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This post was updated Sept. 8, 2023.
What makes a top-tier agent different from the rest? It’s not how many homes you sell.
The essence of creating rave reviews is creating trust, monitoring your client’s customer experience and, when something goes wrong, cleaning it up. In other words, your willingness to take responsibility.
What do your clients think about the real estate services you provide? Do you, your company, or your Board of Realtors ever survey them? In most cases, the answer is “no”.
While almost everyone intends to provide their buyers and sellers with the best possible service, very few agents are proactively monitoring their clients’ customer experience. This is a major mistake because most clients today are searching online Realtor reviews before deciding which agent to hire.
Consequently, the more willing you are to address the quality of the client experience that you provide, the more likely you will be to score well on the rating systems and provide your clients with the best possible service. The foundation of success in this area is directly correlated with your willingness to take responsibility for your personal actions and to be proactive in addressing any challenges when they occur.
Below you will find the six levels of responsibility that reflect varying levels of your “responsibility quotient.” Where do you fall on this continuum?
1. Clueless
Clueless agents miss the signs that their clients are unhappy. When their clients rip them in an online review their response is, “There’s a problem? What problem? They never said anything to me about a problem!”
2. Denial
Denial is one of the most common of all human behaviors and comes in many forms. That lovely young couple with whom you spent so much time would never consider working with another agent, or your next-door neighbor would never list with your biggest competitor.
When it comes to taking responsibility, you can spot the agent who is in denial when you hear, “What do you mean ‘What did I do that caused them to list with another agent?’ They’re just a bunch of jerks — I didn’t do anything wrong!”
3. Blame you
For many years my husband has used the phrase “blame you” to describe the behavior in which someone attributes blame to someone else rather than acknowledging his or her role in what happened. For example, “I didn’t make a mistake in the multiple listing service information — the listing coordinator or someone else at the MLS obviously were the ones who goofed.”
For those who are managers, how many times have you heard the following excuse: “It’s not my fault that my production is down; the market is awful. Besides, you always give the referrals to Betty or Steve, never to me.”
4. Rationalize
When we make a mistake, it’s tempting to rationalize or to explain it away. A rationalization is a logical explanation for why an event occurred. For example, “It’s not my fault this property didn’t sell. I told the sellers a hundred times to lower the price and they just wouldn’t listen to me.” Or “I’m so sorry I missed our appointment. My car ran out of gas and in all the excitement, I forgot to call and let you know.”
5. Walk away
The agent who walks away from a problem often does so after trying to solve the issue and then failing to do so. Agents may have trouble walking away, even when it may be a hopeless situation.
Walking away often takes the guise of cutting your losses. You stop working with buyers who aren’t ever going to buy, or you finally dump that listing where the sellers won’t lower their price enough for the property to sell. Walking away often represents making a responsible decision, even if you made it later than you might have otherwise.
6. Responsibility
Agents who have a high responsibility quotient understand that their choices create what happens in their lives. If you fail to take responsibility for your choices, you relinquish control over what happens to you. The only way to break this pattern is to acknowledge that you are responsible for what happens to you and for handling anything that may go wrong in the transaction.
Here are some examples:
- Agents with a high responsibility quotient constantly ask their clients if everything is on track and whether there is anything they may need from them. When something seems off, they keep digging for answers to find out what the real issue is.
- When there is a problem, there is no denial, laying blame or trying to rationalize it away. Instead, the agent takes responsibility by asking, “What can I do to fix it?” Even if the agent is unable to fix the problem, at least the agent is actively searching for solutions to the issue.
- Finally, the person with a high responsibility quotient takes the time to carefully evaluate whether a seller or buyer is a good fit for his or her business. This person avoids taking overpriced listings and chooses not to work with buyers who are not preapproved and realistic about market conditions.
To increase your responsibility quotient, be willing to drop the ineffective behaviors that can cost you not only money but your business relationships as well. Be willing to take responsibility for what happens. After all, you’re the one who is in charge of your business and your transactions.
Bernice Ross, president and CEO of BrokerageUP and RealEstateC
