Amy Le of Chicago posted a fine blog about Realtor dos and don'ts.
Although it was not the thrust of her blog, she mentioned a recent experience at an open house, where the host agent talked on the phone the ENTIRE time Amy and her client were in the home.
Technology is absolutely trashing America's sense of decorum and manners. I'll sit at sales meetings, and look over at agents fiddling with their Blackberries, oblivious to the ongoing discussions. I've seen agents, in recent years, surfing the net during meetings.
I've been at small meetings at which one of the participants sat there and checked stock reports on the computer, his eyes darting back and forth between the screen and the other participants around the conference table.
Some people might call it multi-tasking, but, I'm sorry, folks, it's just PLAIN JUST RUDE.
Our culture is changing.
In technology-based, fast-driving, instant-gratification America, we seem to be conditioning ourselves to always have to be doing something that is electronically oriented. The art of enjoying someone's company with simple, unobstructed conversation is dying a slow death.
Not long ago, a lender friend visited me at an open house, and we had a nice, lengthy conversation. Towards the end of the discussion, I realized I COULD NOT REMEMBER the last time I had JUST TALKED with someone in a quiet room -- no cell phone distractions, no Blackberry fiddling, and no televisions pulling our eyes and attention away from the conversation. I've got to say it was very refreshing.
About three weeks ago, my 10-year-old daughter, Kitty, asked me to quiz her on her vocabulary words. As she thought through her first word, I reached over and grabbed my Apple laptop, and flipped it on.
But I asked myself as I did, "Am I incapable of giving my daughter 10 minutes of undivided attention?"
I put down the computer. It felt very good, and I think Kitty was probably appreciative that her dad was not half-heartedly helping her with her schoolwork.
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