Hello? Hello? Can you hear me now?Here in our part of the real estate world, life has been pretty slow.  After the tax credit expired, things came to a grinding halt, for all practical purposes.  And to add insult to injury, Rural Development money ran out.  This is a loan program for rural areas like Owasso.  Rural Development mortgages require no PMI, so they're a preferred program for many buyers.

In the midst of this slowdown, like many others, my company has been re-organizing and downsizing.  There have been cutbacks and some layoffs.  Work has been shifted to managers and other company employees.  One of the exciting changes has been a restructuring of the incoming calls system.  Where the phone used to not ring much, now it rings alot.  That's good in a slowdown!

In the past, I gave up doing "floor duty" because it just wasn't worth it.  No phone calls and rarely a walk-in.  I had way more effective ways to reach people (can you say Active Rain blogging and social media?!). 

Today the deal is that any associate can sign up to take inbound calls.  When a call comes in, there are two offices on duty with two people.  Whoever grabs the call first gets it.  If the client wants to check out a house, you're in business!  There have been some social media changes that have caused the phone to ring, but I won't go into those things here.

And it works.  Thursday morning I was on floor duty when a call came in from a lady who was interested in a house.  That evening I was showing the house and today we'll be writing an offer on it.  In a real estate slowdown, that's good stuff!

The only problem with this new system is that the company is having a hard time finding associates to answer the phone sometimes.  Maybe other associates are too proud or maybe they're busier than I am.  Whatever the case, they're missing opportunity.

And somedays, even in a real estate slowdown, opportunity comes knocking (or calling!)

Photo from Flickr Creative Commons:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/aussiegall/279804967/

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Information and content in this blog is original to Bob Haywood. 

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Bob Haywood
Bob Haywood
Owasso, Oklahoma Realtor 
Tulsa, OK Realtor®/ McGraw Realtors 
Bob@BobHaywood.com
(918) 272-7272

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89 Comments on I'm Not Too Proud to Answer the Phone

20 Most Recent Comments Displayed Show All

JUL
18
2010
256,826 Points 1 Featured Post Outside Blog

Our brokerage does not have floor duty but I take lunch duty occasiionally when we are short staffed and answer those phone calls. Hoping it eventually pays off.
10:04am • #71
130,099 Points

I like floor duty.  I think many times it is what you make of it and I do get business from it.  I want to say however that I have no interest in being an unpaid receptionist on busy work days, answering other broker calls. I'm not to proud to do it - just too busy.
11:32am • #72
557,397 Points 6 Featured Posts Outside Blog

If you need the work, answer the phones.  You have to have leads coming from somewhere.  When April 30 passed, we beefed up our marketing because we knew it would slow down.  Thus the need to generate more leads. 
11:44am • #73

We have floor duty in our office and not many of the agents want to do it.  We have a receptionist that answers the phone so we are just there for property calls.  It is a great time to get some work done if there aren't any calls!  I have 3 clients from floor duty this year, and one was a cash sale that closed very quickly.  You never know what who will call or walk in.  And it is a good way to see what is going on in the office!
12:03pm • #74
200,421 Points 8 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router

I do floor duty and get business from it on a regular basis. My big pet peeve, though, is when "new" agents are given the opportunity with little or no real life experience. I feel a lot of floortime business is lost through lack of experience. And that doesn't just mean the newbie agents are losing business, but any agent who has listing inventory. If a new agent doesn't know how to reel 'em in, then everybody loses, not just them.
12:20pm • #75
199,373 Points 4 Featured Posts

When I was with my prior office (and before I worked primarily out of home), I took as much floor time as I could.  That was a big part of my earnings. 

Now I create my own calls and I get upset when I miss a hot prospect because I'm in my car and can't convert quick enough.  Sure, I call back asap but sometimes they've moved on.  Otherwise, I'm ready to answer that phone and convert!
12:30pm • #76
586,470 Points 106 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Floor duty can be wonderful - depending upon the policies in your company. If all sign calls and ad calls automatically get routed to the listing agent - as I've seen in some offices - then there isn't much value to either the agent on duty or to the customer.

It's frustrating to be told that the agent will call back when you really want to ask some questions right now.

I didn't realize how many agencies did that until I quit selling to write full time. A year or so later my son wanted a house, and we had to pull teeth to get appointments on the week-ends when he was available. He'd read an ad on Friday night and we'd call... and if we got a call back it wouldn't be until Monday or Tuesday.
12:40pm • #77
161,830 Points 4 Featured Posts

Bob:  Pride cometh before the fall...

or maybe the market fell before they could get their pride in check.

I answer the phones, too!
2:39pm • #78
851,621 Points 183 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

I love this...it's not about pride, it's about business. We are in business and need to go where the clients are. I love when others tell me they don't do "blank" anymore. Great...I'll do it :)
3:07pm • #79
216,971 Points

I'll always be happy to get a phone call, email, text message or web lead. They're not quite as common as they used to be.
I'll do whatever I can to get the phone to ring & get these houses sold.
3:13pm • #80
I gave up floor duty in my office because the call always goes to the listing agent - the caller is transferred to their cell if the agent isn't in the office. If it's a general call not about a specific house the agent on duty gets it - which never happens since everyone has done their Internet search before they call - or found one in the Homes book.
3:28pm • #81
Localism Sponsor Outside Blog

Hi Bob,

I'm so glad we have floor opp's - on Thurs between 9-11.30am myself and another agent in the office received 4 - yes 4 opp's during our shift - this year floor has been great closed 4 deals already this year and another due to close next week - Good luck!
8:17pm • #82

I take "floor time" several weekends each month and I've had my license since 1987! Sure, there are times that I don't receive a single lead BUT.... It's 3 hours that I can focus on my real estate business without the distractions of home. Yesterday I worked on an online Continuing Ed course while on floor - something I probably wouldn't have taken the time to do if I'd not been on floor.
8:59pm • #83
JUL
19
2010
517,940 Points 6 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Hi Bob,

We have four shifts for floor agents each day, 7 days a week, except holidays.  I never mind doing them as I always have work to do whether I'm there at that desk or my desk at home and the occassional client has always been worth it!

 Best of luck on your shifts!!!!
1:49am • #84

I take floor duty whenever possible and cover for other agents as needed. I try to meet or talk to as many people as possible,  even if a sale or listing is not in the cards. If you make a good impression to those folks you may be referred by them to someone who is a viable client. 
8:18am • #85
269,160 Points 3 Featured Posts Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp

It happens in our office all the time. People won't take floor duty and then they hear that agents are picking up clients from floor duty and the next month we have more agents on floor duty. It seems to swing back and forth as to the number signing up. I do sit floor duty as much as I can. It is a good time to get caught up on paperwork and emails.
8:43am • #86
115,135 Points 6 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

If I were a Realtor, I'd sign up for floor duty.  Sounds like fun!  And if the phone doesn't ring, you can always sit there and blog about how the phone isn't ringing.  Then, when it rings, you can blog about that, too, like you just did!
9:42am • #87
1,023,886 Points 15 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

I think answering the phone and talking to people is one of the best things we can do. 
10:58am • #88
1 Featured Post

Even if phone duty is slow, it's a good time to catch up on your "to do" list!
2:51pm • #89
592,224 Points 22 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp

I like the first-come, first-serve idea with the phones. That's motivation to get them answered! And congratulations on your offer... hopefully contract now?
10:53pm • #90

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