Today's post is going to be short, maybe not so sweet, but definitely right to the point. I wrote an article in my August 2010 Newsletter titled "Hardly Worth the Effort." In this piece I touched on the effort required to deliver quality.
I came across this MLS picture today. Others might find it funny. Not me. It made me angry for reasons I'll share in a moment. First, I'll set the table.
We all know that times are tough. Profits are down, layoffs and cutbacks are up.
Some of our favorite places are no longer in business. Vacant, empty.
Words like "Recession", "Furlough Friday", "Foreclosure" and "Short Sale" have become part of everyday speak.
In an effort to stay in the black, or in business for that matter, many employers have fired more talented and experienced employees, in favor of less experienced, less talented, less compensated and dare I say, people less interested in doing anything resembling a good job.
Few things are more aggravating than feeling you haven't gotten your money's worth. And it doesn't matter what you pay for it.
The other day I was at a place I frequent with my 12 year old daughter and was treated rather rudely by an employee who's job title is "ambassador." I'm guessing his boss would be thrilled with his cheerful demeanor and the goodwill he spread that day. We have other choices where to spend our money, and we'll do so next time.
We expect the best effort from anyone who we pay for their effort. If we choose a lower fee, we still expect to get what we're promised. If that means we'll get less bells and whistles, and we know that going in, then it's on us, not the service provider.
Regardless of what commission percent you agree to pay your listing agent to sell your Folsom home, you want, no you expect, their best effort.
Which is why photos like this I come across don't amuse me like they do others.
This real estate agent obviously doesn't care about the job she's doing. And the seller must not either because he hired her.
There's a reason some Realtors are more successful than others in getting a home sold on time, for the highest price possible, and with a minimum of headache, hassle and delay. What they charge may be less or it may be more, that's irrelevant to my point. What's not irrelevant is the quality of their work. Those of us who have been around for more than a few years know what it takes to deliver what you want and need in these trying times. That means in some cases, strike that, in pretty much every case, having the hard conversations about price and presentation, going the extra mile to negotiate a contract, and being willing to fill in the gaps others cause by mistake or omission.
It's a strange new world we live in today with 3G and HD, but one thing is constant, less is still less and more is still more.







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