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How dare you answer your own Phone?

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Godzyk Real Estate Services NH License 033394

 Over the weekend I had an interesting conversation when an agent from a big national franchise who called and upon my answering the phone, asked me if I always answered my own phone. I said of Course. He immediately said that is what a receptionist and automated call answering machine are for, to weed out the calls and free up his time. I immediately thought to myself that is why I can never get through to you when I have a buyer for one of your listings becuase you make it near impossible to reach you with 1 call. As I though t to myself he blurts out "You are doing business the Old Fashioned Way." I refrained from answer and as then stated he wanted to see the home i just showed, I stayed put and decided to put his negativity aside. I logged on to AR on my Ipad. I read a blog "What mobile device allows me to remain on the go." I sat up straight as this blog is exactly what I just experienced.

Yesterday I brought some buyers out only to be faced with an agent who would not stop answering her phone, check out my newest blog to see how you can answer your phone too much Don't watch the time - Watch your Manners!!!

In Real Estate, communication is key. I have a mobile office and it is my New Grand Jeep Cherokee. Inside you will find everything I need to conduct business. When I leave my office I forward my call to my Iphone 4s, so no matter where I am you can reach me. The only time you may get my voice mail is when I am with a client, courtesy states I give them my full attention on an appointment and not continously answer the phone. But I will call you back as soon as I am done.

The Iphone not only allows me to reached instantly it has superfast processing to read emails, log onto a website to send direct messages to asset managers or banks. I can take picture of a problem and near instantly send it, get a response and get it fixed without driving back to my office and back to the property.

My Iphone saves me time, gas, money and clients. More than half of new callers comment how impressed they are that I answered my own phone whether it be night, evening or weekend. One of the best features is the map button. I am on the road all day and when not quite sure where to go becuase the GPS insists i take a left into the woods, i hit map and it tells me where I am and where to go. When you need to find something on the web, no need to type, just ask SIRI.

I do not know how we got by without Iphones but i do know it makes my life easier now. If you want an old fashioned agent who works full time, offers full service, is well experienced in NH Real Estate Sales and actually answers their own phone. I am the one you should hire to assist you to guide you through each step of the Buying or Selling process.



It does not take magic to turn your "For Sale" sign into a "Sold" sign. it takes a full time Local Agent who specializes in Listing homes like yours.

 

If you need to sell your home and you owe more than your house is worth, i may be able to help. I specialize in working with home owners to get your home sold. There are many options such as a short sale whcih may be able to help you.

Please try and avoid out of state or out of town agents and companies that make "out of this world promises". We are local agents with experience who never charge any up front fees. WE GET RESULTS!!!

 

We stand by you through every step in selling your home.

 


PLEASE SEE MY "TOP" TIPS FOR BUYING A HOME

 
 
 

PLEASE SEE MY "TOP" TIPS FOR SELLING A HOME

 

 
 
 

 

SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS!!!
 

ONE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE'S LEADING AGENTS FOR SHORT SALES AND BANK OWNED HOMES...

If you are Looking for a Real Estate Agent you have come to the right place. Scott Godzyk is a Full Time and Local agent ready to serve all of your Real Estate needs through each step of the buying or selling process. We are proud to be locally owned and operated.

If you owe more than your house is worth, If you are behind in your payments, I may be able to help. Call me to find out how you may be able to sell your home at no additional cost to you.

Scott Godzyk is the Owner/Broker of The Godzyk Real Estate Services located in Manchester NH. With 25 years of Real Estate experience Scott specializes in Listing and Selling Bank Owned Homes, Short Ssles, Residential Properties, Condominiums, New Construction and Investment Properties. Scott services the counties of Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham and Belknap. To contact Scott Godzyk please call 603-661-2121 or email sctprop@aol.com. his website is www.ScottSellsNH.com.

Comments (101)

Amanda S. Davidson
Amanda Davidson Real Estate Group Brokered By Real - Alexandria, VA
Alexandria Virginia Homes For Sale

Scott- If that's "old fashioned" then I prefer it. Real Estate is service based, I don't have a client that wants to talk to a receptionist. They want to talk to me. Good for you for providing excellent service and answering your phone.

