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No Chicken On Sundays

I always seem to have a craving for Chick-fil-A on Sunday. The only reason I think this happens is because Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays. Have you ever noticed that you crave something more when you can't have it?

We are a 'give it to me now' kind of society. Most companies want to give their product/service the way the consumer wants it. Burger King says "Have It Your Way," 7-Eleven stores are open 24 hours a day, Sprite tells us to "Obey Your Thirst," or how about this one...."I Want My MTV!"

Only a handful of companies have been able to tell the public that they will offer their product or service on their own terms. After complaints that its Ketchup took too long to come out of the bottle, Heinz didn't change its packaging right away. Instead, like a scolding mother, it told us "Good things come to those who wait." In this same way Chick-fil-A's founder and CEO Truett Cathey decided to close his doors on the busiest of days in the restaurant business. His reasons really had nothing to do with creating the craving for Chick-fil-A as I described above but instead was done to:

"Glorify God by being a faithful steward to all that is entrusted in us"Read the entire Chick-fil-A closed on Sunday policy here (Quick-load PDF file).

What if, as real estate professionals, we weren't the crazy people that much of the public views us as? What if we actually created hours and advertised them on our business cards? What if we told our clients and potential clients "Unless it is an emergency I do not work on Sundays?" Or maybe the more Disney-esq way of telling them is "I am available to you Monday through Saturday afternoon."

We may find that by doing this we are:

refreshed by the rest that we receive

our time is respected by our clients

more productive since our hours are limited

What if... we actually created a craving for our services? Think about it and make the change.

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Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon. Stay tuned for more information about his new book, "Stand Out, Stick and Stay. Transforming Real Estate Marketing"

Posted by Matthew Gosselin on 02/11/2009 11:43 AM

Comments (46)

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46 Comments on No Chicken On Sundays

FEB

What an interesting concept. This deserves some consideration! Thanks for the post, Matthew.

I work every Saturday and about one Sunday a month. I also vounteer at my kids school so I have a day off during the week. I have had one person in the past 5 years, who didn't want to work with me because I couldn't meet him in two hours to list his home.

That is not the client I want. I don't typically answer my phone past 7:00pm either. People get boundaries.

Glad to hear that I'm not the only one with those unusual Sunday cravings...but also am filled with gratitude that I can enjoy the day of worship without without a sense that I am "missing something".

This would allow more time with family or for yourself, if you don't have a family. Nice idea, Matthew!

Love it, love it, love it!

Great idea, Matthew. People aren't upset when other businesses post their hours on their doors. Why wouldn't it be any different for the real estate industry?

I grew up with EVERYTHING closed on Sundays. Then grocery stores would open at noon. Then the age of 24/7 came and wow! I do know agents that don't work on Sunday, I know agents that do tell their clients that they are available from XX to XX on X days. I know agents that only return their phone calls between X and X.

I work whenever. I work when it is convenient for my clients not for me. There are lots of different types of families and workers these days. Not everyone works the same hours or days.

I do make family a priority.

Not working, or should I say less work on Sunday, is part of my business plan for 2009. And, absence does make the heart grow fonder....so thanks for sharing your perspective.

Although I agree with the idea, it seems that Saturdays and Sundays are the two worse days to do so. Then again - that's probably the worst day for Chic-Fil-A to be closed too, and they are absolutely my favorite fast food chain out there. (Not because they are closed on Sundays, but because they have a strict code that makes their level of service head-and-shoulders above any other fast food restaurant out there.)

It's high noon now, and it's NOT Sunday! You've now given me a chicken sandwich craving.

Interesting concept. I look at some of my European clients and friends and they always take Sunday as a day of rest and visiting. Business has reached the point where Sundays seem to be a must. Heck, even banks are opening on Sundays at the supermarket branches now.

