team and overseeing all of the team’s listings. Prior to her career in real estate, Debbie had 14 years of leadership experience at Nordstrom, where she held several leadership and buying assignments that lead her to her final assignment, the Store Manager of Nordstrom in Palo Alto.

After leaving Nordstrom, Debbie launched into her real estate career and quickly became a rising star in the boutique brokerages she aligned herself with. Within a few short years, she became one of the top agents in the Peninsula area. After establishing and developing a real estate business on her own, Debbie realized she needed to build a team around her to help support her increasing number of clients with the high level of service that she is known for, which is why in 2011 she created a partnership with Keller Williams Peninsula Estates, and The Sharp Group was born.

Along with building a star-studded team of experts in customer service, design, project management, and marketing, the team of vendors that Debbie has built is unparalleled. Debbie’s clients enjoy priority scheduling, relationship pricing, and white glove service from some of the top service companies in the Bay Area, on any budget and timeline.

Debbie has also taken several leadership roles within Keller Williams over the years, most recently as an Operating Principle of the Keller Williams Peninsula Estates offices, including Burlingame and San Mateo. In addition, Debbie has taken supporting roles in a number of charitable organizations, such as The Burlingame Library Foundation and the Hillsborough School Foundation. Debbie resides in Hillsborough with her daughter, Ava, and their doggie, Frankie!

Transcript

Intro: [00:00:01] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX Studios in Atlanta, it’s time for Customer Experience Radio. Brought to you by Heineck and Company, real estate advisors specialized in corporate relocation. Now, here’s your host, Jill Heineck.

Jill Heineck: [00:00:17] Welcome to this very special edition of Customer Experience Radio. I’m your host, Jill Heineck. I’m a business owner, real estate adviser, and customer experience enthusiast. One of the most important aspects of my business is making sure that you, as our client, is clear on the process, able to reach us for anything at any time, and to make it as stress free as possible. And I’m really so proud when I see others in my industry also striving for this level of experience and doing it at a very high level. And that’s why I’m super excited to have two of my very good friends and colleagues with Keller Williams Realty on the show with us today. They are our very first realtors extraordinaire to join us. Hello.

Debbie Sharp: [00:01:04] Hello.

Brady Sandahl: [00:01:04] Hello, Jill.

Jill Heineck: [00:01:06] Hello. So, Debbie Sharp is the founder and the group leader of The Sharp Group. She has not only built a star studded team of experts in customer service, design, project management, and marketing, but also the team of vendors that Debbie has handpicked to serve her client’s renovations needs. Debbie’s clients enjoy priority scheduling, relationship pricing, and white glove service from some of the top companies in the Bay Area on any budget and timeline. Prior to her career in real estate, Debbie had 14 years of leadership experience at Nordstrom, where she held several leadership and buying assignments that led to her final assignment as the store manager of Nordstrom in Palo Alto. And after leaving Nordstrom, Debbie launched her real estate career and quickly became a rising star. Duh. Within a few short years, she became one of the top agents in the Peninsula San Francisco area.

Jill Heineck: [00:02:00] Brady Sandahl of KW Luxury Homes in Palm Springs, California is widely recognized as one of the leading forces in the Greater Palm Springs Coachella Valley real estate market. Being recognized in 2019 as Coachella Valley’s highest producing team and the only team who sold over 100 million in volume within that year. He was also the co-host of the Desert’s Home Makeover in the Desert and has presented on several HGTV shows, including National Open House and What You Get For Your Money. Welcome, Debbie and Brady.

Debbie Sharp: [00:02:30] Thank you, Jill.

Brady Sandahl: [00:02:30] Thank you, Jill.

Jill Heineck: [00:02:31] I am so happy to have you both here.

Brady Sandahl: [00:02:38] You know, ironically, Jill, Debbie and I had a strong career with Nordstrom. Debbie took it to a higher level. I stayed more in the customer side of it. But she and I, we came from the same drinking fountain, compliments of the Nordstrom family. So, it’s great to be on the show with her today.

Debbie Sharp: [00:02:56] Yes. Hi, Brady.

Jill Heineck: [00:02:56] It makes all the sense in the world to me knowing who you are and how you both run your businesses. Brady, so let’s talk a little bit more about your background. So, you were at Nordstrom at some point and then talk a little bit more about where you’ve gotten your foundation.

Brady Sandahl: [00:03:14] Yeah. Well, it started by being a consumer at Nordstrom at a very early age. And I like to work there so badly that when I applied and they said no, I simply went to their sale date, and dressed up and started folding clothes. And, ironically, one of the companies saw me doing that and took me under his wing and put me to work right away.

Brady Sandahl: [00:03:35] But I learned the importance of customer service, which is, you take care of your internal customers first. You inspire them, you lead them, you grow them, and they are then empowered to take care of the customers that hire them. So, for me, taking care of our internal customers is a core value. And that allows our ladies and gentlemen to exceed the expectations of the customers who hire us or from within.

Jill Heineck: [00:04:05] Yes. So, Debbie, talk a little bit about your Nordstrom background and the other experiences that you’ve had around to build your foundation.

Debbie Sharp: [00:04:13] Thank you. Of course, I love it, Brady. I love it. It all comes down to shopping. It all starts and stops at shopping. I love it. So, yes. I, too, love that in a special manner going to Nordstrom with my mom and my sisters. Sometimes each one of us would go by ourselves. And I was like, “Oh, I want to work here.” My mom’s like, “Oh. No. You’re going to college, grad school. Retail, just shop there.” And so, of course, I get out of college after several years and I was about to go on a little – I think it was Europe but maybe it was just away. I can’t recall. And I said, “Well, I’ll just step into Nordstrom and introduce myself to the store manager.” And it happened to be Jim Nordstrom, Jimmy Nordstrom. Just the young Nord, Jim. And he is doing great and has a fabulous family and still involved slightly with the store.

