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I like to consider myself a responsible, professional individual. My business background comes from the hospitality industry. There, I was trained that the “customer is always right”. You bend over backwards to help them with their needs and make sure they are happy. I did this working at the Front Desk, and later in the Sales Department as Director of Sales.
Did you know that when you inquiry about a particular rental listing, that I can not only help you with that one, but ANY rental listing in the MLS. That’s the amazing thing about us real estate agents. We can help you with numerous properties, not just the one you happened to ask about!! Pretty cool, eh?
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41 Comments on Excuse Me? Why Do You Ask If You Don't Answer?
Thom
That's good news about your "new" site.
I suppose anonymity is both the beauty and the curse of the Internet and email. Some emails I suspect are being directed at multiple people to see who responds (and we know many do not). But it is a curious thing that some people appear to be serious and interested and that things go no further that the initial inquiry, and sometimes more. With some it's the "just looking" response we all often give when in a bricks and mortar store.
Jeff
I expect professionals to return calls in a timely manner, especially if there are listing agents. Getting a return call after 6 hours is not timely for me and since I have already flagged that agent as unprofessional, I won't return their call since I won't work with them regardless of their listing.
Professionals are busy and expect professional courtesy and there are too many other opportunities I can steer my clients. Hopefully, agents, especially listing agents will comprehend this message.
I just recently called an agent about a $1.6m listing who was too busy to return my call. I didn't indicate what listing I was calling about except to say I was a Realtor and needed some information about one of her listings. Who knows what could have occurred had she called me back within a couple hours, but she lost whatever opportunity about that property or any other property she represents. Harsh, perhaps, but busy professionals are fearless.
I am always amazed how that happens. Sometimes people will even call to schedule an appointment, they get a call back, and then they disappear from the face of the earth. It doesn't even make any sense.
I've actually had prospects ask questions but not leave an email or phone number to get back to them. Hmm...I always google the name and sometimes get a hit. Most of the time not. Their loss.
Thom: Oh my gosh, we ask ourselves this all the time! Courtesy just isn't there any more. Once someone has the info they need they forget about us and just move on. Not long ago I had a gal we've met several times, lives around the corner from my sister, ask for a market analysis for a refi. We spent an hour or so getting it done for her, sent it off, and . . . nothing. It's been months and still not a thank you. People, what ya gonna do?! Carrie
Thom,
I would say that about 99% of my responses go unacknowledged the 1st time around. If by some chance there is two way communication they usually disappear after the second round - no 'thank you', no 'its not what I expected' - just gone.
Over the past several years I have had 1 closing as a reult of an internet inquiry but 'hope springs eternal'.
Per Trulia over 70% of all inquiries go unanswered by Realtors - I do not know where they get that statistic - I respond to each and every inquiry within 24 hours ( as per many of my fellow agents they also respond to each inquiry) - even if the inquiry is for an area that I do not service - I ALWAYS send a response. However I can see I am getting close to burn-out when it comes from Trulia/Zillow inquiries - too much time responding to inquiries that go absolutely nowhere ( or even a thank-you).
What is a big waste of my time and extremely frustrating is when the phone number and/or email that is given is incorrect, so I have learned that before I start to do any research I always send a test email or make a quick call to see if it is legit. - Why would someone waste their time and send incorrect contact info??
Thom - thanks for the opportunity to vent a bit
It takes quite a few "no's" and "no responses" to get to that "yes". Just think of it as one step closer to your goal.
It gets really frustrating, doesn't it? I love it when I find someone who actually wants to have a conversation.
I don't know whether this is a cultural problem because of the advent of the internet or just a real estate thing. But either way I find it very rude when someone asks me to take time out of my busy day to answer their question as fast as possible and then doesn't even bother to thank me or respond. My expectations of people are higher than that.
Turn and burn is what I call it. Gotta burn through 90-100 before you close 1 on the internet!
Different set of business scenarios now I think. More texting, speed, etc. = no answering & rude behavior. Don't get it either but it's part of the game as Renee says.
Yes, it is rude and bad to not answer - that doesn't apply when the customer comes from a blog, usually. Those are hot leads.... or at least warm. All of my Trulia and Zillow leads are rude and ice cold (except one today - made an appointment!)
Ok great---it's not me---pick my brain, then throw me to the wolves----internert leads, that's what I'm talking about-----is it ok that I take time to research properties for you and you don't even have the decency to shoot me a quick e-mail back to let me know you're not interested, thank you for your help? Thom I am with you---it's rude, and non-professional----and it seems to be very common practice. Is this the consumer's way of telling us we don't matter to the industry anymore?
Probably because their brother-in-law's third cousin Fred is an agent and after someone else does all the work Fred will write the offer.
Hi Thom,
Great post! I don't work with rentals anymore... They have cost me lots of pain and sleepless nights.
Have a great weekend.
Lori: Glad you enjoyed.
Dan: Maybe if people treated us better, they might also have a better image of us?
Dale: Would be nice.
Carla: Yeah, communication. If only the knew we could help them if they just let us.
Pamela: So very very frustrating that now I don't even want to respond to the leads
Tammy: I'm throwing more than a glass of water...
Larry: I made the Drop!
Lexie: If I took rentals off my site, I would not need a site. Not a Buyer in sight!!!
Thom,
This happens to me all the time. My response to all Internet leads to to say "Thank you for inquiring, and I'm happy to answer any questions you may have about the property. Please call me so we can discuss it in more detail. Thanks again!" Then of course I leave my contact info, and call it a day. If they won't even call me on the phone, I figure they're not too serious anyway. If they email me again, I try to open dialogue with them, but I'm not going to chase down additional info, and waste a bunch of my time for someone who's bored and just cruising the Internet.
I don't get mad about it. I figure lots of people inquire about many things online (not just real estate) that aren't serious buyers. Make a standard email template, fill in the appropriate blanks, and wait for an actual lead to come through. It's a part of life now with the internet.
Thom and everyone: I was thinking about this blog while I had my coffee this morning and I realized I do learn something else from these non-responsive Internet leads. When I get them, even when they don't respond, I try to take time to look up the rest of the neighborhood for the house or rental they originally inquired about (when I've got the time).
Again, this may be a waste of time for those agents that have been in the business for years and are familiar with property sales and values already in that area, but for me, it gives me an opportunity to explore things like the current HOA dues, taxes, and property values. Even if I never hear from the prospect again, it gave me a reason to do my homework. Especially here in south Florida where one neighborhood can be completely different from another right next door, it helps to educate myself not only on an individual home, but on individual neighborhoods. The next time someone (a more serious client) calls me about a home in that same area, I can discuss it with confidence.
Thanks for all your comments! The process still goes on the same. I get inquiries, and then when I respond, I hear nothing back.
REally, why waste someone's time? I get now to where some of them go unanswered on my end. Probably not a good thing for me, but you get tired after awhile!