WHO IS YOUR CLIENT? My definition is this ... Your client is someone that you have taken time to work with them on assessing their needs and establishing a relationship with. In other words, you are following up every few weeks; you are responding immediately and giving her the kind of service that she expects. As a result, you have earned her loyalty and she is not even tempted to buy a house from someone. Not until a relationship is established and agreed upon is there loyalty.
Does this mean that once you have established that relationship through service that you OWN that client? No. Not when it comes to matters of the heart. You can only hope that you have earned her loyalty, just like every other business strives to earn their clients' loyalty. It is important to not take it personally when you hear that someone has started buying or listing elsewhere.
Handle it like a professional. One of the best examples I have ever heard came from a Doctor I knew in passing. When one of his patients decides to change Doctors, would it be professional for him to call that patient and say, "What do you mean you have changed Doctors? Don't you know that once you come to one Doctor, you are never supposed to go to another one?" Or would it be professional for him to call the other Doctor and say, "How dare you treat my patient. Don't you know that she is my patient? I treated her first and she is supposed to be mine."
Sure it hurts our feelings when we hear that someone chose another Realtor over us or, in my case, when an agent I interview decides to go with another Broker. Roll with it! One client is not going to make or break your business. Think about how many different shoe stores, food stores, drug stores, etc. that you shop in. Be gracious and leave that door open. Those clients may come back to you. You are here for the long haul. Just strive to earn loyalty through the very best service possible, but don't be so busy helping the people and working with numbers that you don't miss a few here and there. I make sure my client's best interest is ALWAYS first and foremost.
So ... what is the bottom line, here? We are only responsible for how we do business. We want to be sure and honor the Golden Rule in everything we do. There will still be times when we lose clients to someone else. We have to roll with it, not take anything personally. Concentrate on effort and results will come from somewhere when are doing everything the right way!
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