Debbie Sharp: [00:05:03] So, that was in Northern California. And so, I stepped in and he didn’t have time for me so that I was able to meet with an individual, her name is Chris Rominger. I’ll never forget this. This was several decades ago. And I said, “You know, I’d love to just work for the summer. I’m actually just out of college and I’m going to be going on a vacation.” She goes, “Oh, we don’t have any room. There’s no jobs.” I go, “What? Are you kidding?” And then, I came back several times because I was, like, grabbing makeup, shopping, buy a pair of shoes, trying to be sly about it. I’m like, “Oh. Hi, Chris. I’m just stepping in.” And she goes, “Okay. Well, you can get hired for the half yearly sale. If you do a good job, you might be able to stay.” I’m like, “Okay. I’ll do a good job.”

Debbie Sharp: [00:05:47] And so, that’s how it started. I started at the June half yearly sale. I think I’ve never hung and folded clothes more in my whole life. And from there, I started a career at Nordstrom. And I just said, “I want to learn. I want to do this. How can I I contribute?” And then, from there, from within, like Brady illustrates with his current team and what we learned at Nordstrom is kind of elevating folks within the business community. And I just worked my way up as assistant manager. And then, of course, my last role was at the Stanford store in Palo Alto, and that was just under $100 million dollar building. It was like 88 when I departed in 2003.

Jill Heineck: [00:06:32] I’m sorry to interrupt. So, both of you, if you can think back to something that one of the Nordstrom said to you that stuck with you. As, you know, we’re talking about the customer experience and how to create that environment, what is something that stuck with you that they have said to you during your experience there?

Brady Sandahl: [00:06:56] Oh, for me, Nordstrom started, as Debbie knows so well, as a family business selling shoes. And the family started the company with the goal of selling shoes. But what they realized is that they had to create a brand platform, brand standards that others can execute. And so, they poured enormous amount of thought and energy into selecting, not hiring, but selecting the right ladies and gentlemen to represent that brand, that initial brand standard back when the company was started. And they never lost sight of that. And I think where companies go wrong, as they put a lot of focus on the customer, and while that’s not necessarily the wrong path, they’ve done it before, they focused on their internal customer.

Brady Sandahl: [00:07:44] Remember, the entrepreneur who is listening to your show right now, they’ve started the company. But, eventually, they’ve selected individuals to join them. And those individuals have to be so clear on the brand standards and the service platform so when that entrepreneur is not in the room, the customer gets the same level of service. Remember, organizations are designed to do what they’re built to do. And when organizations like Nordstrom or the Ritz Carlton are built to take care of the customer, the entire organization will take care of that customer. So, number one, selecting talent, pouring into those talents, noticing that they’re on a championship team. And to be on that championship court, they’ve got to hit those standards consistently time and time again.

Debbie Sharp: [00:08:37] I love it. Very similar, Brady. And, Jill, to answer your question specifically, the number one thing – and I have two, if I may – that I really deemed from my earlier years at Nordstrom is what Brady illustrated, which is the inverted pyramid. So, as you are growing up and contributing more in leadership at Nordstrom and making mistakes, and making new mistakes, and taking on bigger assignments, you slightly get further away from the customer. So, the inverted pyramid where the core leadership, be it family or otherwise, was at the bottom of the pyramid and the customers are at the top. And then, everybody closest to the customers as a leader was our customer.

Debbie Sharp: [00:09:16] And I do that very same action for my team. And nothing’s perfect. We make new mistakes. But my job is, of course, like Brady said, to give customer service to our buyers and sellers. But my number one job is to serve my team. To make sure they are taken care of. That they have what they need. They have the right coaching. They have the right tools. And so, that’s my number one takeaway that I learned at Nordstrom and executed at Nordstrom as I learned and made mistakes through that. And as I exited, I was very good at it because I had everybody giving me service to do a better job for my people. And so, that’s my number one focus for my team.

Debbie Sharp: [00:09:59] And then, secondarily, I think it all comes down as entrepreneurs and men and women, and people and humans, is we have to remember that we are not here to manage people. We’re here to manage the expectation. And if that’s the keeper of the brand, like Brady mentioned, we’re the keeper of the brands. This is what we do. We’re not here to say you do it this way and it’s only this way. And you didn’t do it right. It’s like, here’s the expectation on a document that is memorialized on posters and throughout the whole office or at home or on your laptop or whatever it is. Let’s make sure that we are managing the expectation with each other and to our clients. Because we’re not managing clients. We’re not managing our teams. We don’t want to be managed. But we all have expectations that we are expecting of others and folks are expected of us. And so, that’s what I’ve really utilized in my entrepreneurial role that I took from the corporate background that I had at Nordstrom.

Jill Heineck: [00:10:57] I love that. And, you know, it’s so true because, specifically in our industry as realtors who are caring for someone in a life transition and making a giant investment, managing expectations during the process is key. And I think that can make or break the experience, number one. And it can also make or break the relationship. And everybody wants things to remain intact. And I put myself in these positions a lot of the time and think, you know, when I’m calling to get a quote on some work done in my house, I want to know what the process is. Are you then coming to my house? Are we doing a virtual? Am I walking you through? Are you giving me an estimate? Like, how long do I have to wait before you send me something in writing? And so, I take all these and – similar to what you have done with your experiences in Nordstrom – I take a lot of my real life experiences over the last 20 years and really think about what would make me happier if this process went a certain way? How can I better manage my clients? I mean, I love that you take heed to this.

