Going On Vacation? You REALLY Should Have Someone Cover for You!

Even when I am out of town I have my phone and my computer.  If no cell service it is for a very short period of time.  I give all my active clients and other agents I am working with a heads up. 

In this hot seller's market it is even more imperative to have a back up assistant or coworker to help prospective buyers when a new listing comes onto the market. Time is money and in this market it might be the difference of losing or getting an offer accepted. We do have access to all the technology to keep us connected, however, to best serve our clients, there is also the need of a warm body to show the properties. (S)

It is important to have someone cover for you when you are out of town, even if it is for a few days and you are staying in the USA.  I am currently covering for two agents. For the most part, the agents can still return client calls.  My job is to stay in the loop, attend closings and inspections, and make certain that checks and documents reach their destinations. The agents begin forwarding emails and docs a few days before leaving, so that I am up-to-date.  The agents do the same for me.  The system works well.

It's pretty idiotic not to inform your current clients when you'll be away, and clients aren't the only ones some agents don't inform.

I've had agents ask me to put a rush on copy they wanted because they just HAD to have it by a certain date. I've hurried, sent the copy on time, and then after getting no response for several days, found out that they were on vacation and would "Look at it when they got back."

Richie, #29, sums it up best, IMO.

I love my technology and do admit that I stay connected to my clients when I'm gone to some extent. HOWEVER, it is essential, as a professional, that I have someone in place to assist with showings and provide more detailed information while I'm gone.  I just finished finalizing an offer that started with a fellow agent helping my buyers while I was on vacation last week.  If taking care of my clients means adding the assistance of another professional than it is what I do! It's just good business! 

Debe, I see this happen more than you would expect. If you're working with clients they deserve better service than an agent that just gets up and leaves without anyone to cover for their clients.  Also, it's guaranteed that if you leave for a few days your business will pick up...definitely need someone back at the office handling things for you.

Important to have an agent you trust cover for you.  Often difficult to find.  Just as important is the ever evasive 'communication' to clients.  Still the #1 complaint of clients.  Mark

We have an obligation  to our clients to create continuity and provide resources when we are away from the office.

This is such an emotional experience for the Client, I never tell them I am going, nor on vacation.  I never risk their at times irrational emotions causing them to stray.  Plus, technology affords for them to not know I am away, and I still can serve them, or delegate them being served.  2013 I negotiated one of my largest transactions of that year power-walking on a trail in Vail, Colorado.

Debe, For the most part even when on "vacation" I continue to handle everything that I can short of showing homes.  For that, I'll hire one of our office mates to show any homes that need to be shown while I'm gone.

Hello Deb ... I agree with you and feel agents need an assistant when ever they go on vacation to cover their business ;o)

I had a good offer get blown because the Listing Agent was out of town; out of cell phone reach.   If I was his Seller, I would tear up the listing agreement and take legal actions.

Debe - I have heard stories of agents leaving their clients to fend for themselves when they are away, and I just don't understand this thought process at all. In our office, we always find a way to cover for one another. There is no way we would leave a client on their own.

Yes.  I am very careful to make sure that I have all bases covered before I take off..

Planning for vacation includes managing your business while you are away. A good example of how to not do this, is last year I had a buyer who needed to move quickly, and we found a home, submitted an offer, and called the agent. He didn't answer the phone (one of my pet peeves), so I left him a message and waited for him to return my call. It didn't happen, I called him again, same response. I then call his managing broker, who said he would get back to me. Several hours later he calls to tell me that the agent was on a 2 week cruise and couldn't be reached. He finally tracked down the owner and helped me get the deal done. This was in the middle of summer, our busiest time of year, and the guy had several listings. Later on, I asked him about taking vacation during the summer, and he said his wife is a teacher and that's the only time he could go. I told him that he probably lost more business in those two weeks than she makes all year. He thought about if for a few minutes and agreed with me. I don't know if that means she doesn't work now, or that he will just do a better job of having someone help with his business. I tend to go on vacation around Christmas when it's usually slow here.