I recently saw an advertisement for a new software product that promised:
Never Deal With Tenant or Buyer Enquiry Ever Again…
It got my attention. I just had to find out more. Not because I wanted to buy it, mind you.
When I read this I was gobsmacked. “Is this a joke?” How could anybody think that removing a reason for Salespeople and Property Managers to contact clients is a good idea?
Is talking to clients now beneath us?
Like it or not, for Property Managers and for Salespeople, the NUMBER ONE JOB is T.T.P.
TALK TO PEOPLE
It’s what we are paid to do, and in large quantities. Fob off that job and you are negligent in your duty.
This company was serious. And no doubt some real estate people will think it’s a good idea. I know this because I once conducted a survey of 300 salespeople and asked:
“What jobs waste most of your time?”
The results were eye-opening. Here are three of the top five:
Number 1: Answering Enquiry
Number 3: Buyers
Number 5: Following Up
Here we have a snapshot of the way many people think. When asked what jobs wasted most of their time, three of the top five were jobs that salespeople are paid to do. All three involve talking to people, but a huge sampling of salespeople responded that doing so was a waste of time.
If you don’t want to talk to people, get out of sales or Property Management. These are not careers for you.
In Pittard Training Group management programs we advise our offices that:
HIGH TOUCH BEATS HIGH TECH EVERY TIME
Given the choice between an impersonal method of contact, such as letters, SMS or email, or a call or visit from a nice, smiling, live human being, we will always opt for HUMAN CONTACT.
Never miss an opportunity to talk with clients, especially face to face. You can send letters and emails, you can leave a message on voice mail – and be secretly relieved that the client didn’t answer – but diminished client contact is a flawed strategy.
Talk to people. It’s what you’re paid to do.
Leave high tech gadgets that shield Salespeople and Property Managers from their clients to those morons who think they are far too important to be interrupted.
And pray that they are your competitors!