If you’re like a lot of Americans, you avoid listening, reading, or watching the news as much as you once did.
Hey, we don’t blame you. News stories seem to be more focused on shocking behavior than ever before.
Yes, Americans are misbehaving more than ever, and this makes for stress and tension among everyone.
This includes the real estate world as well.
It’s evidenced by agents who don’t pay attention when clients are speaking to them, who drop the ball when it comes to returning calls, and that small minority who lack morals and ethics.
We know that you aren’t in that group, but for those who think small gaps in stellar customer service don’t matter, let’s look at how playing nice with others can change your reputation and allow you to gain some positive word of mouth.
1. Be considerate of the other agent’s client
Yes, your fiduciary duties are to your buyer or seller. But you also have a duty to extend consideration to the other agent’s client.
Take the multiple offer situation, for instance. Although there isn’t as much of that happening now, it was common over the past few years. Tons of buyers’ agents were gnashing their teeth over the lack of basic courtesy extended to their clients when their offer wasn’t accepted.
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It takes 20 seconds to dash off a text or email to the buyer’s agent, letting her know that her client’s offer wasn’t accepted. “It’s a decided lack of professionalism,” one agent said about listing agents who fail to extend this basic courtesy.
“Think of the anxious buyer,” she added.
Send this text or email or make a phone call before you update the property’s status in the MLS. It’s not fair or courteous to other agents to have to learn the bad news from anything or anyone other than the listing agent.
Then, the buyer’s agent makes an appointment to show a home and ghosts the seller.
Many homeowners run around like crazy, tidying up their homes in anticipation of a showing. When you don’t show up or don’t call to reschedule or cancel the appointment, you become one of ‘those’ agents, the bad apples who make the rest look bad.
2. Use your words
One issue we heard about from several agents is that there is almost a complete lack of feedback on showings.
Remember, the average agent is a woman in her fifties; she’s been in the biz for way more than a minute. She recalls the days when soliciting feedback from showing agents was so commonplace that listing agents wouldn’t think of not doing it and then passing it on to their clients.
After all, isn’t communicating with the seller part of the listing agent’s job? Letting your client know how buyers feel about their home is critical.
If buyers’ agents don’t offer feedback, which is courteous, it’s the listing agent’s job to solicit it.
“Politeness … can be used to signal respect and consideration for others,” according to Matteo Bonotti & Steven T. Zech. (Understanding Civility).
Politeness and communication. It’s what you need to win the exacta in the race to set yourself apart from other agents in town and truly have a chance at growing your business through word of mouth.
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