Agents: Answer the phone
Realtor Notebook
By Teresa Boardman, Thursday, March 4, 2010.
There is a lot of discussion, both online and offline, about raising the bar for Realtors. I did some research in an attempt to figure out just what raising the bar is about. Education seems to be a big part of it.
There are many who believe that requiring more education to get and to keep a real estate license would make us all more professional.
The only common theme I can find when I read about professionalism is answering the phone. Apparently, that is what professionals are supposed to do and what consumers complain about: our lack of phone-answering skills. The talk about returning phone calls and answering the phone makes me smile.
I question why any consumer would do business with someone who can't return a call. Instead of complaining, they should just move on.
Yet they complain about unprofessional real estate agents who don't answer the phone or return calls. There are a zillion of us -- they just called the wrong agent and need to move on.
Answering the phone is a very low bar, but there are many in all industries who have not yet achieved that level of professionalism and who can't provide that level of customer service.
I know that when people call me they are surprised that I answer the phone. It is very easy to do, and I have noticed that it gives me a leg up on the competition.
Sometimes I get business just because I answered the phone, and I am not always the first agent to be called.
There is a simple secret to my ability to answer the phone. I have only one number, and one phone, which is a cell phone with two batteries. Why two batteries? My business runs on batteries and I believe that I am only as good as my weakest battery.
I don't understand why people still have more than one phone number. I hate to give my secrets away to the competition, but answering the phone is very powerful and gives me an unfair, killer competitive advantage. ...CONTINUED
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Submitted by Tom Wolf on March 4, 2010 - 2:13pm.
Teresa, your article is very accurate. I speak with about 250 agents per week, and I can tell you first hand that those that are the most successful, and arguably the busiest, answer their phones much more than those that are struggling. You could write a book about the different aspects of professionalism, but sticking with the phone theme, I would add on that agents must be mindful of how they answer the phone, and also how they utilize their voice mail system when they can't answer. Unprofessional greetings and voice mail boxes that are full are a sure fire way to turn prospects or clients off.
Submitted by Joellen Chappell on March 4, 2010 - 2:29pm.
I had to laugh while I was reading this article.
Is our professionalism really judged by how, or if, we answer our phone? YES! The simplest things are always what trip us up. So: if I may add my 2 cents, don't move, don't change your phone number/email address and for goodness sake ANSWER YOUR PHONE!
Raising the bar suggestion: an apprenticeship
for a certain # of transactions.
Joellen D. Chappell, Broker Associate
jchappell@c21mm.com
Submitted by Kristal Kraft on March 4, 2010 - 2:50pm.
It is also important to answer the phone when your colleagues call. Professionalism goes a long way in this business. You just never know who you will be negotiating with next week...or not!
Kristal Kraft
Selling Denver Real Estate
Submitted by Albert Clark on March 4, 2010 - 4:16pm.
Hi To All- Other stats indicate that the odds of contacting someone after they tried to get you are 20 times less if you do not get back to them in 3 minutes. As far as contact forms go, it takes on average, 3 hours for an agent to get back to a form filler...And from my realPING.com research 76% of the time a consumer will work with the FIRST AGENT that gets back to them... JUST PICK UP THE PHONE!
Albert Clark
Home Actions Relationship Platform
Scranton, PA
570 510 3507
aclark@homeactions.net
Submitted by Marc Davison on March 4, 2010 - 4:36pm.
Gang,
In this day and age we are judged by everything. Real estate people shouldn't be all that shocked that this appears to be one way you are judged. Especially when given this insight:
The most recent surveys clearly indicate how important responding to inquires are. Considering this ranks so high on consumers lists of needs, why is it surprising or unfair then for a consumer to judge one as unprofessional if they aren't catering to something so obviously important to their customer base?
Taking a bigger step back, there's enough technological selections out there that can route calls, convert calls to emails, convert calls to text messages along with services that take calls, answer calls, respond with light answers to calls to stuff a Bear rug.
