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Jeff Bender, SIOR, CCIM
Howard Greenberg, SIOR
By Steve Lewis
Many studies show that it takes more time and
energy to generate a new client than it does to generate
repeat business, so naturally the “care and feeding” of
existing clients is a key concern of SIORs. Most SIORs
offer value-added services that distinguish them from
the competition, but nearly all of them can agree that
whatever your service line is, it’s critical to stay in touch
on a regular basis.
“The most important thing I can give my clients is
consistent communication,” says Jeff Bender, SIOR,
CCIM, principal and executive managing director of
Cassidy Turley in Cincinnati. “The state of the market is
going to be the state of the market, and they don’t expect
their broker to be able to create a market; however, they
do appreciate it when they know that I’ve attempted to
create a deal. Thorough market information and accu-
rate and insightful interpretation of the data is also what
my clients expect from me. They want to believe that I
am in my local market and daily and hourly thinking of
how I can fill their space.”
“Most important is staying in touch and remaining
available for consultation,” adds John Skoglin, SIOR,
vice president of CB Richard Ellis/Brokerage Services
in Baltimore. “If it’s a lease client, sometimes they want
to know what the market is doing. It’s important to
make yourself available to them on a regular basis and
offer the fact that you’re willing to provide information
and offer services that do not necessarily have a fee
attached. Clients appreciate that.”
Skoglin says he uses his ACT system to try and stay
on top of client contact. “I try to do it every two or three
months so I don’t become a pain in the neck, but at least
I stay in touch,” he says. “Another good thing is if I can
e-mail them some information from time to time. If I
see something that may be of interest I send it and say ‘I
thought of you.’ They appreciate being kept in mind and
kept up to date.”
“We are strictly tenant and buyer representatives and
we take a consultative approach to clients–we’re just not
transaction-oriented. We do not go away just because
the tenant will not be leasing in the next three years,”
says Howard Greenberg, SIOR, president of Howard
Properties Ltd. in White Plains, NY. “We always monitor
activity like vacancies in clients’ buildings, which keeps
them apprised and lets them know there may be opportu-
nities for expansion. It also lets them know their relative
position in the building may have changed; every tenant
wants to become dearer to the owner.”
“Value added contact is paramount,” declares David
Zimmer, SIOR, FRICS, of Zimmer Real Estate
Services in Kansas City. “Every time I contact a client I
try to deliver something of value.” No one has the time to
just chat, he notes, so the conversation must be quick and
to the point. “Reviewing CAM reconciliation is something you can offer to do that is somewhat foreign to a
John Skoglin, SIOR
David Zimmer, SIOR, FRICS
"The most important thing
I can give my clients is
consistent communication..."
