How do you deal with really bad attitudes of buyers and sellers? Life is more than handling a few objections or dealing with the client that constantly has to have thier hand held to more forward or make a decision. They are OK and just part of the job. But every so often we get the person that there is no better way to describe them as "Clients from Hell!' There is no appeasement, no bargaining with them. They refuse any enlightenment! Reasoning with the person when it is "Obviously all about them!" How do you do it? Or is it best to just walk away. Let's also keep in mind that commissions are good, but sometimes all the money in the world it just isn't worth it!
I have been writing a series of blogs (and have been too busy lately to write more) called "Lose the 'Tude"
I have an overview and a part 1 so far. I also have a blog titled "When negativity hinders creativity"
You have to realize that you cannot please everyone all of the time in this business. I guess it would depend the severity of the problem on what I would do with your clients. If it is causing too much anxiety and inhibiting your business/personal life it is probably best to let them go. I have only been in the biz a 1 1/2 in Las Vegas (was licensed in Nebraska before) and I have played catch and release with the difficult fish. THe difficult ones are usually what I call "professional" buyers or sellers. They aren't usually motivated.
It is not easy that is for sure. I had one that started drinking again a week into the escrow. I didn't know at the time that severe alcoholics can have schizophrenic breaks. I will never forget that escrow for the rest of my life. Once you are in escrow you are stuck. If I ever see signs of that severe kind of behavior in a client before we are in escrow, I am saying bye bye and next.
Don't fight with them. First question is did you do something that caused the attitude. Did they drop in and want to see that home with an owner you can not find...right now! You are doing the best you can to find this seller and to accomadate them. Don't take it personal they are in a hurry...society has a drive thru mentally...drive thru burgers, banking...heck in California they even have drive those funeral homes for last respects on the way to the beach or work. Second question, if you can determine it is not something you did not do for them that they expected, realize they are crabby for other reasons that have nothing to do with you. Don't let them infect you. If you are whistling heading into the post office some morning and get greeted with a "What are you so happy about?" as if there is something wrong with you, thank your stars you do not have the same negative ready to fight frame of mind. But you could if you spent too much time with them. Some customers it is good to be too busy or scheduled elsewhere. Recognize them and make the decision to limit the contact and eventually back away. You know the back away option quickly when they let you know there are no good brokers, that all of the ones they have dealt with are duds. You're in the group too...just get out before you lose a boot in the mug slinging.
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