To those agents who claim to work 24/7/365, when do you sleep, eat and go to the restroom? There is nothing admirable about constant work. The only person you are cheating is yourself and your family. Do you think they will put how many deals you did on your grave stone? My wife and I have averaged 80-100 deals a years for nearly a decade. On Saturday afternoon through Monday morning I have an appointment already scheduled for the next 20 years or so. It is called spouse time. Breaking spouse time appointment will always cost much more than telling customer you can't meet. We have found that anyone who doesn't respect your time usually isn't worth having as a client. So you may lose a client or two every year. I can guarantee it is cheaper than divorce.

Not convinced? - Read "choosing to cheat" by Andy Stanley

Signed, Former workaholic, Married and loving it!

Smart man, isn't he? And he obeys so well...I myself try not to work on Sundays, but get out to do an open house every once in a while...

A day of rest, if you make the choice to observe it. Thanks for the tip on the book and I do believe that if you become the director of your available time instead of feeling like a 24/7 agent then you will actually create a real estate business and a life worth having for you and family.

Great goal to have Matthew, and I love the way you wrote this post.

Unfortunately for me, there are not enough hours on Saturday to fulfill many of my buyers' needs. I would love to have more of the scheduling that you wrote about, but for me, at least right now - I am busy enough with buyers that I have to take extra hours when I can, and am usually out showing houses much of Sunday.

Great post though, and I am going to think about my scheduling a little more now.

Cheers !

Matt,

I,too, am cutting back on my Sunday hours. However, living in a resort town, Buyers can often only come on weekends.... If the Buyers are HERE, so am I!!!!

Kathy Opatka Re/Max OCEAN CITY,MARYLAND

Cathy was born here in my home town. Love his concept and love his food. I do work on Sundays, but not until 2 in the afternoon after I have been to church to teach my Sunday School class. And I don't work every Sunday either. It does work for me because my husband is on a 6 days on and 3 days off schedule.

Matthew, I agree that real estate professionals should have office/work hours similar to attorneys and accountants: MON - FRI, 9am - 5pm. But in order for that to happen, we have to be in demand. Right now, the market is flooded with real estate agents (due to the low bar of entry) so there is too much competition to be in demand. But I look forward to the day it all changes!

Join my new AR group and post your blog at http://activerain.com/groups/virtualoffice

Regina P. Brown

You hit the nail on the head about the Want it now society....

Hi Matthew -- This was a topic that was discussed when I was a new agent and it said the same things you are saying, and I happen to agree with you. Real estate is not a life or death profession. I prefer a quality response that is well thought out and presented, versus real-time stream of consciousness responding to every single response instantly. I agree, when we aren't busy, we should respond right away.

Hi Matthew! Very nice concept. Society wants convenience which has changed the way many companies have done business but I don't believe even these mangers/owners work 24/7, everyone should have a life and business plan.

Taking Sundays off is a choice I respect when agents make it, but not working Saturdays or Sundays, and not even after 5 pm like some suggest is going too far towards what's convenient for us and not thinking about what our clients need. I'd rather work a couple of hours on Sunday and take another day off, if that's when my clients need me. It's a real hassle when I can't set a showing on a weekend or get a question answered for an out of town buyer. That agent possibly lost a sale for their client. If their client knew that could happen, would they have hired that agent?

Truett Cathy is a "Great Person" and does a lot in the local community. AMEN

Interesting perspective, thanks. You should request that they open a Chick-Fil-A in the North East, we dont have any around here.

-Matt

Maybe every other Sunday. Or, only promise half days on Sundays. That way, you can devote time to your family or your own peace of mind, right?

THis is the thing- if you say you are available on Sunday only in an emergency, then guess what ALL of their needs are- emergencies! I don't typically work Sundays and have never had a problem.

Weekends are probably the busiest times for us taking out buyers. We have good intentions of taking some time off but often end up working anyway. I also work every night after everebody else is sleeping. Gosh, I need a vacation. ~Rita

That's such a great concept. I wonder where we would start to create that 'craving' for our services. We try to take Sunday as a day of worship and rest and occasionally it makes us lose a prospective client. That happened just this week but it is a decision we have made and we do our best to stick by it!

