Rhonda Duffy
The Real Estate Powerhouse &
Expert Consumer Advocate
How to Have Gracious Clients in Real Estate
As real estate agents enter the service industry of real estate and start to learn real estate and how it works, they often are confused about what it takes to be a real estate agent when their clients are often highly emotional buyers and sellers. Read further as the core to customer service is explained that will result in your clients having a clear understanding of your role as their real estate agent and help you reap the referrals that you will deserve after a job well done.
If the average person who gets into real estate, or already is in real estate for that matter, was to describe the job of the real estate agent, they would say that it is to service the needs of their clients. Of course, as you set out to define the word service that is where it gets a little loose. Many clients believe that an agent should have real estate agents that allow the real estate agent to be there to take their call day or night, seven days a week. And, unfortunately, there are agents who are willing to take the call to make the client happy no matter what time of the day it is. But does that fit into the description of service?
The Webster dictionary defines service, as aiding someone whom needs help. But, what could a seller or a buyer possibly need after 6 p.m. or at 7 a.m.? What real estate has become is an expensive counseling session that the public is taking advantage of because some less confident agents have made it part of their job to be on call 24/7 for their clients to show the client that they have earned a high commission.
Talk to any agent and they will tell you that you can easily get burned out in real estate. Your time is not your own if you have even 1 client because you are always waiting to act upon their need or desire. Taking vacations become difficult. Planning family time is horrendous because you have a black cloud of maybe having to fulfill the needs of your clients over the plans. And, after speaking to a client at a time that is inconvenient for the agent, the agent often reports that they start to resent the client feeling that the client is taking advantage of them.
Setting Your Boundaries is Easy
So, as hard as it sounds, if you are an agent who has no boundaries on their time, a change is needed. And, the great thing is that when you make the shift to establishing boundaries, business hours and rules for how clients will treat you and vice-versa, you will find that the business does become a true business. The business of real estate unfolds to be a business that you can plan your life around and keep the burnout to a minimum.
These boundaries start with you simply sitting down and stating quickly how you expect to be treated by your clients. This should take less than five minutes and is always open to change as you grow with your boundaries. Then, state how you are going to treat clients. As you form your boundaries, you will sense a feeling of empowerment and everything will become instantly stable. You all of the sudden will see your real estate career as a life-long career instead of some get rich quick scheme.
The next step is to change your voice mail to reflect your business hours. One other tip is to add to your voicemail when you will be checking your messages so that your clients will know when to expect your call. I recommend checking your voicemail only 3 times a day from say 10 to 11, 1 to 3 and 5 to 6. When you start this process, you will find that your clients become more grateful for your time and they are expecting your call taking you much more serious as a professional. If you do go out of town, refer to your partner on your voicemail and let them handle your business so that your trip will not be wasted.
The next place to change your habits is what you present to your clients in writing and verbally tell them from the first time that you meet them. Most clients are respectful when you tell them your business hours and actually start to view you as a professional instead of someone in a service business. After all, what professional person that makes the amount that a real estate agent makes in a transaction is open all hours to talk to their clients?
Are you in a service business when you are required to have a level of expertise and knowledge? I believe real estate is a skilled profession, at least that is what our licenses say. And if we are in a service business, why didn’t we get tested on that to get our real estate license? If you are adopting this belief, make sure that you refresh yourself with this often as it will help you curb the desire to answer the phone at 10:30 p.m.
And, lastly make sure that your clients understand your rules by having them sign your statement of how you work and give them a copy of your rules right then. With things in writing, you are less likely to break your own rules and you will always have something to fall back on when you go sideways with your client. I might add, you will be surprised at how quickly you will also accumulate referrals from your clients. This process becomes a much smoother transition for them and they are actually able to firmly tell their friends and family about you because they are clear as to exactly what you do. On the other hand, with your old process, were you really excited about receiving a referral from someone who told their friends that you were great to deal with because they could call you every night after their kids went to bed while they were searching the internet and watching the news?
I invite you to learn more about my thoughts about real estate with my Mastermind coaching program available to all. Go to www.CODRealty.com and sign up for a free 14-part mini course that will help you be a top agent in your area.