Jill Heineck: [00:12:06] So, with that being said, I’d love for each of you to touch on a little bit about, maybe, one or two things that you’re doing that have been really impactful within your team. Because, like you said, those are your internal customers. If they’re not happy or they’re not feeling engaged, the morale isn’t high, then we can’t serve at a high level because they’re helping you serve the client. So, can you talk a little bit about that?

Brady Sandahl: [00:12:32] Absolutely. And, Jill, what I want to say before we go into that is that, you’ve always done a good job of delivering anticipatory service for your customers in Atlanta, what it gets down to. And, Debbie, you do this also. Which is, you help paint a picture of the standard that you’re going to hit, but, also, what’s going to happen next. And, really, customers don’t hire you for character. They hire you for clarity. We sometimes forget that. Customers really want clarity. They may not say that, but they expect it. And that’s what’s going to cause them to go forward. If they feel comfortable and confident that you’ve communicated a clear path, they’re more likely to hire.

Brady Sandahl: [00:13:11] So, Jill, two things that we do, every day we do a lineup. And we really brought this over from the Ritz Carlton. It’s what we call the 3G lineup. And that is, we bring our ladies and gentlemen together, right now through Zoom, and we go through the 3Gs. And why that’s important is, the 3Gs address the culture of numbers and the culture of people. The first G is gratitude. What are we most grateful for in each other? What are we most grateful for in our jobs and our customers and our experiences? The second G would be the goals. And we look at goals from, obviously, volume. And we look at goals of personal growth. But here’s what’s interesting, companies fail because they don’t talk about goals on a daily basis. Push the conversation down to a quarterly meeting. And that just gets awkward. If you talk about goals on a quarterly basis or even on a monthly basis, it may be too far away for the front end consumer and too far late for the customer employee. And then, of course, that third G, Jill, as you know, is the greet. What do we need to do today to make the customer experience better? So, that daily 3G is something that we do really well at a high level on a daily basis.

Brady Sandahl: [00:14:33] Now, the next thing — fun, but it’s glamorous. Let me tell you, we have a core value system called ASPIRE, A-S-P-I-R-E, where we anticipate, serve, perform, inspire, respond, excel. And at 4:45, Pacific, we get on the phone and talk about what did we do to put those core values into motion. How did we surprise and delight the customer in the interaction – not the transaction – in the interaction that reflects those core values of ASPIRE? Because when you talk about a culture, it’s what you do and how you do it. And when we talk about it daily, it shows up daily. If we don’t talk about it daily, it won’t show up daily. And customer experience, as Debbie said earlier, it’s going to be defined one of two ways, either by you, the entrepreneur, or by the customer. It’s a lot more exciting when you set the standard and everyone knows the target.

Debbie Sharp: [00:15:34] I love it.

Jill Heineck: [00:15:34] Absolutely. Debbie.

Debbie Sharp: [00:15:34] Oh, my gosh. My footnote. I like typing. I love it, Brady. And my fingers hurt. I love it. I love to contribute and learn. Holy crap. So, we do similar, but not the same. We love to learn and execute at a higher level. So, on a daily basis, Monday through Friday, we have what we call the Sharp Group Pedal. And so, we do that every morning at 10:00, Pacific, of course. And it’s something that we set the precedent to yes. We don’t think it’s mandatory. We just make it fun and it’s consistent. It’s like brushing teeth, working out, having breakfast, whatever that you do. It’s just like clockwork. So, I used to, of course, remind like, “Can’t we just see you.” And, now, it’s just like, boom, we’re there. And you’re like, “Hi. Good morning.” And we go through the lineup as well for our team.

Debbie Sharp: [00:16:28] And it’s all about giving gratitude to our team, each other, and talking about our wins, and, also, about our opportunities. It’s okay. Nobody is perfect here. And we’re not looking for perfection, nor is our client community. But we like to make new mistakes. Not the same ones. And we like to understand, like, how can we improve, and what’s better, and better system. So, we just roll through the lineup of our team and talk about what’s working, what can work better. Again, opportunity strikes and then just kudos. So, we do that 10:00 to 10:30 on a daily basis.

Debbie Sharp: [00:17:06] The sales team connect over the weekend. But it’s not a specific time. It’s more fluid. And then, we are really trying to, of course, with our SIP platforms, still certainly see each other with the proper social distancing outside and really having some face-to-face time within the Sharp Group, and then our clients community, and the broker community. So, we’re planning that in advance. And not just go, “Oh, I miss you.” Because we can be out, we’re essential. We can be out, so we’re planning that weekly, monthly, quarterly. And, again, it’s very safe and very high level and very fun.

Debbie Sharp: [00:17:41] And then, lastly, we’re really just staying in close communication with our client and understanding how are we doing. What can I do for you? Our pleasure in calling without an agenda. We have an agenda because we’re calling and reaching out. We’re not calling them for anything. We’re not saying, “Can you do this? May I have this?” So, I’m like, what are our weekly calls? And we just love them, you know, the calling without an agenda. Like, how are you? What can I do for you? How’s your new puppy? And really understanding our horizontal and vertical platform just really what’s going on in their world. And it’s one minute, or it’s a text, or it’s a call, or it’s a voice call. So, we’re keeping it very fluid, very quick, very thoughtful, and very authentic. And that’s what we love.

