2 Ways To Conquer Neverending Phone Calls

Q: Why do so many agents not answer their phone?! I’m just trying to sell their property!

A: No one answers their phone these days. They’re “too busy!” But we know that they aren’t too busy. They’re just lazy! While I don’t love talking on the phone, I do understand the value of returning a call.

Put A Process In Place

When I was the sole person responsible for answering calls I made sure I had a daily outgoing message that told people when I would be available to return their call. That’s right! I literally blocked out time on my calendar each day to return calls and I made it a priority to follow through.

Here’s a sample of my outgoing voicemail greeting:

“Hi, you’ve reached [name]. I’m either with a client or on the phone. It’s [day] the [date] and I will be returning calls today between [time] and [time]. Leave a message with your name and number and I will call you back. Thanks for calling!

Get Some Help

I’ll be honest though, answering the phone and returning calls was a major chore so when I hired an assistant, she was responsible for answering the phone. We had a system in place for answering the phone, taking messages and scheduling time for me to return any calls she couldn’t answer.

If you are trying to get in touch with a client, another agent, a lender, etc., do everything you can to reach out (call, text, email). But at some point, it just may not be worth it. Their ambivalence to communication is a direct reflection of how they do business. An agent not answering their phone or returning calls is not worth working with.

Honestly, though, I don’t understand why Realtors don’t want to answer their phone and get business done!

We can’t always control other people but we do have control over our own actions. Make sure you are not guilty of unanswered phone calls. An assistant is a tremendous help but setting expectations on your voicemail not only gives your callers more clarity but also holds you accountable.

Voicemail Tips

Make sure your voicemail includes your name (duh) and company name… do NOT use a generic voicemail message! Go the extra step by setting expectations and letting them know when you will return their call.

What’s your best tactic for getting hold for unresponsive agents? Have we moved completely into a text-message society?

Check out my follow-up to this question.

If you still need some help with your voicemail, try these script samples.

Hate answering your phone but don’t think you are ready for an assistant? I have a solution!

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