I get asked a lot by agents whenever I speak to a group of them, to help with time management. The simplest advice I can ever give with the 5 minutes I usually have at the end of a talk is, don't answer your phone. Does it ever surprise you that a majority of agents answer their phone EVERY SINGLE TIME IT RINGS, not matter what they are in the middle of. They answer only to tell me, that they need to call me back because they are in the middle of a home inspection, listing presentation, dinner, or that they are driving 80 miles an hour.
Now this causes a ton of distress for me. First of all they always seem to make me feel bad for rudely interupting them when they can't conveniently talk. I always want to say, you're the idiot that answered the phone in the middle of your appointment. Now I can't ask to see a property or give you an address because I have to call back at a better time. This is an extra task for me? on top of remembering to call back. Now I always try to be polite and professional and I always agree to call later, but then I always add, If you are busy next time I call, please just let it go to VM.
Professional agents let everything go to Voicemail. Its a virtual assistant! If you can't talk it tells people that you can't talk and to please leave a detailed message. They'll tell you what house they want to view and you can return the call to tell them its a go!. You never even have to speak to each other, you spend 3 minutes on both calls and the Productivity flows.
Besides your activity isn't interupted, your clients aren't rudely put on hold and you free up probably an hour of day to do more marketing.
Because when you think about it, why do agents think they need to answer every call. Most of them will tell you its good cutomer service, but the reality is they are hoping its a lead or a referral. And in all actuality 95% of the time its a problem or a request that you probably don't have an answer to which means more calls and more time used up. Let your VM be assistant, field the details problems and requests and then return those calls with answers and solutions! You'll appear more inteligent, professional and NOT SO TIED TO THE OUTCOME!
For instance, you might as well answer the phone at every ring like this,"Hi This is Jeremy, I have absolutely nothing to work on so I am available to answer every call and I am dying and hoping for a lead so I can pay for my pathetic business?" Do people want to work with professionals that are never busy or seem to have no business? NO
Do you think Donald Trump has time to answer evry call he gets? Should you. Even if you do, is it wise to appear that you have a ton of time on your hands? No And when you call leave effective VM's with as much detail, so you can get answers back and not a returned call.This will give you the time that so many agents complain that they don't have.
If you want to comment or complain about this view. Leave me a VM.
Good Luck Out there and Show 'em what your made of!
Jeremy
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