We should never promise that we will pick up the phone "Anytime or Anywhere" and we should never expect our business partners or associates to pick up the phone "Anytime or Anywhere." Most of our success is dependant on the quality and quantity of communication we offer. My communication to my Realtor partners is critical to my long term relationship with each of them.
It is impossible to over-communicate in this business, but most agents experience under-communication.
What are the 2 main reasons loan officers don't call back?
1. They have NO news.
2. They have BAD news.
A call from a loan officer to tell you there is no news is still an important call to receive, but one that many loan officers are reluctant to make. I worked for a big bank and I can't tell you how many calls I had to make at the end of the day or before the weekend telling clients and Realtors that there is no progress or decision yet on the loan. That is no fun, but I knew communication was critical. In fact, it is more important to communicate bad news quickly than good news. That will give everyone more time to resolve the issues and have a better chance to salvage an on-time closing. Now I work for a smaller regional lender who gives me far more control in the process.
The flip side of the communication coin, however, is that the expectations can be too high. Most of us have marriages and children that require (and need) our time and attention - date nights with spouses, school and church functions, graduations, funerals, etc. It doesn't even need to be an important event - maybe we just need some down time. All these do and should prevent us from answering our phones. I lost a loan not too long ago because I didn't answer my phone at 9:00 on a Saturday night while on a date with my wife. We need to allow each other some sacred time while maintaining a loyal referral relationship.
A great advantage of the both the real estate and mortgage businesses is the flexible schedule they allow us to have. However, I am well aware that some loan officers can't seem to find their office every day and 40 hours a week is considered cruel and unusual punishment for some. A cronically disappearing loan officer is not an asset to a Realtor's business. Agents absolutely have to find a lender who can give reasonable response times and inform them of important information in a timely manner.
I do everything in my power from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM 5 days a week to pick up the phone or call people right back, but outside of that time frame, my family and my life comes first and my business shouldn't suffer because I have my priorities straight.
Comments (0)Subscribe to CommentsComment