Home : Blogs : Ken Montville -- the MD Suburbs of DC : The MD Suburbs of DC

Turning the Phone Off...

When I first came into real estate as a full timer, I was trained to think that real estate was a 24/7/365 type of job. This was my business and if I wanted to develop it and make some money, I had to make myself available to people who normally work 9-5, M-F.

As time went by, I started going to workshops and seminars that talked about balance and boundaries and setting expectations. After all, the teaching went, doctors and lawyers and accountants are not available 24/7/365 (well, maybe some lawyers). I was told that I need time for my family and for "recovery" or "relaxation" -- a time to "recharge". Heck, I thought this was a fine idea until I tried to reach a couple of agents that didn't work on Sundays or, nowadays, REO listing agents that work M-F, 9-5.

Recently, though, I've made the mistake of leaving my iPhone on and I started getting calls from other agents at 8:30pm or 9:30pm with questions that, quite frankly, could have waited until the morning. Yeah, I know. I didn't have to answer the call. I'm just one of those people who get real edgy when the phone rings and I have to answer it. Just have to.

Anyway, answering the phone late in the evening for things that could have easily waited until the next day has really gotten me thinking about the whole boundaries and "time off" thing. It's one thing to be able to sit down with my client and let them know that I will be available for them a lot of the time but after 7:00pm is not a good time or Tuesdays may be off limits. It's another thing to be "on call' for other agents who get the notion to call any old time. Heck, their up and thinking about me. I should be thinking about them, too.

The thing, for me personally, is that I'm more of a morning person. There have been many a time I wish I could have called someone at 6:00am or 7:00am to get a status update, ask a question or whatever. Unfortunately, I realize I have to wait.

So. What do you think about boundaries and what might be reasonable working hours and working days?

Inquiring Minds Want To Know!

Posted by Ken Montville -- the MD Suburbs of DC on 07/01/2009 06:57 PM

Comments (12)

work, clients, phones

Post is included in group: Virtual Office - Work from Home Office
Post is included in group: Realtors®
Post is included in group: Maryland Real Estate and Mortgage Group
Post is included in group: Dedicated Bloggers
Post is included in group: Addicted to Active Rain

12 Comments on Turning the Phone Off...

JUL

If I'm negotiating an offer, I'm available for the other agents to call me at any time as I act as though "time is of the essance". If it's not about an offer acceptance or counter, the call can defintely wait until morning.

This can be a tough call. I try not to call people before 9:30 am or after 8:00 at night unless its urgent. I also try to limit calls on Sundays. I do think its ok to not answer calls in the evenings or Sundays as long as calls are returned in a timely fashion the next morning.

Ken...........phone's on.............I look at caller i.d. and make a decision...............if it is one of my agents, I answer...............if it is LENN HARLEY...........i answer a.s.a.p. ...............if it is that annoying agent hoping my client will write on his 8 million dollar listing,.......it goes to voice mail.........my kids are picked up on second ring..........other important people..before first ring finishes...........hmmm...that tells it like it is and i really don't know what it is..........oh.........if it rings after i have gone to bed...well i have more important things to do there so it can wait..

[So. What do you think about boundaries]

They equal respect.

So since self respect must lead, I'm in favor of setting them . . . ;)

Ken, I am available 8am - 6pm Monday - Friday, Saturdays by appointment and Sundays = Family Day. I was doing the "available 24-7 but found that most things can wait till a work day...title people do not work on weekends...lenders do not work on weekends...appraisers and inspectors generally do not work on weekends...so, why should I? I work hard on the weekdays so I am able to play with my family on weekends! Thank you for the post!

