If you're phone rings and at the moment you can't answer it...do you at least return your calls? I do.
On Sunday I received a lead from my blog. The people told me they were interested in purchasing a condo at Century Village in Pembroke Pines. They were only going to be in town for a few days so I needed to set up some property to show them. I already had one of my own listings I could show them but I wanted them to see at least 10 different ones.
I figured since I know that most of these properties are vacant....I wouldn't have problems getting access. I was successful on all of them except one. I tried to call this one listing for showing instructions the night before. The next day and still no return call. I left two more messages and still they would never answer or call me back. I called their office and the person who answered said " I don't know what to tell you....I can put you through to their voice-mail." I left yet another message stating...."I really would love to show your listing since I know how much you want it shown....will you at least call me back just to let me know if it's still on the market?"Nothing!
Now maybe I'm stupid or they just don't want the sale or even care if they sell the listing for that matter. I think it's just so unprofessional and really rude not to return a call out of courtesy.This was a husband and wife team. I guess they were over worked. You would think that any agent would be begging other agents to show their listings. But I guess not.
Too bad it's there loss...I found the buyers a replacement anyway. Good luck selling.
I totally agree. Righ now im asuming quite a few agents are on vaction. However its ridiciulous to not get a call back or any communiction. The only good thing is that these agents are prob. doing it to the consumers as well. It doesnt help our reputation but leaves room for us to pick up those clients and show then how a trul professonail will work.
I know!! How in the world are they staying in business??? I had someone not return my emails or calls on a $289k house last week, and I had a buyer ready to write an offer!! No calls back at all. We are writing on a completely different property this week.
when ours up here don't return calls, we get to ask their broker/owner about it. that usually is a decent wake up call. we're all in the same boat together, and the least we can do is be conscious.
I agree, but I find people that are traveling have a limited amount of time and sometimes they come across rudely. When I first went to Canada to look at homes, I had one day to look at as many homes they could show me. I too became "overwhelmed" due to the "jet lag" and very new scenary and the 25 homes are saw, all became one big "fog". We ended up renting for one year, until we were more familiar with the area and new the better ones that we liked.
By the way, it's their loss that they didn't call you back...
This is one of my pet peeves....there is no excuse for not answering your calls or for having someone do it for you, hire one of those 800 companies to answer your calls and set up your appointments. When a buyer wants to see a house and you can't get them in, they sometimes think its our fault . You said top producer, maybe by luck, because it isnt because they are professional. Look we all have personal lives and we do thank GOD take time off, but every agent knows to get someone to handle their business while they are away. What do they say to their employers, the sellers, when they try to get a hold of their agent and they don't call them back. I hate to answer the phone after hours, but I do or I transfer the cell phone to one of my team members to answer. In this market I sure don't want to miss having one of my listings shown and a contrtact written.
Hi Little Brother... we have an appt. center for our office and most of the big companies do as well. But the little mom and pops do not and they are never in! It is very frustrating when you are trying to set up appts.
Neal - well, you have hit on a big pet peeve of mine. While i doesn't happen often, the fact that it happens at all is a huge issue. LIke you, I don't get it. Perhaps they are working on selling to their own buyers. Or are just totally incompetent. Wonder if their seller knows what is going on adn that they are losing potential sales.
If they are away then find someone to cover. How hard is that? And if you are not going to be able to answer calls, then leave a message to that effect.
Well, go through a transaction with one of those....I just closed one and the agent just did not return calls.....unless it was to her benefit. Geez. Courtesy, respect....professionalism? What don't they get?
Neal you should consider yourself fortunate that they did not return your call, because could imagine living through a whole transaction of that type of aggravation??????
I could never understand, why people don't return their calls...tonight a person I talked to was like I never listen to my voicemail..then why the heck do you have one?!?!?
I take answering my phone very seriously. Customer service is my first priority. That's why I have a voicemail discount. If you get my voicemail, I send a $25 gift certificate toward an inspection. Sounds like these guys would be giving out a lot of certificates if they took customer service as serious as I do.
We too have had situations where there are no returned calls and like Sally had a complete transaction close without ever getting to speak with the agent on the other side... crazy.
A regular peeve of mine. If I want to show 10 properties, I sometimes have to call 15 to get calls returned. One of my big complaints against many part time agents.
I wonder if maybe they were on vacation and something happened to their cell phones or maybe they didn't get reception. Hmmm, they should have made arrangements to have someone cover for them though. Maybe there was some sort of family emergency? Again, you would think they would have someone cover for them.
I would have to say that most Realtors that I speak with are thrilled when I return their calls and let them know the status of a loan. Even if I don't give them the good news that they are hoping for, they are just glad to get SOMEONE in the transaction that will talk to them and let them know what is going on.
As far as calling a Realtor about a property that I want to see, I am really bad. If they don't answer, I am off to the next one. If I really want to see it, I will leave a voicemail but only once!
I don't even put too much effort into hunting down someone not returning calls. If it's like that in the beginning, guess how it's going to be once it becomes crucial.