Thanks - Mary

I think you have to set your hours to maximize what works best for your area. Maybe it's lighter on Sunday morning and busier in the afternoon, so you can take the morning off and meet with clients in the afternoon. It really is up to you to decide.

Hi Matthew~ I love Chic-fil-A. We don't have one in Owensboro, KY but I hear we are getting one soon! I like your concept and limiting your hours that you work... it is something to think about!

I routinely try to avoid Sunday work unless it is necessary (out of town, deadline, etc).

Hi, Matthew. Other businesses don't have any trouble creating business hours. I think it's up to the agent to decide when this would be to benefit their business as well as their life.

Love it, magnificent idea! No more Sundays!... Or at least limit those! We need time for our families and ourselves! :)

Thanks Matthew - for the reminder that everyone need respect and a little space!! thanks, Teri

I take time out from my schedule to be a Dad. I went to the mall and raced slot cars with the boys today. I make it to all of the school functions and parties. And I might be out with a client at 8:00 at night, or prepping for showings with pre-showing data gathering at 2am. I think the important part is that we have to find something that works for us...

What great comments everyone! I want to clarify one point. This post mentions Sunday more as an example and less as a suggestion. Although I feel it is important to set these hourly boundaries, the specific days are unimportant. A great point was made my Kathy Opatka and a few others. Kathy is from a resort town in which Sundays become extremely important. Kathy may find that Tuesdays and Wednesdays might work better.

In any event, thank you all for reading. It's a pleasure to read your responses. I continue to learn a great deal from the Active Rain community and much of the opinions have shaped the materials for my next book due out shortly.

Again, thank you all!

~matt

Although I think it's a great idea, I'm not sure it's as easily done as said. Time is of the essence and there are a lot of buyers who will just move on to the next real estate agent who is available and will answer the phone whenever they call. Some of those buyers you may not want to work with anyway if they are not flexible or understanding of a schedule but still...working other people into my schedule is usually what happens. I do take one Sunday off per month but otherwise I do open houses (except during football seasion). And yes, I always want chick-fil-a on Sundays. We want what we can't have!

Wow, what a great idea. But, I wonder just how many realtors would do this. I can remember when all stores where closed on Sunday, and I didn't know anyone who worked on Sunday. Those were called the "Good Ole Days".

Matthew great idea! I like to book off blocks of time to spend with my family so if a client calls and needs something they will get their call returned later that day. It is so important to put some value on our time as well, I like to think most clients can appreciate to some degree. Take care and happy blogging!

Great post! It is hard to juggle with a family and trying to work 7 days a week. But that is when the clients needs us and are available. But I agree..I always crave the chicken sandwich on a Sunday!

FEB

Matthew- I really enjoyed reading the Chick-fil-A closed on Sunday policy. I also enjoyed your thoughts. Thanks.

it seems like the number one thing clients crave is my attentionn on Sundays and all week evenings :) , will look for your book

I agree....I think the reason that consumers expect us to be at their beck and call is because we are....we should definately put some restrictions on our time....we are professionals right? I think we just are afraid they will go to the next agent who will jump through hoops which most will...so we suck it up and try to accomodate.

Great post. My clients are very important to me and so is my family. We all have to budget our time appropriately. Just because boundaries are set with clients does not mean that we are unable to provide superior customer service and be there for them. Everything in life is a balance and if we maintain the appropriate balance we will be the best we can be at whatever we attempt.

I can't take it when Chick-Fil-A is closed on Sundays. Sometimes it ruins my whole day when I pull into the parking lot and remember that it's Sunday!!! Worst feeling ever. People in parts of the country without it don't know what they're missing. But seriously, It's hard to leave work. And it's destructive if you don't. Great post. God bless!