Anand Patel
By Anand Patel
With all the methods of communication today — from e-mail, to social media, to text messaging — it almost seems like the ancient art of having a conversation on the telephone is dead.
As a broker, inevitably part of our jobs is putting out fires (or stopping them before they can start) with agents and their transactions. I find MANY of the problems that arise can be avoided in the first place if either agent involved in the transaction would just pick up the telephone and call the other party rather than texting or e-mailing.
Yes, texting is very convenient. And yes, you can send an e-mail at 3 a.m. without bothering the other person. But there is so much that can get lost in the interpretation of written text that could have been clearly explained over the phone with your vocal tone, the style of your conversation, and your word choice.
I am as much in tune with technology and the use of social media as the next guy, but there comes a point in a transaction when one must step back and think to themselves, “Would I be better serving my customer by communicating with the other party over the phone in this particular situation?” If the answer is “yes,” then pick up the telephone! I still recommend following up the conversation with an e-mail, but sometimes it’s just better to start the dialogue with a phone call.
What are your thoughts? Have you been in a transaction that could have been saved if someone just picked up the phone and called?
Anand Patel is broker and president of Pangea Realty Group based in Tampa, Fla. You can connect with Anand on Twitter: @anand_tampa; Facebook: www.facebook.com/prgtampa; LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/anandpatel1; or on the Web at www.anandsblog.com.
Comments 2
Beautifully stated. I think of those times when I’ve received an e-mail and it seems the sender is upset, so I pick up the phone to clear the air, only to find that they are completely happy. When sending e-mail, I’m always very conscious to make sure my tone is conveyed properly – and have even resorted to the occasional silly happy face if I know the person well when needed. Yet, we always prefer to make the call. It’s a time investment.
I agree completely Anand. I had a transaction where the other broker refused to make a phone call and I made one call and reached the person on the other line the first time and helped to move the transaction along. I understand wanting a trail of communication, but isn’t that what a good ole fashioned call log is for. If you program calls into outlook, every call is documented and searchable, or as you stated follow up with an email. Excellent topic!