The Business Problem

One of India’s largest real estate developers was preparing for an IPO. They had scale, timely delivery, and high repeat purchases. But their online reputation was dismal. Review scores hovered around 2.8. Social media was filled with complaints. The internal team was puzzled. Product quality was strong. Pricing was competitive. Construction was on time. Yet perception was poor and brand trust was eroding.

What We Uncovered

We spoke to customers, brokers, sales teams, and CRM. What emerged was a clear pattern.

The issue was not the product. It was the post booking experience.

Buyers were pressured into same day bookings during site visits.

Refunds on cancellations were delayed or denied.

CRM calls were transactional and aggressive, especially around EMI follow ups.

Construction delays were not communicated, even as payment reminders continued.

Apartment handovers were rushed and indifferent, even during emotional milestone moments.

The brand was acting transactional. But customers, having made the biggest investment of their lives, wanted to be treated with respect.

The Strategic Shift

We helped the founder and leadership team see that this was not a marketing problem. It was a systems problem.

Brand reputation was being damaged by internal processes, not just communication.

We recommended a complete reframing of the post sale journey from booking to handover as a high sensitivity emotional cycle, not just a transaction flow.

How We Brought the Positioning to Life

We worked with the CRM, finance, and delivery teams to redesign their roles and interactions.

The CRM team stopped making payment reminder calls. Their new role focused on sharing project updates and addressing customer queries.

A dedicated resource in finance was tasked with processing all refunds within two weeks, ensuring no customer was left hanging.

Property handovers were redesigned to align with customers’ auspicious timings and rituals, adding warmth and ceremony to the process.

The brand introduced booking slots and reduced volume per CRM rep to allow meaningful interaction.

These operational shifts transformed how the brand behaved without touching media or messaging.

What Changed

While we do not claim direct business impact, the shift in internal alignment was profound.

Customer complaints reduced. CRM calls were calmer. Refunds were processed on time.

The leadership team saw brand building as a function of consistent delivery, not just advertising.

Today, the brand is better equipped to face public scrutiny. And more importantly, they now treat customers with the dignity that matches the emotional weight of a home purchase.