Ok - this has been a major issue for me throughout my career. I am a loan officer......stop cringing all you realtors until you finish reading. I have been in this business for over 22 years and BALANCE is crucial to my life. I support myself and have been able to do it without working 24/7/365. After mirroring top producing REALTORS that were able to obtain a blanced life for years,and seeing REALTORS that didn't work Sundays, or certain nights, etc this is how i chose to do it. I do not meet clients on Sundays. yes, It's my day for church and bills, and wash, weekend trips, beach whatever. Now do I answer my phone? First I tell all my realtors that anyone can prequalify on my website www.colleencraig.com (shameless plug) at any hour and I will get a text sent to my phone and I can go to my computer and email them a letter within minutes (again when I get to it that day depending on the emergency). After all, there shouldn't be any EMERGENCY PREQUALS if the realtor has done their job up front BEFORE they took the client out - but yes with the newer agents, it happens. ALL my realtors that KNOW how i work, RESPECT my time and KNOW that they can get ahold of me in the case of an emergency. What am I saying? It's all about setting expectations and training your clients. If my client calls before 8 am the first time and I answer? They now expect me to be available that time throughout the process. I Purposely wait until 9:00 am and don't return calls after 7:00 pm and trust me this works, they never expect me to after the first time. If you have to put it in your buyer/seller package in writing or leave an outgoing message on your cell- do that....Normal business hours are from x to x for emergencies, email me or whatever. SET the expectation up front and honestly - if you lose one or two b/c people don't respect your time, it's worth it - isn't it? That time with your children is well worth it. Your sanity is worth it.

Pick your time, set the expectation, be available for emergencies and maybe clarify what an emergency is.

When I see someone advertise that they are available 24/7/365 - I automatically think - they have no life and i don't respect that. That means I can call you a 3:00 am? Seriously!

Ok - it's after hours and i'm still working but I'm not taking calls! emails maybe but not calls! haha

Donna - My take on "time is of the essence" doesn't include night time. If someone wants to talk terms at 8:00pm it usually menas their dual career or out very late with a client by their own choice.

Stacey -Ann -- thank you. I've been know to stop at 7:00 but lately I've inadvertently been leaving it on and agents call at 9:30!

JMac - Sounds like you have your system down pat!

Candice -- Me, too.

Wanda -- I love your hours. I'm not there yet as far as my clients are concerned. I'll spend lots of time with them but I'm trying...

Colleen -- I have a loan officer buddy that is a Crackberry addict and answers e-mails almost instantaneously with things like "I'm at an Orioles game. I'll look into this in the morning." But he's an addict. BTW, I'm surprised at how many potential home buyers will NOT go online to fill out even a simple app.

My policy is simple and I tell my clients. If you call me between 8am and 7pm - I will answer or return the call. After 7pm; I will call you back the nest day by noon.

The exception: During Negotiations of a contract. I figure I can't sleep well until we ratify anyway - so I'll take calls as late as need be!

JUL

When I coach agents I have them train their clients that after 6pm everything should be e-mailed and if it is important enough that it has to be answered tonight, they will either e-mail the answer back or call. (But, it is there call because it is their family time)

JUL

Ken,

I make a point to ask others in the business how late can I call them, usually when we are negotiating an offer. I tell clients that they cal always call, and if I am up, I will answer. The rest of the calls can wait til the next day.

It was great to see you at the CRS meeting last week.

JUL

Boundaries Ken boundaries! I love this blog post! I've been thinking about this post and I keep my phone on but silence the ringer at night. And I've been doing my smart start morning ritual getting up at 5:00 am, etc. So I don't even check my phone or email that early in the am. I do however look at my phone and record my daily message between 8:00am and 8:30am. I sometimes have calls that came in prior to that. I don't mind when people call me that early. I used to think how can they even think they should call me at 6:30, or 7:00 in the AM! But then I realized most of the time the messages were not that important. I realized that they are just calling to leave me the message. Not calling to expect that I'll answer it. So as soon as I re-trained my thinking about it, it's much easier to keep my boundaries. And like George wrote above, telling and training your clients (and other agents) what your boundaries are, then they will already know it and be prepared for it. I know I just call up any agent at anytime (not too early or too late or course), but I am not expecting that they'll answer. I just want to leave my message. And if they don't answer and I actually do need them (i.e. I have an offer for them), I may call a second time to be sure they know it's more important than just a message. Sometimes they answer that second time. Or sometimes they don't. And if they don't. I'll leave my message, mark the message as urgent, and know they will get back to me. Hope my thoughts help! ~Nyssa

JUL

I too have now set boundaries. I've don't make outgoing calls before 9 am or after 9PM. I've had my phone ring as early as 7 in the morning and though I no longer answer at that time in the morning it usually is another agent with a question about a listing. I do program in my clients and coop agents numbers in my phone when we have a deal going I will make exceptions if we are in the middle of a critical negotiation to answer outside my time boundaries.

Leave a response…

Name:

Email:
(optional)

Comment:

What does the graphic say?