Ok..wait for it…it’s earth shattering. It’s a technique that so many in business…oops that would exclude most Realtors… have not been taught or maybe have forgotten. However, for those looking for a way to actually improve their business and revenue generation instead of lamenting around the water cooler, this information may be of great benefit.
Ready for me to reveal the secret to increasing your business IMMEDIATELY? Answer your friggin phone! Yep, that’s it. Been saying it for over a year and a half but the whiners out there just don’t seem to get it! Just answer your phone.
The WAV group, a real estate consulting group out of California published a whitepaper report that served up some very unsettling news to many Realtors. I am not sure why…this information has been known for years by anyone actually trying to do business in this industry.
The whitepaper reported that a whopping 33 percent of e-mails to agents received no response, and that those that did respond took an average of 10 hours and 16 minutes to do so.
This is wholly unacceptable, yet it is actually widely accepted. Brokers are you even monitoring your flock or is it a matter that as long as the desk fee check clears, you could care less about true customer service?
This Internet thing isn’t going away. Yet I keep reading and hearing from many of the old timers that the way to increase business is to go knock on doors.
*** News Flash *** Business is being delivered to your doorstep and you won’t even answer the door.
The WAV Group whitepaper went on to say that when agents actually get around to responding, only 20% have any idea what they are talking about. Again, not eye-opening journalism here.
Our buyers tell us the stories all of the time about the wide spread incompetence of the mass rank and file group of agents out there.
We get agents who are so lazy and stupid, that they actually send clients to our blog to register, look for properties and educate themselves because they don’t have any resources to do serve their clients in this new age of business. Morons!
Now with all my loathe for incompetent agents, even I was blown away by one of the findings of the WAV study. In their research the WAV Group found that in calling on listings NOT A SINGLE AGENT COULD ANSWER QUESTIONS POSED ABOUT THEIR OWN LISTINGS!
Let’s look at that again. ZERO agents could competently respond to questions posed about their own listings! If I was selling a home, I would make it a point to call my listing agent at least twice per day (from an unknown number of course) to see if he or she actually answered the phone and spoke competently about my home and if they didn’t I would fire them immediately.
Yet, we all know what’s going on. We all see this happening time after time. Everyone’s afraid to call somebody out in fear of some inane code of ethics. A code of ethics that is only there for convenience. Brokers look the other way, other agents look the other way…it’s absolutely pathetic.
It’s like the real estate industry has adopted the rapper’s credo of “No Snitching”!
Blame the banks all you want. Blame the economy…whatever makes you feel better. The real reason that the housing industry is in the toilet is because there is rampant incompetence and no one wants to do anything about it. Not the National Association Of Realtors, not the local brokers and not the nincompoops who are posing to the general public as professionals.
Now it’s disclaimer time. Of course there are some competent agents out there. This is not a slam on all the apples in the basket. However, if you remain silent to the crime then you are an accessory. As an industry watchdog, The NAR must be called upon to clean house. Brokers must be challenged to dismiss the incompetent. The Local Boards must demand accountability and technological education.
That kind of effort would show people that the real estate industry actually gives a hoot. That kind of effort would actually help boost the economy. Get out there and work or get out of the business. Any monkey with a business card can scam someone into a listing. Get off your duff and get out there and sell.
We have over 300 buyers in some stage of incubation for the agent we market for and not one single listing presentation has EVER been done. Not one single door has been knocked on. Yet there is more business than she can handle. Why, because she works in a way exactly opposite of the agents involved in the WAV Group report.
Emails are answered within hours if not minutes. Every single phone call is promptly answered all returned. If we waited 10 hours to answer an email we’d be out of business, which is why I guess there are so many starving agents.
Want to improve your bottom line and become more successful in your business? It’s an easy task, just start by anwering your emails and phone calls. It’s amazing what kind of business you could drum up if you just do that!
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