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Have you looked at your phone log lately? How many calls did you miss?

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Cornerstone Business Group Inc 0225086119

"Why are you avoiding my phone calls?" That's the message an electrical client left on my phone this morning while I was in the shower. Did the phone ring? I have no idea. I was in the shower. I rarely never carry my expensive smart phone into the shower. Call me crazy.

Of course, since agents not answering their phones is one of my pet peeves, I decided to look back through my phone log to see if I missed any other calls this week. Well, yes it I did. I missed 9 on Monday and 9 on Tuesday. I see a pattern there, but I have no idea what it means.

I also went back and looked at how many calls my cellphone receives in a typical working day (8-5). I average 51 cellphone calls (not including office calls) a day, and I'm missing 18%. I don't answer the phone if I'm with a client unless I'm expecting a highly important call that the client is aware of. It has to be really important to interrupt my time with a client.

I don't typically answer calls if I'm in a closing, unless it's critical. I don't answer the phone if I have my hands in something that is electrical and hot (on). I'm not a big fan of answering my phone when I'm driving, but my car does give me the privilege of hands free answering, but if traffic is exceptionally difficult, I don't answer. I also don't answer my phone if I'm in the shower, the pool or the ocean. So, there are times that answering the phone is off the table.

This was quite a revelation. The electrical client assumed that I was monitoring my calls and purposely ignoring him, and in reality, he would be a good candidate for that, but it wasn't the case. I was tied up in such a way that I couldn't get to the phone. How many calls are you missing a day? 

 

 

 

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Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

Oh, I have those too, Jenna.  

Jul 29, 2015 02:18 AM
Margaret Goss
@Properties - Winnetka, IL
Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate

I'm with Jenna Dixon - I don't count the calls I selectively choose not to answer as missed!  

Jul 29, 2015 02:19 AM
Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

Margaret, I have my list there too. 

Jul 29, 2015 02:23 AM
Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate
John L Scott Market Center - Birkenfeld, OR
"Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843

Mike, humorous and spot on. I like to be prepared, pen-in-hand when answering a call. I also don't like to interrupt someone that I am currently working with--it's just good manners. My biggest problem is that I work mostly from home and out here in our neck-of-the-woods, when on the phone with one person, if the other line rings in, they can't go to voicemail, so sometimes I have to "interrupt" and explain it to the person I'm on the phone with. 

A *FEATURE*, too--perfect!

 

Jul 29, 2015 02:23 AM
Les & Sarah Oswald
Realty One Group - Eastvale, CA
Broker, Realtor and Investor

Love Jenna Dixon answer that there is a difference between missed call and declining to answer. 

I don't have many missed call, because I usually get back to those within an hour.

Jul 29, 2015 04:35 AM
Liz and Bill Spear
Transaction Alliance 513.520.5305 www.LizTour.com - Mason, OH
Transaction Alliance Cincinnati & Dayton suburbs

Mike, Obviously you need to start skipping showers so you can get that number under 10% ....of course skip enough showers and the calls may stop anyway. :)

Jul 29, 2015 04:47 AM
Jill Sackler
Charles Rutenberg Realty Inc. 516-575-7500 - Long Beach, NY
LI South Shore Real Estate - Broker Associate

Laughing out loud at the witty response above. Mike, it's an easy assumption to make but not always correct to fear you're being ignored.

Jul 29, 2015 05:03 AM
Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

Gayle, I try to mind my manners, but if I can't, I'm very apologetic. 

S & L, I was surprised at how many I have missed in the past couple days. Oy!

That is an option, Bliz. Of course, the Misses might make me sleep on the deck. But, that 10% number is important too. 

I hear you, Jill. I do have those I ignore though.  Shoot, my blocked numbers almost equal my phone directory.

Jul 29, 2015 06:09 AM
Thomas F. Scanlon
Borgida & Company P. C., CPA's - Manchester, CT
CPA, CFP

Mike Cooper - Well done.  I haven't counted how many I missed.  I focus on callbacks.  If I want to call you back, I will, no later than the end of the day. This is called the 'Sunset Rule.'

Cheers,

Tom

Jul 29, 2015 07:23 AM
Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

Thomas, I do return most calls. I do have that list that I might ignore, but it's a small one. The bigger list that I would ignore are in my blocked caller file. So, I don't get theirs anyway. 

Jul 29, 2015 08:47 AM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Mike Cooper I get a lot of calls and I know which are spam and which are not (most of the time).  It's great to be able to block calls these days.

Jul 29, 2015 11:08 AM
Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

Anna, what I'm running into over here is the high volume of people moving into the area are bringing strange looking numbers with them. They don't look like traditional area numbers. So, I've had to start answering more than I might have just a few years ago. They're typically cellphone numbers. 

Jul 29, 2015 11:32 AM
John Ferrier
Mortgage Network Solutions, LLC - West Chester, PA
20+ yrs as a consultative mortgage professional

I'm starting to direct all of my calls to my Smartphone with the intention of being able to text back an "I'm busy/on a call/in a meeting, I'll call back as soon as possible" type message. Not perfect, not absolute, but I always try to 'be where I am' so I do my best to not take a call if buy w/ something else.

Jul 29, 2015 12:44 PM
Pat Starnes-Front Gate Realty
Front Gate Real Estate - Brandon, MS
601-991-2900 Office; 601-278-4513 Cell

Mike, I got a new phone last week and missed a couple of calls due to user error (mine). If it's a telemarketer, oh well. Otherwise, I try to return all calls the same day. But we get busy and forget. We're human!

Jul 29, 2015 12:47 PM
Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

John, my office calls come to me if no one picks them up within three rings. It works pretty well. If they're bogus calls, I just block them from my cellphone from future calls. 

Yes we do, Pat. 

Jul 29, 2015 12:59 PM
Conrad Allen
Re/Max Professional Associates - Webster, MA
Webster, Ma, Realtor

Hi Mike.  I have caller ID for a reason.

Jul 29, 2015 08:29 PM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

I do miss calls but the same as you, there's usually a good reason.  Then I just call back asap.

 

Jul 29, 2015 11:21 PM
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

I am on some solar panel pitch list that uses different numbers. I miss those

Jul 30, 2015 12:06 AM
Chris and Dick Dovorany
Homes for Sale in Naples, Bonita Springs and Estero, Florida - Naples, FL
Broker/Associate at Premiere Plus Realty

I am so bad at this.  I rely on my phone to tell me if Ive missed a call but sometimes I think my phone is in the shower and forgets to notify me.

Jul 30, 2015 12:41 AM
Troy Erickson AZ Realtor (602) 295-6807
HomeSmart - Chandler, AZ
Your Chandler, Ahwatukee, and East Valley Realtor

Mike - There have been times where I have missed calls that I was totally unaware of, for the same reasons as you. I was either in the shower, or in a meeting.

I have gotten better at checking my phone more often throughout the day.

Jul 30, 2015 02:20 AM
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