This is the problem with REO listing agents. They have more than they can handle and do not wish to admit it. They know that they will eventually get that house sold and customer service is not part of their job description. Just wait, these bad habits will not survive them through a normal market. Once comes around goes around. Continue to be professional and curtious and let those others continue to do bad business, they will pay the price eventually.
I've been through this dozens of times. Last Friday I left two messages about a foreclosure property an hour outside of DC. Sunday the client and I met there and toured the property. While I was there I called the agent and left a message. My client wants to make an offer. Finally on Wednesday I get a hold of the agent who tells me they ratified a contract on FRIDAY. Still shows active in the computer and an absolute waste of time for everyone!
I don't always anwser my phone, but my VM states at what time I would return calls. And I will, if I know its one of my sellers I make sure I return there call first. But I have alot of agents that don't even leave messages. I call the number back and its the office so I don't know who to ask for.
Neal, I have read so many posts on this topic, mostly from Florida agents, are they enjoying the sun too much. LOL. Seriously, since blogging on AR I have picked up my phone more, but I use to let them go to VM when I didn't recognize the area code. Now there are too many people to know so I pick it up. Glad you found a replacement.
I know exactly what you mean Neal. I tried to show a waterfront home to out-of-town buyers for three days and never got an answer. A week later the agent/seller emailed that he had been at the beach. Gee, do you think he could have made arrangements for showings while he was gone. Crazy!
Neil there are many of us that will never understand things like this. Why is it again that Realtors generally are not well recieved by the general public?
Neal, you are absolutely right! But I have to say, you probably called their home, cell and office. Right?
I just came home from 6 weeks out of town to messages left on my home phone by agents showing my listings. They did not call my office, where someone was covering for me, and they did not call my cell, which was at my side and used for conducting a lot of business.
So the P.S. I have for your excellent blog is to call agents on all their numbers, if you really want to talk to them.
I think that as a professional Realtor, if you do not answer your call you should return the call within a timely manner and if not then find another job and stop hurting our industry!!!
Ah...we have our cell phone numbers on our home office voice mail and explain to every buyer and seller that we will always excuse ourselves to take a call because if they were calling...they would expect and deserve the same attention...Gotta wonder what the sellers would think if they knew their agent was asleep at the "cell"....
NEAL: We have the same problem in our area too. Some agents either take hours or days and sometimes never return calls. I am like you it is their loss. I just move on to the next listing. I dont understand it. My phone is my office it is with me at all times. If I cant take a call at that time I call instantly when I can break free to return the call. I guess it is in all areas.
Good morning..I post a blog last night and wake up to this. Now your gonna make me answer all o you...just give me time to try to get return your comments:)
Gary,
That's all I ask...either it's available or not.
Lynn,
It's a dis service to the owners.
Lee,
I agree people go away but then you should either put that on your voicemail and have a person take your calls.
Dawn,
This has nothing to do with price..this was a property about $125K and a tow agent listing with two different numbers and and when I called their office the person who picked up could not help me other than sending me to yet a third number...same result...still no return call as of today.
Kathleen,
I can understand if there was a personal problem but it's still no excuse to have someone let me know what going on. I hate wasting my life chasing agents.
Richard,
In any market.
Gary,
Maybe it's just a phantom listing.
Anne Marie,
That's just too bad...they should be doing their job and if they can't get coverage.
AJ,
I even let calls go to my voice mail when I'm busy but I still return calls no matter what.
Sis,
I can use that service for about $25 a month but I have a partner and we don't have so many listings that we can't handle it ourselves. I'm wondering what happens when a consumer calls them.
You would think an agent would realize this is their lifeline or bread and butter. Just answer or call back, but nope and I get frustrated too. Especially on Sunday, hardly any of them call you back.
I just emailed both of them with the same email...I hope they respond.
Jim,
Let's see if they respond to my email. I found the guys website...he talks about communication how its so important. Also when I see he also does mortgages I almost cringed:) It shouldn't matter what year it happened..I didn't realize that common sense wasn't around back then.
Tom,
It's probably a friend or relative...this way they don't have to work.
You started something here, Neal. I had to call an agents broker after several VM's, text msgs and emails were ignored. My client wanted to see this home badly and I could not disappoint him. He ended up buying it and I did all the work. I think the other agent was busy with making fries or something. ; )
Exactly...if the dam place ain't available then just tell me...they really wanted to see it because it was the size they were looking for and the price was within their budget.
Kelly,
It could be just that a pocket listing. Good luck...there are 200-300 different units there to choose from.
We spent a period of time last winter in SWF and ran across this so many times, not being licensed in the state at that time and looking for a property, a majority of the agents did not return phone calls or follow-up. Maybe they came in at the peak of the market and don't know how to conduct business.