Debbie Sharp: [00:18:31] When people call me and they’re like, “Can you do this? Blah, blah, blah.” I’m like, “Ah!” When you call me Jill and say, “I’m just thinking about you.” Or I check Brady, like, “Hey, you. Do you have time for this?” But it’s not like, “By 10:00 tomorrow.” I just don’t want to put more to-dos on my team’s list. I want to manage expectation and be fluid with both our clients, and our broker community, and our team.

Brady Sandahl: [00:18:56] Here’s how I describe Debbie to people, because we love to refer business to Debbie. She’s in San Francisco and we’re in Palm Springs. I say about Debbie is she has very few rules but very high standards. [Inaudible] know exactly the standard to hit. How you get across the goal line is really up to them. But they know. They know that they need to stay in to hit that expectation. It’s a great group to business with. If you want to buy or sell in San Francisco market, clearly, The Sharp Group is a great way to go. And Jill, you’re in Atlanta. I mean, you’re just crushing it on taking care of the customer. You, too, have very high standards and few rules. You always step up and your ladies and gentlemen do the same.

Jill Heineck: [00:19:46] Well, I appreciate the shout out. Back at you, Brady.

Debbie Sharp: [00:19:51] Back at you, Brady. On that note –

Brady Sandahl: [00:19:53] That’s why we hang out together. We seek the same language.

Debbie Sharp: [00:19:56] You’re awesome.

Jill Heineck: [00:19:59] So, with that being said, now that we’ve talked about managing the expectation of the internal customer, your teams, how do you track ROI on how these things are going? How do you know they’re being successful? Obviously, you’re going to see production, the usual benchmarks. But, I mean, internally, how do you know that things are jiving?

Brady Sandahl: [00:20:25] Well, I think there’s the qualitative and the quantitative side. When you’re talking with your own team every single day – as Debbie and I are doing. And, Jill, you’re doing this also – you can look for the cues and clues of what’s showing up. Its body language. It’s eye contact. It’s anxiety. And, yeah, it’s also profit and performance. But I think if you’re not talking about it daily, you miss the cues and the clues.

Brady Sandahl: [00:20:52] So, clearly, two sides of business. Quantitative, very, very easy. If you’re into this show, you know the quantitative success of your business. It’s a mathematical equation. The qualitative, it’s not as mathematical, but it’s as important as the quantitative. You really have to show up every day, like Debbie, with that high level of emotional intelligence. Your job is to pour into the people so they can pour into the people that have hired your employees to get the job done. But it’s a measure of looking at the numbers and having that high level emotional intelligence and intuition on the qualitative side. Critically important.

Brady Sandahl: [00:21:38] People join companies for two reasons, leads and leadership. They can find leads in many different places. They cannot find leadership. People leave people. Be a good leader. The leads less.

Debbie Sharp: [00:21:59] Yeah. I think so, too, Brady. I would say with folks, I mean, I’ve made my luck. I don’t think people are lucky. I think it’s a purpose. It’s purposeful to have luck in your life. And my team, we’ve had change, of course. There’s always reason for folks to move up and sometimes move out, be it we’re coaching folks out or there’s opportunity elsewhere for them personally and professionally. And we wish them well. We celebrate their wins and their changes. However, I’ve had several people on my team for a decade and two decades and several people that I led and was led by at Nordstrom.

Debbie Sharp: [00:22:39] And I always feel that the opportunity, to Brady’s point is – and we’ll get back to ROI – is leads and leadership. I always look at it as an opportunity. I mean, folks stay with individuals, groups, companies with opportunity. Not just a crappy atmosphere with great opportunity. It’s a combo. But if there’s opportunity to do a great job and opportunity not to be managed, to be led and expected, an opportunity to change a position within the company. I mean, all of my people that are on my team right now have a slightly different position than they did when they joined us. And that’s — and adjusting in doing hybrids and in being current as our business changes.

Debbie Sharp: [00:23:27] So, on that ROI, our business has changed in a decade. We didn’t do as we do now a decade ago. We’ve been perfecting it. And we’re not practicing anymore, but we’re always looking for opportunities to improve. So, in our ROI platform, especially on the listing side and then measuring our business at large on return on investment, we’ve taken it to a whole new level.

Debbie Sharp: [00:23:52] I mean, just right now, we’re preparing seven properties that will be going on the market this year. And one just went on. Another one will go on in October. And then, the line share will be November. And all of those have improvement monies installed for a better net income result for our clients and their properties. And some of them are 25,000 and there’s one at 520,000, we have 333,000. I just looked at it before the show started so I could be accurate. So, it’s not a save-up approach. It’s a business model. And we know what is the highest and best use for our property. And depending on our client’s wishes and reward and risk platform, then we’ll say this is what we believe would be good for your net income and this is why.

Debbie Sharp: [00:24:44] So, we really do measure the ROI. We understand what is the house worth today doing nothing? It just is sitting right there in a very big way. Land value is all fabulous. And our average price point at large in the Bay Area is 2.5 million. So, let’s just say, it’s existing condition. It’s 2.5 million. What needs to be done? Maybe nothing. Maybe that its highest and best use. And then, we go in and just tie a rope around them and do staging and execution. And still get more than they are expecting. And sometimes the properties are 5 million. Sometimes the highest best use is 3 million. So, what is the installation and how much time and money to get it to the highest and best use for the most net income?

