| For 30 years we have been taught, as | | | | the family activities, the time with your spouse, |
| REALTORS® we must be there for our | | | | and the time for you. You must plan that process |
| clients. I hear it all the time from Agents across | | | | before the week begins. The most effective way |
| North America; "I want to be there for my | | | | to set boundaries is work off a set schedule. A |
| clients." What does 'be there' mean? Does 'be | | | | set schedule allows you to create each week to |
| there' mean we are available 24 hours, 7 days a | | | | be exactly the same as the week before. Create |
| week for our clients? Does it mean that we miss | | | | specific boundaries for your client by taking your |
| soccer games, tee ball games, and piano recitals? | | | | home phone number off your business card. |
| For many Agents that is exactly what it means. | | | | Other professionals don't give out their home |
| Many of us equate access with service. We have | | | | number. Turn your cell phone and pager off at |
| been trained for years that access is the primary | | | | specific times each evening. Set boundaries for |
| vehicle of customer service. We feel we need to | | | | your clients to follow regarding your time and |
| be there at all times for our clients. We grant | | | | time with your family. |
| them access to our lives whenever they want it. | | | | Step 2: Treat everything as an appointment |
| They can, and will, take over our business, if we | | | | Once you have set boundaries, treat everything |
| let them. | | | | as an appointment. Your time with your children |
| I want to share with you a new concept. Access | | | | and spouse are the most important appointments |
| has nothing to do with customer service. There | | | | you have. Don't infringe on your family time. Your |
| are many professionals we do business with on a | | | | appointments to work out, to read, and to relax |
| regular basis who are less than accessible. A skilled | | | | are your time; don't break those appointments. |
| doctor cannot be contacted via phone and | | | | You also have appointments in your workday. |
| respond right away. A skilled doctor is busy with | | | | You have appointments to prospect and lead |
| other patients and will get back to the caller during | | | | follow-up. These have a tendency to get pushed |
| the course of the day. A professional attorney | | | | out of the way by clients. If you allow that to |
| may be in court, in a conference, or taking a | | | | happen, you will see a drop in your business in 90 |
| deposition. We don't expect them to return our | | | | days. If you miss those appointments today, the |
| call immediately. I would certainly question the | | | | effect is not felt for 90 days when you have no |
| ability of these two professionals if they could get | | | | closings. It's easy to let other things move into |
| back to me right away. That would tell me they | | | | those prospecting and lead follow-up appointment |
| are not very busy. It would cause me to question | | | | slots. You have to fight the urge to take care of |
| their capabilities. Yet, being phone available is like a | | | | clients in those times. |
| badge of honor for a REALTOR®. | | | | Step 3: Set specific times to return calls |
| Ben Franklin said,"If you want a job done right, | | | | Most of the calls we get are not important. They |
| ask a busy man to do it." Ben understood the | | | | are someone trying to give us what they deem |
| perception of industrious diligence. He also | | | | as urgent. They are rarely important and rarely |
| understood human nature. When Ben Franklin was | | | | must be handled now. Most calls can wait a few |
| a young printer, he was seen daily on Market | | | | hours to deal with. Set specific times when you |
| Street at noon pushing a wheelbarrow stacked | | | | return calls. I would suggest once in late morning |
| with reams of paper. After becoming successful | | | | and once toward the end of the day. Tell people |
| he later shared that the paper was not in the | | | | you are in appointments and you will be retuning |
| wheelbarrow because it needed to go | | | | calls at those specific times. |
| somewhere, but it was there to promote Ben as | | | | You need to separate the concept of access |
| a busy man. He created a public perception of | | | | from customer service. Customer service is |
| value through his daily wheelbarrow walk. If we | | | | about getting the job done well. The client does |
| can meet with clients at all hours of the day and | | | | not really care about your access. They care |
| night, they will begin to wonder if we have any | | | | about a job done well. Become respected like |
| other clients. We are not promoting being a busy | | | | your doctor, dentist, or attorney. Limit the instant |
| REALTOR®. To clearly separate access from | | | | access you grant to people. Don't be fooled by |
| customer service, here are a few steps: | | | | the old access model of customer service for real |
| Step 1: Set Boundaries | | | | estate. To stay competitive with all the changes in |
| Your clients will respect you if you set specific | | | | the real estate industry, you need to raise the |
| boundaries. Set boundaries on your time away | | | | bar on service and professionalism. Access is not |
| from selling real estate. Take out the days off, | | | | in either of these categories. |