I still don’t understand this…. why would a Realtor not answer their phone?
We have clients *actively* looking to buy commercial property. They want something in the three million range. We’ve found what appears to be the ideal property. Perfect location, great shape, it’s exactly what our clients are looking for.
We’ve been trying to reach the listing agent for three days. We’ve left multiple voice mails and sent multiple emails. We just need a few simple questions answered. The last message we left was along the lines of, “We have a buyer prepared to write an offer on your listing. We just need 30 seconds of your time to answer a question. Please contact us by phone, fax, or email.”
Nothing. We’ve heard NOTHING from the listing agent. Not one damn thing.
I don’t get it.
Our clients are now tired of wasting their time and are ready to move on and find another property.
I’ll predict right here that this “professional” will call sometime on Monday with some lame excuse about why he couldn’t return a call for three days. It will be “weekend related”. Mark my words.
Here’s a tip for my fellow agents — if you don’t want to work on the weekends you need to seriously consider another profession.
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Maricopa Mark 08.14.06 at 4:22 pm
Wow! Yes! And the shallow, “I just got my license last week” types can go back to working the checkout lines at Walmart from whence they came.
Oy, pisses me off something awful.
brian 08.16.06 at 10:32 am
True story! A co-worker was closing on a house and their agent couldn’t get ahold of the sellers agent. Not even the office know where they were. Turned out the sellers agent (older single woman) had a heart attack at home and died. Says he felt bad because he had been ready to chew her out for not showing up for 2 days.
Randall Wilson 08.16.06 at 10:01 pm
A day late and a dollar short. As a professional, you have a fudiciary obligation to the client to represent their interests in a transaction. I have no idea why so many licensed real estate agents forget this simple commitment.
RW
4MySales.com Agent Success Systems
Jonathan Dalton 08.17.06 at 9:00 pm
Two things: 1) had a transaction where I spent four days, two before the inspection period
ended and two after trying to reach the other agent for a BINSR. Finally did and luckily
his client didn’t want any repairs. 2) Flip side is agents who don’t leave a message, or
who call back twice more immediately just in case I was ignoring them. Usually happens
when I’m trying to keep a client calm on the other line and flipping over’s not an option.
I’ve always figured if you don’t answer, cool. But return the call quickly. Not like yet
another agent this weekend whose house I wanted to show who called two house after my folks
had stepped back on the airplane.
The AZ Real Estate Guy 08.23.06 at 4:36 pm
Oh, by the way, I was wrong. The agent mentioned in this blog post did NOT call back on Monday.
In fact, he NEVER called back!
Linda Davis 09.03.06 at 5:04 pm
The agent probably was just “sooooo busy”. That’s my favorite excuse.
When I hear that, I look them up in the MLS statistics and find they
haven’t listed or sold a house in ages. I always wonder what they
are so busy doing.
Jeff Brown 09.27.06 at 9:50 am
Although my company is purely investment oriented, and I don’t work weekends, my policy is that 90% of callers are rewarded with a live voice. My company is a two horse operation, or more accurately stated, horse and pony. (My son will appreciate that one.) We’re often both out of the office, and we’ve never employed a secretary as we’re appointment only, but the phone is always forwarded.
Furthermore, our email program is set to send/receive every five minutes, AND to pop up in front of all other running applications if there’s a new email. A reply is almost always immediate which has been elicited much positive feedback.
All of my clients have my cell number, and appreciate the ability to get me for any reason important to THEM. I can truly say that in the several years I’ve given them cell access they’ve not abused the priviledge.
The first day in the business my dad told me that returning phone calls promptly was one of the reasons his clients were loyal. (He was a house broker.) He said even if I misdial the first try, and can’t talk right then, the two minutes spent will be a courtesy my client will not only appreciate but respect. He was right.
The Phoenix Real Estate Guy 09.27.06 at 10:12 am
And that attitude Jeff, is exactly why you and “your pony” will be successful! (As I’m sure your father was…)
It never ceases to amaze me what horrific customer service some in this business provide. How difficult is it to flip open the phone and speak? Or respond to an email? I can’t count the number of times we’ve gotten a response back along the lines of, “You were the only agent that responded to my inquiry.” (!!!)
Heck, if I can respond to a blog comment in 19 minutes, it shouldn’t be that difficult to respond to a phone call and/or email. (and sorry for the delay, I was on the phone…
)
Chris Butterworth 08.24.07 at 4:41 pm
Hi Jay,
I just saw this post in your “this week last year” section, and felt compelled to comment.
True story: Sometime last summer (must have been close to this week) I was at lunch with some folks and we were brainstorming some ideas. Blogging came up in the discussion, and it stuck with me as something I wanted to look into. Well, back at my office, this was the very first real estate-related blog post I ever read!
A few weeks reading lots of blogs out there, another few weeks deciding how we wanted to present our ideas, and our blog was born - originally on blogger before we moved it in house. Man, does that seem like a long time ago!
Thanks for all your information & leadership by example along the way.
Jay - The Phoenix Real Estate Guy 08.24.07 at 10:04 pm
Thanks Chris! It’s always nice to hear comments like yours.
You and your team have a fabulous blog, and are to be commended!
Daytona Beach Real Estate 07.12.08 at 10:41 pm
This is an all too common issue, but it has worked to my advantage. I had a woman call me a few weeks ago who said that she was trying to contact other agents who did not respond to her email requests for information. She actually thanked me for answering the phone.
This happens a dozen times every year. I’ve actually started emphasizing in my marketing material that I answer my phone and return messages. Oh, the simple things. I can’t figure it out either. I’m glad I’m not the only one who is appalled.
Lynn
Myra 07.16.08 at 8:50 am
I understand your frustration. I think Agents that don’t answer their phone and/or don’t return calls have lost interest in thier profession. I wish I could tell them “you’re not good at your job, you should find another one,” but I can’t find a tactful way to say that