Debbie Sharp: [00:25:25] In our business model is that we don’t do anything with spending money, only invest to get a three to five times return. There’s no sense to spend $1 and get a $1 or 2 back. It’s too risky. And it’s too much brain damage. So, we really do measure it. But to Brady’s point, this is not science. It’s art and science. We use to say real estate was number one. I guess science is number one right now. Damn it. I thought we were always number one. And, now, science is all sexy and number one. Damn it. But I just think it’s art and science, guys.

Brady Sandahl: [00:26:02] Here’s one thing that Debbie hasn’t shared. It’s a secret. So, I’m going to share the secret. But it’s important for this, Jill, and that is Debbie has always trapped one key measurable, which is client referrals. That’s a way to know you’re doing something right. And that is, if the phone calls are coming in with your clients with future clients, that is the first measurement that you’re going down the right road. So, certainly, as we talk about these big concepts, let’s go back to the basic fundamentals. And that is, step number one for measuring your success is, how many of your customers are giving you future customers. And we have to realize that when someone gives us a compliment, we’re generally not real comfortable accepting it. If I said to you, “Jill, I love what you’re wearing today.” Even though we’re on radio and I can’t see it, you might had it for years. When in reality, we should say, “Thank you for noticing. Shall I connect you with my personal stylist so — something like this?”

Brady Sandahl: [00:27:07] So, an opportunity to say, “Wait a minute, the customer is calling in as a cheerleader”, measurement number one, let’s be sure we’re ready to gracefully accept that referral and take advantage of it. You know something right when your customer either call in with customer referrals or they’re sending you gifts, you know you’re on something right.

Debbie Sharp: [00:27:35] Yeah. I love it.

Jill Heineck: [00:27:38] Absolutely. And I think you’re kind of bringing me to my next point was talking about what client feedback has been. And, obviously, when somebody sends you a referral, that in and of itself is feedback. But I’m wondering if you’re getting any specific feedback about the experiences that your real estate clients are experiencing. And if you’re getting anything specific that you kind of notate and then track or watch.

Brady Sandahl: [00:28:07] Sure. I mean, I love to start the conversation because I can see Debbie in my mind typing. But I’ve learned a lot from Debbie because she really has one of the biggest servant hearts in our company. And she knows Luxury like very few do. What I love about Debbie and what I learned from Debbie is that, customer service is ongoing. It’s not a negotiable select and select out. And what we’ve learned about feedback is, it should not wait until the very end. It’s very hard to chase a customer after that interaction or that transaction has ended. So, for those entrepreneurs listening, let’s put more attention to the feedback at the front end of that relationship.

Brady Sandahl: [00:28:56] Let feedback check in point early into the interaction, because that does two things. One, it allows you to pivot or recover the service, if need be. And, number two, quite candidly, it allows you to understand who else they know who would like to feel the same level of emotional engagement they do right now. Let’s take a lesson from the Ritz Carlton or Nordstrom. They understand how to surprise and delight their customers early on. Here’s the analogy, if the three of us were in a restaurant having a wonderful deal together. We’re enjoying that pasta. We’re having that glass of wine, maybe a second or third, I don’t know. Yes, we’re most likely going to fill out a survey at that moment and rave and crush on that restaurant. But if they give us the survey two weeks after, ladies, I’m not sure if we had pasta or salmon. I don’t even know the name of that restaurant.

Debbie Sharp: [00:30:01] You’re like, “What? Where were we?”

Jill Heineck: [00:30:01] I know I had wine.

Brady Sandahl: [00:30:04] We have to catch our customers when they’re most emotionally connected. So, what we’ve done is we’ve learned that in the wickedly, painfully, boring art and science of selling real estate, there are eight defining moments. And we surprise and delight our ladies and gentlemen, our customers, eight times in a transaction. Why? Because we can crush on them, love on them, ask how we’re doing, and candidly ask for the business. Who else do you know who would like to be as excited as you are right now? So, for those listeners, look at the rhythm of your transaction. Don’t wait until the end of chase for the feedback. Catch them at the front end. Look for the cues and the clues and see who else they know who connect you to future business.

Debbie Sharp: [00:30:57] I love it. And I also think it’s so amazing that if you’re front loading your service platform and you have a business model, like Brady does, which is amazing. I know it’s coveted. He shares. There’s no competition at the top. I know [Eric Copper] is like, “Oh, can you send me the eight?” He’s on the run and a phone call like, “We’re not talking about that, Eric.” Love you. Brady is like, “Call my team. I got you. Love you.” And I’m like, “Can we get back to the subject at hand?” So, I love it.

Debbie Sharp: [00:31:26] So then, what’s so cool about that is (A),as I said, there’s no competition at the top as an entrepreneur, especially with Keller Williams within this group and our extended group. And, again, it’s not a country club, a big 200,000 agents company-wide. And, of course, we have core relationships. But, again, I love the sharing. So, that’s number one. Number two is, I really believe that without being Pollyanna and still having a business model that we are focusing on surprising and delighting clients that aren’t even our official clients yet. So, in the interview process, we’re not gifting them. We’re not buying them. It’s about this is who we are and how we operate. And it could be just understanding who they are. And when we’re going to their home, we know that they have ten kids or one kid or a baby. And not over gifting. It’s not showering nobody.

Debbie Sharp: [00:32:23] But, again, it’s front loading with knowledge because, of course, we’re doing our research. And then, even before that interview process and well after the transaction process, is how we behave at large, be it in our community and what we contribute and how we present ourselves. And I see folks online virtually now and/or face-to-face that I may never officially interview with. But I would never walk by them without saying hello. And that really served me well. I will tell you, Blake Nordstrom taught me a lot. He was the hardest on my tail. In my younger years at Nordstrom I’m like, “He’s not my favorite. I don’t like that. I don’t like him.” And then, I learned I really did like him. I don’t know if he was my favorite because there were so many favorites and he’s not with us anymore, so it’s a big loss, in my opinion, to the family and to the Nordstrom business community. Because he taught me a lot.

