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Answer your phone, willya?

By Gina Kay Landis

Real Estate Agent with Home Experts Realty

September 03, 2008 10:59 AM

Ok. So I've been making many phone calls lately. Lots of them are to agents. For various reasons. It's not from my usual phone number, either.

I am somewhat alarmed that most agents let the call go to voice mail. Very few answer. The ones that do often don't seem like they are engaged with answering, if you know what I mean. "hello" (in downturned voice) and honestly, only a few answer with their name and/or company. If someone says "hello" then the caller must ask who it is, then the dance begins - "is this Sam" "Yes..." or "Is this Sam?" "Yes. Who's calling?" aaaaa!! if there were a brick wall I'd feel like I was ramming my head into it.

What if I were a client? What if they had won some money from some contest entered? What if I were a doctor about that recent exam? What if I had been a loved one in a proverbial ditch somewhere? What if it were a new buyer or someone to list their house? A good lead, even?

I dunno. I try to answer my phone nearly every time it rings. I wear many hats, I have many clients and friends and family, and usually conversations don't take more than a few minutes or at the most an hour with the more needy or due to a more complex issue.

What about you? Do you answer, or does voice mail pick up? What's your reasoning, anyway?

I'm calling you. Now... (joke)

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Mindy Pencil

Real Living Darby Creek - Mechanicsburg, OH

Thanks Gina! I am so glad I am not the only one who has noticed. It is hard to set up showings when the agent or office does not answer or return a call. So if there clients knew how would they feel?

Sep 04, 2008 03:39 AM

Jared Pomranky ~ Detroit Foreclosures

Urban Detroit Wholesalers - Detroit, MI

I run a real estate investment company and all of my calls either go to my assistant in my office or they send e-mails. I don't answer my cell phone most of the time when it rings because I don't want to be tied to my phone and business calls should be calling my office anyway. My voice mail says that as well.

Sep 05, 2008 08:51 AM

Norma J. Elkins

Elite Realty Group - Morristown, TN

Realtor - Elkins Home Selling Team

I always answer unless I am with a client or it is at a time when my business should be "closed" -- I do not stay open 24 hours.

Sep 07, 2008 09:02 AM

Janna Scharf

Keller Williams Realty Coeur d'Alene - Coeur d'Alene, ID

Coeur d'Alene Idaho Real Estate Expert

The more agents that don't answer their phone, the better the chances that they will give up and call ME! You can be sure that I answer my phone as soon as it rings, just wish it was ringing more often!

Sep 07, 2008 04:10 PM

Jim Hirschhorn

Real Living Real Estate Solutions - Orlando, FL

GRI, Real Living - Orlando

I worked for a company years ago that had a policy NEVER to screen calls. We often call people during a day and are asked, "who's calling?" After you say who you are, then they decide if you are worthy enough to be passed through to the person. Another thing that really gets my craw is when agents don't give out their cell phone numbers. I made 3 calls and the agent made 3 calls back to me for something that could have been handled with 1 call all because she doesn't give her cell phone number out. It took everything I had in me not to be a smart *ss!

Sep 10, 2008 05:19 AM

Freddy A. Saavedra

Essential Properties - Goodyear, AZ

I always answer with a hello and this is Freddy how can I help you. It has worked great for me, I make every attempt to answer my phone, but, I feel that family time is too important to be disturbed by business.

Sep 10, 2008 06:01 AM

Debi Ernst

St. Charles County, Missouri - Prudential Alliance Realtors - O'Fallon, MO

GRI, e-PRO, Broker/Sales Associate

Gina - I agree. I try to always answer my phone, too. I'm not sure why others don't... :)

Oct 13, 2008 01:41 AM

Gina Kay Landis

Home Experts Realty - Dayton, OH

Val - thanks for your comment. I do hope the calls are often returned!!

James - If they've gone out and gotten other jobs, then hey - more real estate sales for us!

Bill - ready for my pet peeve? Internal answering of phones as "yeah?" - internal customers are just as important as external customers. Even worse, as you note, is a business person answering "hello?" or "Yeah?" when they answer their primary business line (often their cellphone. Grrr.

Abacus - it is important to talk with agents - especially if you are the list-er and they are the buyer's representative. Developing good relationships with these folks is often key to a booming business!

Heather - Good comment. Unfortunately many agents are just now learning to do short sales or bank-owned sales. Thus, the listing agent gets inundated with calls where the offer is at the bank waiting to be nudged through its process for approval. I encourage agents to become familiar with short sale procedure so they can then wisely advise their client about the time frame inherent in that sort of process.

Thesa - love it!

Andrew - what to do about lazy agents? Direct them where they need to go. Don't accept that monkey but direct them nicely, offering the explanation that you are swamped and the information is readily available. One caveat is if they have just received a phone call from an interested party and they haven't had a chance yet to review the MLS. Agents who are educated about their specific market know what's available and study the MLS to be sure they can recommend any home to the right buyer.

Mindy - I think it's just about been proven that if a client calls and gets no answer (particularly on the initial telephone call) then that agent is disregarded and the client goes on to the next one. I would repeat that but I think people can likely go back and read it again. Maybe read it 7 times to get it stuck in one's mind. It's essential to answer your phone.

Jared - Jared, I do understand how that is supposed to work. Effectively marketing your office number should relieve you from cell phone calls. Primarily my concern is with agents who publish their primary contact number and then do not answer it.

Norma - Perfect. I don't believe in being "open" 24 hours either, and many new, young agents value time away from "work" - some agents I know let their callers know on voice mail that they will not take calls after a certain time and that they will return those calls within 6 - 12 hours, depending on the issue or need.

