Well, I turned 40 this week and to celebrate I bought myself two gifts…
… Because while this year has been a shit show on a personal level, for business – it’s been good.
So, gift number one, I’m taking Barney (my son) snowboarding for the first time in December.
Now, I’ll be honest, I’m hoping that if I can get him hooked, then I’ve got the perfect excuse for the three of us to keep going.
Gift number two, I’m trying to buy a house.
So far…
I am already regretting that decision.
- Not because of the rates…
- Not because of the markets…
- Not because of the climate…
… But because the estate agent is miserable as sin.
And fuck me, every time I speak to someone in their team I want to be handed a gun so that I can end it all.
No surprise, that in the background and in their office, I can hear Sky News pumping them with propaganda focused on doom and gloom.
Now I don’t know when you last bought a house but in my mind, this shit should be exciting.
After all, for most, it’s the single biggest purchase you make.
It’s emotional, it’s your home, it’s your castle and it’s your kingdom.
And I would think that as an estate agent, it’s your moral obligation to exploit that within an inch of its life, to sell more houses – right?!
Nope.
Clearly not.
Truth is, I’ve dealt with happier teenagers at the McDonald’s drive-thru.
Which brings me onto your mantra for money this week:
Impressions are everything.
Especially first ones.
You give a customer a bad one, and you might as well start burning money.
Begging the question …
… When did you last call or email your office and see what impression you give?
Or in other words…
- Can you trust your staff to be on it?
- Can you trust others to be on it?
- Can you trust yourself to be on it – when your back’s against the wall, the emails are stacking up and the hours are getting long?
I know I can’t.
It’s why where possible I always let the machine rise and automation take the reigns.
Because it ALWAYS sets the right tone.
It doesn’t get sick.
It doesn’t get pissed off.
It doesn’t listen to Sky News 🙂
It just gives customers a consistent experience, on time, every time – like clockwork.
….WITHOUT me needing to lift a finger.
Remember I know it’s automated.
You know it’s automated.
But the customer doesn’t have a clue.
That all said, we’ll see what happens when I call them again tomorrow.
… I’m gonna make a bold prediction.
Nothing will have changed.
In fact, I’ll bet money that the response to my default question of:
“Morning – how are you?”
Will be cheerfully greeted with:
“Uhhhh not bad. I’m tired. I hate Mondays. I wish it was still the weekend.”
Make More. Provide More. Be More.
Charlie Hutton