Debbie Sharp: [00:33:21] And I knew this because my mom and dad taught me this. But he’s like, “Debbie, it’s not about me. It’s not about egos. If I’m with you, it’s okay that you act yourself. You need to be with your housekeeping staff and give them a hug or a high five.” You know, that’s the core. And it’s not about what position they’re at. It could be a stranger on the street, in the elevator, “Good morning”. It could be anybody at the gas station, the grocery store, people that you don’t see, people on line. You’re just waving to them because there’s so many Zoom calls. This is not a club, or a sorority, or a fraternity, or country club. It’s about what is your service platform? What is your authentic opportunity to be a great human being and contribute? And that shows up. So, when you’re doing it on a business level and you’re in business with somebody and your servicing them and surprise and delighting them, it’s natural. It’s authentic. Because you’re not being fake just because you’re in business together.

Jill Heineck: [00:34:23] That’s right.

Brady Sandahl: [00:34:23] I will say I absolutely loved Blake Nordstrom. Blake, to me, was the man I wanted to be when I grow up. And we were only, I think, eight years apart in age. He was someone that I looked up to in my entire time with Nordstrom. But I learned from him many things. One of which is what you just said, and that is, the Nordstrom culture is the foundation of the organization. And to be a leader in Nordstrom, you have to stay in the foundation. Meaning, you have to be at the level of everyone in the organization, from housekeeping to restaurant to store manager. It’s the foundation. Stay in the foundation of your core values. Go out with a servant humble heart for the cues and the clues and really pour into those ladies and gentlemen. I mean, that guy, he would be the first to pick up tissue paper on the floor. He’d be the first to realign a shoe rack. And that guy just never came in with a label. But when he entered the building, you felt it. You felt the positive energy of him in any store he walked into.

Debbie Sharp: [00:35:44] A very gentle giant.

Jill Heineck: [00:35:47] I love it.

Debbie Sharp: [00:35:47] It’s so good. I mean, it just makes a big difference. And, again, same with service. We’re not buying our clients Teslas. Not yet. Jill, Brady and I got you one. It’s coming.

Brady Sandahl: [00:36:01] Surprise.

Debbie Sharp: [00:36:01] We’re just going to ask Stone, the producer, what color you want. And then, bam, Elon is going –

Brady Sandahl: [00:36:09] It’s an Oprah moment.

Debbie Sharp: [00:36:11] Yes. Boom. I mean, guys, like as small as this Saturday, we have folks going into their beautiful over $4 million dollars soon to be home, closing on Monday. And they’re meeting all these great people and we’re lining it up and lining it up. And they’re starting at 8:00. And, of course, we gave them their own personal code and got permission for them to go in. And we’re joining them and giving them privacy. Style flexing, right? And then, I said, “Okay. Find out what they drink. Let’s just make sure order them lattes or breakfast sandwiches with -”

Jill Heineck: [00:36:43] They have on property when they get there.

Debbie Sharp: [00:36:46] And have them bring their dog. It’s okay. Bring Fin, bring Queen. It’s okay. It’s going to be your house in 48 hours. So, we’re not delivering, like, an orchid this big for $2,000. It’s breakfast. It’s just a little and they don’t know that.

Jill Heineck: [00:37:01] And it’s a nice touch. It’s a nice touch.

Brady Sandahl: [00:37:02] It’s the gesture.

Debbie Sharp: [00:37:03] It’s the gesture.

Brady Sandahl: [00:37:03] Absolutely. It’s the gesture.

Debbie Sharp: [00:37:10] We’ll get a Puppuccino for Fin. And a little something for Queen. And we know that they’re super young and healthy and they probably don’t drink anything. But like soy this, soy that, this foam, that foam with a straw, blah, blah, blah. We got it, you know.

Brady Sandahl: [00:37:24] Well, look at the two clues that Nordstrom gave us early in. One was the piano. The basic use of a piano played in the store was a core value that everyone looked forward to as soon as they walked in that door. And then, the second thing is – and you love this department, Debbie – personal touch. I mean, that was the department that you went to when you wanted to be really personalized.

Jill Heineck: [00:37:56] That was the personal stylist.

Brady Sandahl: [00:38:00] Yes. Personal touch.

Debbie Sharp: [00:38:04] Amazing. It’s true, Brady.

Jill Heineck: [00:38:05] When you walk into a Nordstrom store, I mean, I’m calm when I’m walking in because I automatically start hearing the music. And I can just be in there all day, which is a detriment to my pocketbook. But it is a place where you can just hang. I just feel very relaxed when I’m in there. And I think, obviously, that gives way to a great shopping experience. But I think that those two touches are really instrumental in their success.

Brady Sandahl: [00:38:42] Well, look at the fact that they’re one of the few department stores, at least that I’m familiar with, that actually has a restaurant which serves alcohol. They have a bar. They know, keep those men happy and they’ll just keep spending. That’s how we roll.

