East Lansing-based realty company, Tomie Raines, was recognized by Quality Service Certification (QSC) and Leading Research Corporation as one of 10 companies in the nation to provide outstanding customer service in the housing industry.
QSC is Web-based service that allows home buyers and sellers to rank their realtors, much like travelers rank hotel stays.
“The QE Award is based upon feedback from 250,000 consumer surveys of more than 500 participating companies and their 30,000 real estate agents,” says QSC CEO Larry Romito.
Debbie Barnett and her company, Tomie Raines, Inc., were ninth on the list.
“We’re the only company in Mid-Michigan that is QSC-certified,” Barnett says. “Everybody talks about this industry, but not everyone can prove their level of service.”
On the site, agents are scored according to the service they provide. Among other things, clients are asked to evaluate whether the property sold in a reasonable time frame, if the agent counseled them and if they contacted them after closing.
“It’s kind of scary for agents, because it’s real,” Barnett says.
Scary or not, Barnett decided to connect her agents to the site well before many other companies in the area jumped on board.
“We’ve been doing this for years, so we’re ahead of the curve in the industry,” she says.
RE/MAX First in Clinton was the only other Michigan firm to make the list. Three companies from North Carolina made the list, as did one each from Texas, Oregon, Florida, Kentucky and Colorado.
Source: Debbie Barnett, Tomie Raines
Ivy Hughes, development news editor, can be reached here.
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