Who's the Boss Here

On a recent day off, I headed out for brekkie. Happy to be out and about on a beautiful winter’s day free of the confines of a suit and tie, it’s fair to say I was loving life.

It’s also fair to say that when I walked into the café, my happy bubble soon burst. Before I could even sit down, the waitress barked at me from across the room.

“The kitchen doesn’t open till 8am, you’ll have to place your order then!”

I looked at my watch. It was 7:56am.

Maybe I’m being a bit dramatic, but for me the decision was made instantly. I turned around with my $35 dollars still in my pocket and took my patronage down the road.

It got me thinking, what would the owner of that business think of what just happened? Or worse still, was that waitress actually the owner of the business?

In real estate, we understand all too well we need to win the business when the time comes to sell. Most of us also know that to effectively win the business more often, we need to be servicing our community long before the prospect of being paid is discussed.

But getting the signature on the listing agreement is just the equivalent of getting the client through the door.

In order to build a relationship that actually results in enough trust for a transaction to take place, we have to always be putting ourselves in the shoes of the customer. We need to be able to relate to the experience through their eyes, helping them with respect and care, especially when they don’t understand exactly what’s going on or what’s required of them.

The very best in our industry understand the law of doing more than what they’re paid for and the law of reciprocity. They also know that whether they’re an agent or a principal, they’re always the boss.

All the best,
The Auction Group