Debbie Sharp: [00:38:58] And it’s amazing, Brady, too, what you take from your childhood or your previous business as an entrepreneur and you bring it into your world. And like, I’m a stickler about our fabulous clients’ houses that we are representing to, obviously, sell big and fast. And I’m a stickler about music. Like, it cannot be too high, not be too low. We use [inaudible] Olson. Of course, they’re portable. We have about five to seven listens at a time and every platform has music. And when it’s not on, I’m, “Hello? Hello? Music director? Music on. I’m on my way. I’m on my way. Put your mask on and get your tail here because the music is not, “I love you. Bye-bye.”

Debbie Sharp: [00:39:45] And, also, we label every fan. We can’t have fans on. Like, a bathroom fan and like, “Fan. Do not turn it on.” And outdoor light. We don’t put fans on. People don’t like that noise. They want a little bit of music. Not loud. No fans and crap on. And then, just have the proper lights on. We’re not doing surgery. No brain surgery here. We’re not scalpelling people. Let’s get the lights on to the right level. There’s all this recipe. And I really learned that from growing up with my mom and how she expected things to be proper when folks came to visit. And that she wanted us to have her bed made and breakfast had. And she just taught us how to live, and be energetic, and give back to our family and our friends.

Jill Heineck: [00:40:33] Well, you’re giving the gift of a great experience and creating this ambience. And that’s exactly what you’re describing. So, that is the whole ups the crux of the conversation is the experience that we’re creating.

Brady Sandahl: [00:40:46] We underestimate that. I mean, scenography is what Debbie has described. What does the customer see? What do they hear? What do they smell? What do they feel? What are they experiencing. Something we learned from Ritz Carlton is that we could do everything right. But still 67 percent of customers may not come back because the brand connection of the customer interaction was not strong. And scenography is part of building that strength. So, you know, as crazy as Debbie sounds with her relation of labeling fans, I absolutely drink that same Kool-Aid. I am a fanatic. Do not turn on the bathroom fans when showing a house. We don’t need that sound when we’re going through the house.

Brady Sandahl: [00:41:32] So, we clearly, as part of the largest real estate sales force, which Keller Williams is, close to nearly a billion dollars a day, which we had 25 billion sell over a million dollars. The largest real estate sales force really following the same playbook. So, yeah, just like San Francisco, just like Atlanta, we don’t turn the bathroom fans on during a show in Palm Springs. It’s not going to happen.

Debbie Sharp: [00:42:06] It’s the little things. And then, of course, we always install new whisper fans just in case. It’s doing well in our area.

Jill Heineck: [00:42:18] Before we wrap up – I mean, this conversation could go on for hours. I know. But before we wrap up, I’d love to hear, maybe, if you guys can share a wow or a surprise and delight experience that you recently had with a company in your local market or online. Just to give us kind of like what companies you’re doing business with just interesting to know. I think our listeners like to know that. Anything off the top of your head?

Brady Sandahl: [00:42:50] Well, I’m a brand guy. I love brands. And I recently purchased a wonderful bracelet from David Yurman. Unfortunately, I was showing property and I caught the bracelet on something and it snapped. So, I went into the David Yurman store and they explained that they were so apologetic about the bracelet. That they would quickly have it repaired. So, they set the expectation of what quickly meant. And when the bracelet was off being repaired, they checked in three times to let me know that the bracelet was in good hands. And it was almost like I had sent a child off to college and the door mother was letting me know that — was okay. But what came back was the David Yurman bracelet in a David Yurman box in a David Yurman bag in a David Yurman packaging. And what I learned is that, the reinforcement of the brand, they took the fact that I ruined the bracelet, they took responsibility, and they surprised me by rebranding. You know what I did? I went on to David Yurman and I bought more David Yurman — packaging. That bracelet repair became a purchase. But that’s what we want — underestimate the importance of packaging. How we show up, packaging of what we want to buy, and we really want to make sure we put it on our business that those customers that buy what we sell, it is about the packaging. So — David Yurman.

Jill Heineck: [00:44:37] It’s all about presentation.

Debbie Sharp: [00:44:37] Go David Yurman. I love it.

Jill Heineck: [00:44:40] Absolutely. Debbie, do you have a recent experience you’d like to share?

Debbie Sharp: [00:44:43] You know, similar. I mean, I think you know this, Jill, too. Like, this necklace that says love that Ava got for me. I mean, I circled it and paid for it 500. She goes, “Do you like that?” I’m like, “Oh, cute.”

Jill Heineck: [00:44:55] Baby girl surprised you and bought it.

Debbie Sharp: [00:44:59] So, I’m like, “Oh, my God. I love it.” And, of course, it was on my credit card. She’s 13, we got to give her a break. I shop at Wilkes Bashford. And they do similar to what Brady kind of shared. And folks like us that give a lot, I’m often let down at either retail establishments or restaurants. I try to still have fun, of course. Of course, you know that, Jill. We do. And Brady, we have lots of fun when we travel and such and we will do that again. But, you know, I think that the small big things that Brady just illustrated is very similar.

Debbie Sharp: [00:45:43] So, first off, this chain broke. And I love it. It’s not a fancy piece. But it’s one of my favorite pieces and it’s from my favorite daughter, my only daughter. And last year it broke. And so, I’m like, “Crap.” So, first off, of course, I just texted my person that she’s ordered them. She said, “They’ll come by and pick it up.” So, that was number one.

