Punctuality and Your Business - - - A mark of a true professional?

My mom has a little posse of friends.  The three of them did so much together so often.  But there was one friend who was always late at their luncheons, meetings, church stuff or whatever.  ALWAYS.  Mom finally set an noon appointment and when her friend didn't show, she waited 15 minutes and left.  Later the friend called and mom said, we had an appointment at noon.  I waited 15 minutes and when you didn't show, I left.  Thirty years later the friend says to mom, you know I'm still late for everyone all the time, except for you.  After you "dinged" me 30 years ago, I'm only on time for you.

I have a master's degree in Clinical Psychology.  This really goes down to ego I've learned.  It's not about being busy (we're all busy), but it's an issue of prioritites.  When someone is perpetually late, I think to myself why?  Here's the burning question..."What is is about you that makes you think that your time is more valuable than the people you have an appointment with?"  Harsh but true.  People who are always late just think (even subconsciously) that their time is more precious than the people who they're meeting.

These people will never get in my inner circle.  They just can't.  Stuff happens, but really, when I or my team or family are continually devalued by others I put brush them off to the side.

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I work with Top Realtors in Illinois.  I can tell you that they are quite punctual.  Now they may be out with one client and have agreed to pick up another client at a certain time.  But seeing that the first client is taking to long, they are quick to communicate to others the dilemma that they are in.  The bottom line is that they're on their game. 

I have too much to do.  I have too much to accomplish in life and with my family.  Let's get stuff done so that we can screw around having fun later.  But if you're in this business, you're either on or you're off. 

You have agents in your office, clients that you meet with or loan officers who state that they're professional, but can't be on time to their own funeral.  How do you deal with them?  Do you accept them and quietly grumble to yourself?  Do you confront them or do you just cut them off?