Generally speaking, a consumer views real estate as being a somewhat technology oriented industry and might find themselves judging an agent as being unprofessional if all they have is a fax phone that sits connected to a wall by a chord - which incidentally occurred to me all week last week trying to reach an agent who left their # on my VM.
By all accounts, real estate appears to be in a rut. It's winter. Aside from a few select lucky destinations, the sluggish market paints the portrait of a hungry agent in dire need of a call, a lead, a prospect, an inquiry... any sign of potential life that could lead to a sale.
Given the limited patience people have and quick draw they have to label anyone incompetent, it should be not surprise that to anyone why it might appear unprofessional to a person trying to get in touch with an agent and can't.
A professional typical comes through in the the clutch and typically nails the simple things. As well as the hard ones. Seems to me, if all it takes is answering the phone to be a pro, I'd advise everyone to just do it!
Marc
1000Watt Consulting
Turn On!
Submitted by chris young on March 4, 2010 - 4:37pm.
For agents in the state of Maryland: Be aware that the Maryland Real Estate Commission requires that your office phone number be printed on all marketing materials, advertisements, cards, etc. in addition to any direct phone numbers that you choose to publish. Infractions of this regulation are punishable by fines.
Submitted by Jillayne Schlicke on March 4, 2010 - 6:17pm.
Hi Teresa,
Interact with hundreds and some years, thousands of agents every year.
One of the reasons why they're not answering their phones these days is because they already have another part time...or full time job.
Submitted by William Metzker on March 4, 2010 - 9:22pm.
While "answer the phone" contains truth--Occam's Razor, after all--it begs the point.
For 2010, in Oregon, real estate licensees will be required to have a high school diploma or "equivalent."
Oooh.
"Answer the phone?"
Indeed.
Submitted by ron gent on March 4, 2010 - 10:19pm.
Wow, Teresa your article was right on, I have been a Realtor for maybe 8 years now,I have been extremely fortunate and blessed and I just love this crazy business of ours, many many times I have been asked what my secret was-how do I have so many clients wanting to work with me, was there something mystical going on here--Well the answer is NOPE, I answer my phone in a timely manner, return missed calls, follow through with what I say, and I am truly interested in people that call me, I go out of my way to help someone even if there is no possibility of a sale or if its another Realtors client, I do what I say I will do, if there was any one reason that I am successful in this business is that people know I call them back, crazy as it may sound you need to like to talk on the phone, have an unlimited calling plan, that will put you far above the rest even if you don't know as much as that High Profile Realtor that has their name everywhere, what you say when you make that contact is another matter but without that phone contact your are non existant, no one knows who you are or cares, funny thing is that 95% of all the Realtors you give this advice to will ignore it and continue to do the same old losing stuff, Realtors are a funny Breed, give TERESA'S advice a try, it's the best advice you will ever receive, Happy Selling, Ron Gent,,Century 21 Prestige Properties, 909-815-0281
Submitted by Bill Fooks on March 5, 2010 - 2:28am.
Bill Fooks
TFT realty Marketing Service
Warwick, RI http://www.fooksteam.com
Good coments. We use vonage so our phone is always answered.We can make the person on call get the call directed to them so people get a real voice, called a "live person". This way we are not tied to a desk, and can point the call to different partners to receive the calls.
Submitted by Mike Sparr on March 11, 2010 - 7:18am.
Great post Teresa.
I often hear our agent clients tell me they followed up on text message leads only to find the buyer was represented by an agent, but they wouldn't return their client's own calls to see properties of interest. Thankfully the listing agent was using our service and called the listing agent and was able to schedule a showing and sell the properties.
The simplest task of following up on leads, or answering the phone, make a HUGE difference in the sales professional's bottom line.
We'll keep doing our part to help and thanks for bringing light to this topic.
--
Mike Sparr
Goomzee.com
"Connecting buyers and sellers"