Debbie Sharp: [00:46:04] Number two, when she arrived at the house, she had a another necklace for me by the same designer that didn’t say love, but it was in the shape of a heart. She goes, “Why don’t you wear this when this is gone?” And I’m like, “Oh, stop it.” Of course, I bought that damn piece. “And there’s a couple other pieces if you want to just alternate with them.” And I didn’t buy anything else. But I use the loaner because that was the same rose gold and I just love it. And then, you’re still loved right away. Then, of course, they repair it, bring it back, and then, of course, I bought the other piece, which is so funny. But little things like that, to bring a temporary necklace to wear, not because it makes you look it’s going to sell more property. It’s just they’re like, “We want you to be loved right away.” And we know this is from Ava. I mean, that is so nice that she knew about how I scrolled ten hundred times in the catalog. And then, Ava, my assistant, went down and picked it up and blah, blah, blah. So, that’s just huge. And I think that’s fabulous. And it’s a small gesture.

Debbie Sharp: [00:47:07] And then, I think, too, what the Sharp Group does a good job of – and I know you both do because I know you’re intimately beyond just this radio show and Kelly Williams at large – is that you’re doing that, we’re doing that, for our people in our life. Be it you, Jill, I love to surprise and delight you with little things or big things like a case of champagne. I mean, like, that’s just nothing nd it’s just something.

Jill Heineck: [00:47:31] Which was incredible, by the way. Thank you.

Debbie Sharp: [00:47:34] And it was like, “Why would you send a bottle? Duh. It’s so boring. Like, bam, do a case. And that still didn’t break the –

Jill Heineck: [00:47:40] So pedestrian.

Debbie Sharp: [00:47:42] So pedestrian. And you didn’t say, “Gosh. I wish I got gifts.” Or, “Nobody loves me, I’m going to go eat worms.” You were just taking care of your family and you had a lot going on. And I just want to be like, “Oh, my God. I’m thinking about Jill.” And Ava is like, “What should we get her?” “Champagne. She likes champagne.” So then, just take it to the next level without spending too much. We can’t just throw money at everything. But just a little bit. Like, getting $20 for breakfast on Saturday for our clients at their new house with dog treats. And that is really not going to break the bank. And it’s still business savvy, but it’s authentic. So, I just feel like surprising –

Jill Heineck: [00:48:19] And it’s also a giant – just to not to interrupt you, but I just wanted to say that, it’s a giant impact and that’s the point. Like, it’s not to break the bank and to show off. It’s to authentically care for somebody. And it could have been a bottle — it could have been a card, for me. To me, I’m all about the gesture. And I think that makes a big impact. And so, to both you and Brady’s points, in your businesses, you make a point to create these defining moments for both your team and your clients that you’re in business with. And I think you also do that with your partnering agents when you’re sending business, referring business. I think those things also are evident in those relationships as well. And I think that impact alone on those three segments of people that you touch is huge. And it’s the main reason why I’ve invited you to share what you do and part some insight on our listeners. Because I think you take the customer experience to the next level.

Jill Heineck: [00:49:29] And I aspire – no pun intended – to go in that direction and continue to improve on my client’s experiences and my team’s experience. And so, I really cannot thank you both enough for taking the time out to be with us today and share everything with us. Will you, Brady, just throw out how people can find you online, et cetera?

Brady Sandahl: [00:49:59] Yeah. Absolutely. So, we’re all things Brady Sandahl, B-R-A-D-Y S-A-N-D-A-H-L, based out of Palm Springs, California. And, of course, phone number 760-409-1540. But, again, everything online, Brady Sandahl. It’ll be our pleasure to help you learn about options in the Palm Springs market or share how we do things in customer engagement.

Jill Heineck: [00:50:24] Excellent. Debbie, how can we find you?

Debbie Sharp: [00:50:30] So, we are thesharpgroup.com. Thesharpgroup.com. And my mobile is 650-766-5333. And there’s eight of us Sharpies. We call ourselves the Sharpies. I love it. Yes, we have Sharpie pens too. And, yes, we’re happy to collaborate, contribute regarding real estate or beyond real estate as it relates to our business models. And thank you, Jill, for having us. I respect you and adore you. And I’m glad to learn from you. And I think this is such a great idea. I’ve always wanted to know more about this radio show. You’ve been so committed to it and consistent. It’s so savvy, so smart, and different.

Jill Heineck: [00:51:13] Thank you, my dear. So, thank you everybody for listening. Again, if you are looking for real estate help, you want to make an investment, or find a second or third home in Palm Springs, Brady is your man. And you can always reach out to the show page and I’m happy to connect you there. His bio as well as Debbie’s will be there as well. And Debbie and her team in the Burlingame area, she’s just right up the street from the San Francisco airport. And she is your girl there. So, you can always find them on our show page as well. And I want to, again, thank everybody for listening. I am really proud to share this show with you. As these stories prioritize the customer experience as a legitimate business strategy reminding us that no matter the business you are in, retail, real estate, or customer service, the customer experience should always be the heart of the business.

About Your Host

Jill Heineck is a leading authority on corporate relocations, and is highly sought after for her real estate industry acumen and business insights. As a published author, frequent panelist and keynote speaker, Jill shares her experience and perceptions with people from around the globe.

Jill is a founding partner of Keller Williams Southeast, established in 1999, and the founder and managing partner of Heineck & Co. Her real estate practice specializes in corporate relocations, individual relocations, luxury residential, and commercial properties. Jill’s analytical approach to problem-solving, along with her expert negotiation skills and sophisticated marketing, deliver superior results to her clients. Her winning strategies and tenacious client advocacy have earned her a reputation for excellence among Atlanta’s top producers.

While Jill has received many accolades throughout her career, she is most gratified by the personal testimonials and referrals she receives from her clients. Jill’s unwavering commitment to the customer experience, and her focus on the unique needs of each client, serve as the foundation of her success.

Follow Jill Heineck on LinkedIn.