Who Amongst Us Is Working

This is an extract from a BloodhoundBlog post by Atlanta Realtor and Associate Broker Doug Quance:

Are you working for free?

I know I have -- and still do... and I'm not alone.

Realtors often do a great deal of work for which we are never compensated. Not all of our listings sell, and not all of our buyers actually purchase a property.

For most of us, we perform a service -- investing our time and money -- with no guarantee that we'll ever see a dime in return.

It is typical of many commissioned sales people.

And yet if you surf the Internet, you'll see countless examples of people claiming that commissioned sales people don't earn their money... and how they are only in it for the buck.

Let's shift gears for a moment.

When I was checking out of the hospital a few weeks ago, my attending physician was writing up my prescriptions and we chatted for a few minutes. He told me that he would give me a referral to a pulmonary specialist.

Before I left the hospital, I bumped into this specialist out in the hallway -- and our brief encounter went something like this:

Me -- "Hi Doc -- they gave me your contact information and told me to call and set up an appointment in the next week or so."

Specialist -- "When you call my office, if they try to schedule you for five or six weeks out, tell them you spoke with me and that I said to schedule you as soon as possible."

Me -- "No problem. I'll tell them."

That was pretty much it. If there was more, I don't remember it.

What on Earth does this have to do with the subject at hand?

Well, you might draw the inference that this specialist was performing a little commissioned sales work. You might conclude that he was trolling the hospital for new patients... and he spent a few moments with me in the interest of future business.

Well that's the inference I had, anyhow...

So I get this letter from his office today -- marked personal and confidential. I'm thinking that it's just a reminder that I should schedule an appointment, since -- at this point in time -- I had failed to do so.

No, that would be too much like a commissioned salesperson.

Enclosed in the envelope was a bill.

A bill for our two minute meeting.

A bill for $237.

Now I'm not trying to begrudge the specialist from earning a living. I know that he's spent over ten years in school and as an intern to get where he is today. I know he needs to stay on top of the latest procedures. His knowledge is valuable.

But I do question the amount -- and the wisdom of sending it.

-- Doug Quance, BloodhoundBlog

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