Here are a few useful tips for all agents, both new and old, in the proper care and feeding of the guy who owns and runs the brokerage where you ply your trade.
I will be quick to add that many of the things I suggest here are things my team already does well, and it is rare when I have to practice tough love. But I certainly talk with my share of fellow brokers, owners and managers, and premature gray or the odd eye twitch are certainly a problem for the ones who care.
So consider this a guideline for keeping your broker, be it myself or anyone else, a little happier, a little saner, and a lot less stressed.
- When you are emailed a customer or client inquiry, acknowledge getting it. A quick email back that says "got it" or "thanks" or even "got it, thanks" will do.
- Check your email. There may be an opportunity waiting.
- Check your voicemail. There may be an opportunity waiting.
- When you go out of town, get someone to cover for you.
- We're probably friends on Facebook. HINT HINT
- When you screw up, tell me. It is better for me to hear it from you than another broker, another agent, or the nice folks at the board (which has never happened to my guys).
- Learn the paperwork and fill it in completely.
- When you need help, ask for it.
- If there is an accounting issue, do your best to resolve it quickly. Never let that sort of thing hang in the air for days or weeks.
- If another agent, customer or client mistreats you, tell me immediately so we can address the issue. Otherwise, it defines matters the rest of the time you deal with them.
- Kidding us about what we did to earn our split is as gauche as members of the public who tease you about yours. Moreover, you might not get how hard we work behind the scenes.
- Nothing happens automatically. You have to make it happen. And NEVER shrug your shoulders and say "let the lawyers work it out." Lawyers don't work things out. Their solution is to have the brokerages throw money at a problem.
As for myself, I can promise a few things to my team:
- I'll never micro manage how you handle the inquiries you are given. I presume everyone does their best.
- Office meetings are never compulsory. But they are advisable.
- I abhor office politics.
- Your listing, your call. All the time, every time.
- If you need me to fill in, I'm there as much as I can be.
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