Jun 19, 2012 12:17 AM
Terkel Sørensen
Real Estate Places - Temecula, CA
Realtor, 951.805.0773 , Bank owned and Short Sales

hey Scott, Nice post, asides from using the tech I teach others... sometimes it is appalling what tech people have - with no clue how to use it. or some really old school idea about what is current.

Jun 19, 2012 12:29 AM
John DL Arendsen
CREST "BACKYARD' HOMES, ON THE LEVEL General & Manufactured Home Contractor, TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments - Leucadia, CA
Crest Backyard Homes "ADU" dealer & RE Developer

Bravo, Bravo, Bravo, a man after my own heart. That over stuffed, self absorbed, puffed up, high flyin big franchisor is exactly why I'm not one. I believe in doing business your way. I too love my, portable anywhere in the World I may happen to be office, my IPhone and my Mac Pro. 

BTW, I'm also long on APPL. Are you? LOL! Great post. It really got my juices flowin:)

Jun 19, 2012 12:39 AM
John DL Arendsen
CREST "BACKYARD' HOMES, ON THE LEVEL General & Manufactured Home Contractor, TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments - Leucadia, CA
Crest Backyard Homes "ADU" dealer & RE Developer

In fact if you don't mind I'd love to subscribe to your blog and make you an associate. Thanks for a good dose of AM humor:)

Jun 19, 2012 12:40 AM
Kimo Jarrett
Cyber Properties - Huntington Beach, CA
Pro Lifestyle Solutions

Unless I'm face to face with someone, I always answer my phone, even if I'm doing a task. You can plan your task duties when most people are not working or take the call and excuse yourself with a call back in a few minutes of convenient time. 

Jun 19, 2012 01:05 AM
Jane & Jeff Daley, PhD
Luxury Valley Homes Scottsdale - Scottsdale, AZ
Scottsdale Real Estate Arizona

Luxury Valley Homes Scottsdale Arizona LogoWe couldn’t agree with you more, the phone must be answered. We work with buyers and sellers and our sellers want us to answer the phone from someone that wants to buy or know about their property. They want it sold! Given we’re in the field much of the time either with buyers or checking on our listings we have a dedicated person that answers the phone. As a licensed person they can answer any question that the caller has about the listing, or direct them to one our buyer’s agents if they need to find a home. On the weekend’s one of our agents are assigned to answer the phone as a priority for that weekend. Their reward is that they receive all the sign call leads and all the leads that come to our websites on that weekend that they have that assignment.

When working with buyer’s it’s frustrating when we make a call to schedule an appointment or verify that the property is still available and no one answers the phone. Many will not return our call and we have to chase them and sometimes we still do not make contact. Maybe they’re on vacation – Who knows. My guess their client’s don’t know how either. These are the same people that diminish the reputation of our industry and our profession.

Because we’re working with clients we cannot always answer the phone ourselves so we make sure we staff our business to answer REALTOR® and client, or potential client questions. Technology is great but it’s not the total answer.

Jun 19, 2012 01:50 AM
Joy Carter & Jeff Booker Brother and Sister Team
Keller Williams Parkland/Coral Springs Realty-GreatFloridaHomes Team - Coral Springs, FL
Trust Your Family's Move To Our Expertise!

We have a Team phone that we rotate between us every seven days so only one person has to take on the calls that are crazy.  The good new client calls we get are fine.  The worst calls come from agents that we have to pull teeth to find out that they are agents.

My brother/partner will answer all calls.  I won't, if I am with someone.  Regardless we are still professionals on the phone, because it is the introduction to who we are and what we stand for.  I like #87 Jeff and Jane's comment - Technology is great, but not the end all.  Joy

Jun 19, 2012 02:43 AM
Pacita Dimacali
Alain Pinel - Oakland, CA
Alameda/Contra Costa Counties CA

The nice thing about today's communications tools is that

1. We have caller ID -- so we CAN screen calls

2. We have voice mail --- people can leave messages directly on our phone instead of asking a receptionist to take a message

3. We have text --- in real emergencies, those who can, will text what they need

And yes, by all means, mind our manners....when we are with a client, focus on that client.

