I Love The House! Why Won't The REALTOR Return My Call?

I have found in my business if I don't get right back to a customer they will call someone else.

Mike:

I don't understand not returning a call in a timely manner.  No matter how busy you are you can call and say I need more time to answer your question.  Our new city manager told me that he will return a call by the next day.  He is a very busy person, but feels that call must be returned, if he can do it why can't others?

Great post...I hope the agents your writing about that don't pick up the phone are the same agents blaming the market for their lack of success...

Wow! I can't imagine that. No calling back? Despite how technical our world has become that personal touch cannot be neglected. I have to think that karma will kick in and those agents who aren't returning calls are going to begin seeing the negative effect of that.

Gretchen

Hey Mike, this is so true! congrats on your feature that is excellent and well deserved! :)  Even tho we have the Internet helping with achieving much of our work....you still need to fall back on the simple talk over the phone.  That is key.  I remember my mother teaching me, be sure to answer that phone because most clients when it comes to Feng Shui will go with the consultant who answers the phone and if they have a connection.  It is rare that they call back right away and set up an appointment if you miss them...or they will call back months later haha.

As you mention, it's important to have that emotional connection..that is key!

Mike I completely agree with your statement

"As a lender, though, my pipeline will atrophy if I don't take those calls, listen to the problems, and offer assistance without expectation of an immediate monetary payoff."

I have built my business on doing that.  It might not have a monetary payoff today, but it will most of the time have one in the future. 

Mike

It has been a problem for a while and it seems to be getting worse. I've taken to calling AND emailing so there is a record in case I need to take it to the next step. Is this any way to run a business? Guess it works OK for some becuz they keep doing it.

Jeff

Got a call just today from someone hoping to see one of my listings. That listing is currently under contract but I suggested that there was another home in that development if he'd like to see it. He said he already tried calling that agent but he didn't answer his phone and hasn't returned the phone call. I said no problem, I can show you that home. We have an appointment for tomorrow.

Mike, that's why I think some of the short sale and foreclosure agents will be one shot wonders when the market settles back down to more seller-owned sales again. They will either adapt their 'bedside manner' or be out of business.

Sharon

GOOD MORNING MIKE!I hope your afternoon got away because you were answering your phone!  I've sometimes not returned phone calls because I didn't get the call - but, if you do get the call - return it.  I get calls all the time from people who are not qualified to rent homes I have listed - but I still return the calls and talk with them about the home.  It's just the nice thing to do!

For me it goes to the core of their courtesies that should have been taught to them at a very early age:

• Respect others
• Speak when spoke to
• Remember to say please and thank you

I have a 2 year old grandson that is learning this right now. At no time in our adult life should we forget common courtesy. It's hard to stay in this business without it

Mike - NOTHING more irritating than this! I had it happen again yesterday!

That is the reason, no doubt.

When I don't get a call back, I know it has offers, so I move on.

The systems in place work just fine...But when people start playing with them, they go another way. Phones originally were meant to be answered if you go back a few decades. It was to reach someone first, and then to make a call second...When did it turn into something else? Just by being available over the years, I have been very successful because the other guy wasn't......thank you

They are working their other job!  That's been my experience anyway.

Mike - I have developed carpal tunnel writing on this very same subject!!!!  Our business is all about COMMUNICATION!!!!!  Love it!!!!

On the subject of phone etiquette, I hate when I call a listing agent and they make you feel stupid for calling because they "already have 4 or 5 offers" and yet the listing says ACTIVE and how would a buyer even know...

The no call back means they have an abundance of offers. And they may be waiting for a bank to respond as to which offer will be accepted.