Janna - So true!

Jim - Yeah, the "who's calling" can be alleviated by introducing oneself at the start of the call. I do that regularly after many years in sales and administration.

Freddy - Perfect!

Debi - Excellent!

Oct 14, 2008 02:49 AM

None None

Peace River, SK

Nice post. I do let my calls go to voice mail alot and call everyone back one right after another. I do this because if I answered the phone every time it rings, I would get nothing done all day long except make the callers happy. As the broker for our office, I get alot of complaints from agents calling my agents and the upset agent is mad bcause he called 13 times over 4 hours and never got a call back. This is harassment. The phone can be our best friend and worst enemy.

Robert Kaetzel, Broker

Oct 14, 2008 05:02 PM

Andrew Monaghan

The Monaghan Group - Glendale, AZ

CRS, GRI, EPro Associate Broker

I would love to answer every call but its almost impossible, I have voice cloud that emails mu assistant in case it needs immediate attention and try to get all calls followed up on asap but its not always possible.

Half of my calls are the following

yes its a reo

yes its vacant, is it's not Ill be more surprised than you

yes its on a lock box

im sure its a mls box

i don't know if there are offers on the home

no i wont tell you who has that information

.....

Oct 14, 2008 05:29 PM

None None

Peace River, SK

Don't forget the ones that ask you a thousand dumb questions and then tell you they have an agent.

Oct 14, 2008 05:43 PM

Andrew Monaghan

The Monaghan Group - Glendale, AZ

CRS, GRI, EPro Associate Broker

Didnt want to say that

;-)

Oct 14, 2008 05:45 PM

Amy Watt

Founding Partner, HER Realtors - Troy, OH

Troy, Ohio

Hi GK! Was that you calling? JK. I always answer my phone when its possible. If I can't get it because I am on the other line or with a client, I will return the call.

IMHO, I think returning a call promptly is more a sign of good service than answering every time - a sign of slow times!

Amy

Oct 15, 2008 05:31 AM

Bonita Malone

Better Homes and Gardens Mason-McDuffie Real Estate - Sacramento, CA

GRI, SFR, CDPE

I don't mind if my call goes to voicemail, as long as they call me back. There are so many agents who will not return calls and that is very frustrating.

Oct 15, 2008 12:37 PM

Dave Culbertson

Real Living Home Team - Mount Vernon, OH

Gina Kay,

I ALWAYS answer the phone...

...except when it's a call from you. That's what all the agents I know say, too.

:-)

Just kidding. Wouldn't pick on ya if I didn't love ya!

Dave Culbertson, Real Living Home Team, Mount Vernon, OH

Oct 16, 2008 03:12 PM

Scott Gibson

Renters Warehouse - Phoenix, AZ

Helping clients and agents understand their value

Andrew who responded to this post gave me a great tool that works with voicemail to email or text about a month ago because I was missing his calls, I have found it to be a fantastic tool. I wouldn't want to promote a product or service on an open blog, but it is an easy search on the net. I would have to recommend the technology though, great idea that has made a big difference in my business. Thank you Andrew! - Scott E Gibson, phoenix

Oct 18, 2008 09:54 AM

Jorgette Krsulic

Colorado Casa, REALTORS - Colorado Springs, CO

As a long time Buyer's Agent, I have sold homes to many clients who have called agent after agent and are surprised to get a live person on the phone (me) - willing to take their info and get back to them during business hours ... Also, if a call does get to VM, my assistant knows to check it periodically during the day to ensure that all calls are returned same day. Just good customer service wins the day!

Jorgette

Oct 18, 2008 12:54 PM

Gina Kay Landis

Home Experts Realty - Dayton, OH

Robert

Robert - I feel your pain! It's true that when you are swamped, it's almost insane to answer every call. That said, most of the agents I'm calling have fairly low production. So why not answer? Outside of Amy's savvy comment (see below/Amy), which factors in the impression buyers or sellers have when an agent doesn't answer their phone, at times it is essential to answer, particularly if a deal is going on and things are crazy and answers are needed. I am still a "fan" of answering whenever I can - even as busy as I am! maybe it's just to hear that human on the other line!

Andrew - Thanks Andrew - would you share a link to the software you mentioned and Scott alluded to?

Amy - Ah, 'twas me, allright! =) But really, I get your point. Not answering but returning calls does give rhe impression one may be busy. Sometimes though, it's just as easy to answer. I have just run into so many sellers and buyers who have told me "you're the first agent who actually answered your phone!" - that says more to me, I suppose!

Bonita - True, Bonita, returning calls is just as important!

Dave - Dave, buddy, I love ya too! *ring ring* pffft! Missed you at the last meeting!

Scott - Scott thanks for your voice - I've asked Andrew to share the link with us. You can too, in case Andrew doesn't have it handy.

Jorgette - Agreed - very good service you are performing! Thanks!

Oct 21, 2008 07:11 AM

Andrew Monaghan

The Monaghan Group - Glendale, AZ

CRS, GRI, EPro Associate Broker

The system i use is VoiceCloud.com i was introduced to it by a blog on AR, it has been among the best investment in my business that i could have made

Nov 09, 2008 04:37 AM

Renée Montgomery

Century 21 New Millennium - Warrenton, VA

Northern Virginia Real Estate

I agree it can be frustrating not having agents answer right away. But here is the flip side: LEAVE a Message!! I have a recorded prompt telling folks that I WILL call back!! It's frustrating getting beeped, and then NO message, or a message I can't understand or a number too fast!! I forward from several numbers so I don't always have caller ID.

Hey, I'm busy if I don't answer right away so leave a message.

Nov 10, 2008 09:57 AM