The two most recent articles have been all about how to control your prospects experience so you can close more loans. Let's continue that idea here with what happens when a customer tries to contact you.
What I am about to share with you will probably go against everything you have learned in our industry. In fact it took me over 15 years to figure out. But it works.
I was taught to always return my phone calls instantly, to be available 24/7/365. To give out my home, cell, pager and office number and answer them seven days a week regardless of the hour of day or night.
Worse, I was told to advertise this fact. When a client comes in to meet me I was told to instantly be ready for that appointment and in fact to even go to the clients home if I had to - again seven days a week, anytime of the night or day.
Man, that was wrong! But wanting to be successful that's what I did. The problem was that I had become the mortgage version of a 7-Eleven store and was starting to get burnt out. I'd like to share some ideas with on what I call the rules of customer engagement:
1. You should never be available 24/7; instead, you must always establish up front what your schedule of engagement is up front. Let everyone know your office hours. Let them know what times and days it's OK to contact you.
Bonus tip: Put this on your business card and on your recordings.
2. Never ever meet a client at their home. Always make them meet you at your office. You are a professional right? Does your accountant, attorney or doctor make house calls? Of course not and neither should you. Recently with business struggling many originators are meeting clients in hotel lobbies and fast food restaurants. Please don't do that! Talk about unprofessional! Try a Realtor's or title company's office.
3. Never ever answer your own office phone. Professionals always have secretaries for that. If you don't then you should hire an answering service to forward the call for you. When I am out of the office, which is most of the time, my receptionist has a script which tells the caller that Mr. Sacks is with a client but will call you back before the close of business today.
4. When a client comes in do not drop everything to meet with them the moment they come in. In fact I make my clients wait seven to10 minutes in my reception area intentionally so they can see my awards, testimonials and other propaganda.
The Bottom Line: you must set realistic expectations with your clients and prospects. You must always appear to be a professional and an expert. Professionals and experts act like professionals and experts.
I know it will be scary but trust me- you will do more business and you will be happier. See the dirty little secret here is that we all want what is not easy to get! So play a little hard to get - just a little and don't be too quick!
Brian Sacks is the CEO of
