One of the common complaints you seem to hear about real estate agents is they don't answer their phones or they do not return calls promptly.
While that is, indeed, an issue no matter what market you are in, I have a pet peeve that I simply need to get off my chest.
It seems like such a small thing and goodness, why on earth would I get so upset, but it is driving me crazy.
Agents, when you call me, please stop for one second and consider what I may be doing during the course of my day. I may be in the car driving (highly likely), or at a home inspection or walking down the street to the settlement company or walking into my office or one of a million other things.
One thing I am usually not doing is sitting at a desk, waiting for the phone to ring, paper and pen in hand, ready to take notes.
So, please, when you call me, if at all possible, call me from the phone number you to which you wish the call returned so that all I have to do is hit "last call" or "missed calls" to get your number.
Particularly if we have a bad connection - it happens - and I cannot hear your name clearly, because if I hit "missed call" and get your office, I have no way of getting in touch because your name wasn't clearly understood on my voice mail. So that's a call that doesn't get returned - at least it seems that way to you. Of course, if you had called me from your cell phone, it doesn't matter if I have your name - I have your direct number.
If I am in the car, in particular, I can hit "missed call" and return your call in a nano-second. If you leave another number for me to dial, well, hey, guess what, that ain't happening until I can write down the number - and who knows who long THAT can take.
And I know that must be frustrating on YOUR end, because after all, you are just calling to ask a quick question about a listing and you sure would like the information sooner than later.
Hey, I'm happy to give it to you...but I don't drive and take notes, nor am I going to put down my armful of files on a busy street to stop and write down your phone number. But in many instances, if you would simply call me from the phone number you want me to use, I could - and would - call you back right away.
Otherwise, it will simply have to wait. And depending on what kind of crazy day I may have scheduled, it may be a while before I can get to it.
So, help me out here...don't sit in your office, dialing on your landline, asking me to return the call to your cell phone. Call me from your direct line or cell phone and make it easier on both of us!
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