Home : Blogs : Lori Bee : Lori Bee's Real Estate Blog - all the "BUZZ" on Metro Charlotte, NC

Vacation? Do your clients know what that means?

I love my clients. I really do. And I understand they have needs. But do they understand mine?

It's hard working in a small office (me & one other licensed agent), because when you need to get away (notice I said "NEED"), you just about have to take some work with you.

Complicate that with a broken computer laptop screen and a malfunctioning Treo, and clients who bust out of a deal due to inspections, and you got the recipe for a nightmare vacation.

Not their fault... they need a place by the end of the month. Not yours either. But somehow I ended up working as much or more on vacation than when I am here. I lived at Staples while I was on vacation and all I got was a lousy button that said, "that was easy!"

Trust me, I am very grateful for willing and able buyers in this market, but... when my clients asked me today how nice it must have been to "get away and relax," and that they wanted to do so soon, there was a part of me that wanted to say...

"How about letting me know when you do, and I'll call you 15 times a day, send 20 e-mails, and demand for everything to be done ASAP , no matter that your children are crying because Mom's working , and then chew you out for not answering the phone after 9 PM, and see how much relaxation you feel?"

Of course I didn't say it... but don't we all have those moments? I don't think I am the only one out there. Feel free to share and vent your stories here.

And perhaps we need a course at NAR in Orlando in Stress Management... along with a free round or two of drinks to forget it all.

Posted by Lori Bee on 07/25/2008 01:08 PM

Comments (5)

realtor, stress, managment, time, vacation, clients, work, customer, understanding, nar, convention

Post is included in group: North Carolina Real Estate
Post is included in group: Realtors®

5 Comments on Vacation? Do your clients know what that means?

Great post Lori.

My wife gets after me for checking emails or blackberry while on vacation... I understand her frustration, but she understands the financial impact of NOT working while on vacations.

Great post, I hear your frustration :)

07/25/2008 01:17 PM

by Travis Newton-Today's Mortgage Group

Lori, Sounds like you need to set boundaries with your clienst from the beginning. I promise it will make for more enjoyable vacations in the future.

07/25/2008 01:26 PM

by Iam Gone (Until Next Time)

lol I hear you! I'm on vacation as I write this. My Treo also went AWOL just prior to leaving and for the third year in a row I've realized that if I want a boost in business all I have to do is make plane reservations.

07/25/2008 01:29 PM

by Kathy Anderson of Ken Meade Realty - Located in the heart of Sun City Grand (Ken Meade Realty)

I do set boundaries but some customers plain just don't get it. These were really nice folks, who ended up in a crisis situation, and went..... um hmmm... BIZERK. They honestly don't even realize how demanding they were... I truly believe that or trust me, I would have went off on them. Well, I did just a bit....

The listing agent didn't help matters when she left me a single voice mail regarding the offer at 9PM Sunday night, and I didn't return the phone call till after breakfast the next morning. She in the meantime, e-mailed my clients directly (oh yes she did!), that she had left me multiple messages and couldn't get a hold of me! That's when I did go off a bit on ALL of them. Very controlled rage though... was rather proud of myself. But then as soon as I hung up with all of them, ended up in tears (a true rarity and moment of weakness I admit) in front of my kids. Oh well, I had let it out.

But now my clients act like it must have been "so nice to get away" and all that rage comes creeping back... I'll get over it when the deal is done and the paycheck is in the bank. That's an agent's life...

07/25/2008 01:39 PM

by Bee Realty

Very good post, and I have had similar experiences, the best thing you can do in my opinion is just try and forget about it. Turn your phone off, turn your computer off and enjoy your vacation. Emergencies may happen, but I have found 90% of the time they take care of themselves. Life is to short to stress on your vacation, and if you truly are on vacation then you will not stress or think about work!

07/25/2008 03:14 PM

by Angelsgeek Web Development (Angelsgeek Web Development)

Leave a response…

Name:

Notify me of new comments:

Comment:

What does the graphic say?