Jun 19, 2012 02:53 AM
Kate Akerly
Kaminsky Group - Manhattan Beach, CA
Manhattan Beach Residential Sales

I'm a huge fan of having a call service.  They answer 24/7/365.  They can transcribe a message and e-mail it to me immediately, patch them through directly to my voicemail, or try my cell.  Also, I can use this number to give out to people I don't have any relationship with.  They call, and someone answers without question.  I give out my cell phone number to clients, other agents, staff, friends, family, etc.  I've been thinking about implenting this concept strictly by not including my cell in any listing or advertising.  

Jun 19, 2012 03:54 AM
Jirius Isaac
Isaac Real Estate &TriStar Mortgage - Kenmore, WA
Real Estate & loans in Kenmore, WA

I totally agree with you.  However, I can do it all with my Andriod phone as well!

Jun 19, 2012 04:48 AM
Rob Arnold
Sand Dollar Realty Group, Inc. - Altamonte Springs, FL
Metro Orlando Full Service - Investor Friendly & F

Best to answer it whenever possible but within reason.  Sometimes the phones can get overwhelming but a missed call is often missed business.

Jun 19, 2012 07:55 AM
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

I'm sure you didn't mean this to sound like a commercial for IPhone - how about a smart phone in general?  Giving ideas to others on how to conduct business & still be on the move.  GPS helps you correct that wrong move lol ;-)

Jun 19, 2012 09:35 AM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

Answering my own phone when ever I can is the best marketing I can do.  

Jun 19, 2012 10:15 AM
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Hi Scott, I think that this other agent got it backwards, having a receptionist is getting to be the old fashioned way, most modern professionals do answer their phone unless they are with a client.

Jun 19, 2012 04:46 PM
Bob Miller
Keller Williams Cornerstone Realty - Ocala, FL
The Ocala Dream Team

Hi Scott, for me it is a trade off depending on what I am working on at the moment.

Jun 19, 2012 08:04 PM
Kim Mulligan
Engel & Völkers Seattle/Eastside - Seattle, WA
Selling Homes for the 21st Century

I answer 90% of the time. Time can be of the essence in our current society. Connectivity is expected and often required. That being said if I don't expect something to happen for a few hours, I do take technology breaks, need to unplug from time to time. It's important for a balance life.

Jun 20, 2012 03:05 AM
Cyndi Carver
The Carver Home Team - Covington, WA
Newcastle & East Renton Specialist

Scott, I am on the phone a lot because I do answer all my phone calls but it really gets some people frustrated because it does go into my message center. Actually, I have caller ID on so that I can decide whose phone call to answer and who to go into voice mail. I can download my messages and save any that are important to be filed away.

Jun 20, 2012 03:17 PM
Sharon Sanchez
Ace Home Realty - Carson, CA
Your Number "1" Source For Real Estate.

Scott, like you I answer my phone.  The caller appreciates it and I'll gotten business that I would not have gotten it I hadn't answered my phone.  I recently called another agents office, input that persons extension and the person who answered the phone ask me 20 questions.  I felt like I was on trial.  When I finally talked to the person I was calling for, I was frustrated and impatient.  I don't want my clients and other agents to go through that.  So I answer my own phone.

Jun 24, 2012 09:08 AM
Todd Clark - Retired
eXp Realty LLC - Tigard, OR
Principle Broker Oregon

I'm betting this guy doesn't get many repeat clients. I certainly wouldn't use someone that never answers their phone and probably doesn't return phone calls very promptly either.

Jun 26, 2012 01:33 PM
Kasey & John Boles
Jon Gosche Real Estate, LLC - BoiseMeridianRealEstate.com - Boise, ID
Boise & Meridian, ID Ada/Canyon/Gem/Boise Counties

I am not a fan of having to speak to an agent's receptionist or when they have the message machine that then directs you to the right person and then they don't answer.  Drives me crazy actually.  I will not do it simply because I know how I feel when my calls are answered that way. -Kasey

Oct 17, 2012 06:05 AM