I am with you on that one. I am a mortgage broker, I used to refer business to some realtors. It was the realtor who actual sold me my house. Problem is after sending her 5 referrals, I had to quit sending them to her as she would never return calls. I would have clients or friends I know looking to buy a home or sell one. I would refer them to my agent.. a week later I would get calls from my referrals stating they can not contact my realtor. I finally had to quit sending them to her as my referrals were getting upset with me. I just don't get the fairlure to return phone cals thing. I return all of mine no later than the morning after I recieve a voicemail.
Neal, this is one of my pet peaves. I can't stand when people don't take and/or return phone calls. There was a time when I started taking it personally, but then realized it wasn't personal, it was a problem with them.
I also realized, that many of my successful friends and associates, always returned phone calls no matter how busy they were. It seems to be the less successful people who can't seem to get organized enough to return calls and become successful.
Neal - I agree the listing agent should answer the phone. I called an agent for an appointment one time and no answer so I left a message. Three days later that agent called me back and asked if I still wanted to show the home.
I hate that as well. And some agents whose companies offer a showing center appointment desk choose to set up the appointments without the showing center. ARG!!!! That is so frustrating!
Ooo, I HATE, absolutely HATE it when agents don't call me back. They have exactly 24 hours to return my call or my perceived value of them goes to -400. There is no excuse. If an agent is unavailable to return calls, then he/she should be using someone else to help with the phone calls. That goes for accidents, family emergencies or if the agent dies! "Welcome to My 'I'll call ya back honey' World!"
Even worse than the agents who NEVER answer their phones are the ones where you get the recorded message that the mailbox is FULL so you can't even leave a message!
Even if on vacation, it is a must to either return calls or get someone to cover. Sellers really need to hear about thier lame realtors. It is such a diservice. And that is what gives any business a bad name.
Ok guys...I also emailed those two dough dough birds and here is the reply I received below..
Sorry Neal, your message did not come through. I do have alternate numbers on the listing you could have call. Blessings to you and your client for the great deal you found.
I then replied back that not only did I call all of your alternate numbers I left messages in 4 places and it's pretty interesting that none of my messages came through...and of course no reply back!
Jeff,
Big nerve
Thomas,
That's pretty lame huh?
Peter,
I guess I take it a little personal because I spend my time picking the right properties and shouldn't have to chase the listing agent down to show it especially now.
Robert,
Typical with these large so called groups who usually end up with the dog doing their paperwork.
Yvette,
The only time I didn't return a call was when I never got it from a problem with my phone but I find it hard to believe that all my calls didn't get through to all the different numbers and even called the same ones more than once.
Naoma,
Dead serious
Emily,
This one just pissed me off so I wrote about it and I guess it was a good subject.
Travis,
Realtors do not read nor always hear well. Yet some play the I'm too busy and successful game but they can't pick up the fricken phone.
Diana,
I have heard every story in the book but this one couldn't even give me a good story.
Elaine,
that's even the worse one or the 800 number that is just a call center and still don't have the right info.
Jerri,
Anybody...as long as they can speak the language will do.
Neal, I hear this is happening more all the time. I even find top producers that think they are too busy to respond to a call. This tells me they are too busy patting themselves on the back and say "I'm good" to service their clients. My clients are my business! If I let one down, word gets around. Good for you.....you found your clients what they wanted, without the help of that jerk!
Neal... I wanted to submit an offer on a property and had a few questions for the listing agent... 2 emails & 3 messages, NO RETURN CALL OR EMAIL... I just don't get it.
This drives me nuts. I just had the experience of submitting an offer, beginning to negotiate it and the agent leaves for a one week vacation without telling me or taking her cellphone with her.
I finally got so mad I called the manager. He put me in touch with some just off the turnip truck agent who couldn't explain the contract to his client. Needless to say, after weeks of me trying to keep the deal together and calling everyone over and over again, my buyer got fed up - about five days after I did.
If I ever have the misfortune of coming across this agent again, I will warn my clients.
I don't think these people are any kind of producers....I just tested all their numbers again and still...they won't answer or call back. I had my partner try.
Debbie,
I'm kind of glad because if these buyers liked it then they would probably have a hard time getting ana answer if they made an offer as well.
Jessica,
That's wy if I had to file a complaint I would have if it got down to it.
Casey,
Not so much about answering the phone...returning 4 calls. They gave me the lame excuse they never got four or five calls on different numbers...I find that hard to believe.
It shows the level of priority that the agent had for their client. It is too bad that seller did not know about the level of service they were getting. I must admit that sometime I do not return the calls asking for feedback of a home that I showed 2 weeks ago. If you really cared, you would have asked sooner.
Some of the Realtors in the Phoenix area with the most REO listings do not even reside in Arizona. I found that out while trying to show a listing similar to yours. People like these give us professionals a bad name.
This is one of our biggest frustrations and it happens more and more nowadays. It is getting out of hand. Mostly we have found out that when the listing agent doesn't call back the home is actually already under contract (even it still says ACTIVE! - another frustration) and they just don't care to answer or return the call. ~Rita
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I agree many professionals in any trade dont return call.
Neal, I hear your frustration and can't explain it either. What is the point of voice mail if they don't return the call? I just move on.