Like many of my fellow agents, I like to follow various online groups on Facebook and Activerain etc.. It's a great way to pick up a few ideas and solutions to challenges facing both my clients and similar. The other day, I came across a Facebook group about lead generation and "scripts" Now if you are a consumer reading this, scripts are tools some agents use to ensure they properly convey their message and hopefully secure the transaction. Not all agents use them, but many do. I personally have taken an idea or two and made it my own, based on a script. Anyway, I was following this group and then it happened.
There was a post about an agent and his infant son. The son was in the NICU at the hospital and was going to be for several days. Not a happy situation for anyone. That's not the part that got to me. The post explains that while he is in the hospital, the agent couldn't help but notice all the other folks in the waiting room or similar and he was trying to figure out how to "tactfully" take advantage of this steady stream of people. Bad as the questions was, the responses some people gave were even worse. "Bring them cupcakes" or similar. Was I the only one appalled by this? Did anyone else not see how incredibly insensitive this was? This was by far the tackiest post I had seen in a long time, but then I scrolled down.
The post I read next made me want to scream. The scenario was simple. An agent felt it a great business opportunity to hit up Estate Sales to try and get the listing of a home. Now to be fair, sometime estate sales happen without a person dying. This however was not the case, in fact the deceased was not even in the ground and this vulture was going in for the kill. He phoned in and asked about the who was going to help with sale of the family home, the agent was told that a family friend would be handling the sale and that they were still trying to get through their current situation. In other words, back off, I'm still grieving and I don't know you. That wasn't enough of a no for this "killer" agent. He goes on to berate the seller by telling how he has 25 buyers agents and continues on, all the while the seller is still saying no. Granted, I wasn't there but this is pretty much how this agent proudly lays out the scenario as though he was completely in the right to ask for this business in this manner and time. He then went on to ask for advice from other agents about the estate sale. Should he still go even though told no? Again, other agents chimed in with support. What??
That was that, I'd had enough and responded to both posts and was eventually so disgusted that I removed myself from the group. I could not believe the gall and insensitivity of these and other agents. There is a time and a place for pretty much anything, but both of these situations were neither. I guess it really got to me because like many of the other great agents I work with, I take my role as REALTOR seriously and I know that the focus should not be about the money, but rather the client. Yes, we all work for a reason, but you should always remember to be a human being first. Sadly, many agents have no filter in these situations and see nothing but opportunity. They also bring the rest of us down a notch every time they do something that is this tacky and insensitive.
As a somewhat new broker to my office, I try to instill the core elements of what I would expect as a consumer, in all of my agents. For me, it's honesty, integrity and a bit of humility. There is a time and a place for business and definitely a time to be a good person. It's important that you know the difference and if done properly, you can do both at the same time! If you take a look at the truly successful, their success is measured in much more than just dollars.
Make it a great day and stay true to yourself!
Comments(1)