Your mom may have told you to always take the high road, but often that’s easier said than done—especially when it comes to dealing with a buyer or seller who’s downright rude when you’re just doing your job. Unfortunately, this is a common experience for real estate agents. Here are some suggestions from top professionals on how to turn things around and preserve your agent-client relationship when the rhetoric turns negative.
Educate Clients Early and Often
Sometimes clients are rude because they simply don’t understand real estate transactions or they have unreasonable expectations, especially if they’ve never bought a home. Try to get ahead of this by providing education on every step of the process, the local housing market, and what your job entails (as well as what it doesn’t). This will help them set realistic expectations so if things don’t go how they are envisioning, they have the knowledge you’ve given them so they can reel their emotions back in.
Provide Referrals When You Can’t Help
Some annoying real estate clients give the impression that they either believe they’re your only client or that you have all the time in the world. They are constantly asking you to do things that are outside of your real estate agent duties. When they make these demands, it’s crucial to set a boundary. Kindly but politely point out that you do not have the time to do what they are asking but don’t end the conversation there. Tell them someone who can do the task they are asking about or say you’ll find someone if you can’t think of anyone right now.
Stand by Your Decisions
If annoying real estate clients are consistently questioning your choices, the best thing you can do is to firmly stand by your decisions anyway. Tell them why they should trust you, pointing out not only your experience but also why they hired you. Confidence is key! The worst thing you can do is sow doubt in your decisions because it will only create more distrust and problems in your agent-client relationship.
Always Remain Calm
No matter how emotional and angry a client may be with you, it’s important to stay calm to work on deescalating the situation rather than escalating it. You may even want to ask the client to pause to get into a better headspace. To convey that you’ve heard their concerns, try repeating back what the client is upset about, framing it by explaining you want to make sure you’re understanding. This is a way that you can validate their feelings and hopefully keep the interaction civil.
Become a Better Listener
Whether your clients are sharing their demands or they are venting their frustrations, being a good listener is important. Taking notes while your clients express their concerns will show that you are actively listening. Never interrupt your clients even if you think you have a solution to the concerns they’re voicing, as this will just upset them.
Let Awkward Agent Help You Attract Better Clients
At Awkward Agent, we understand the many awkward and at times frustrating stages of client interactions. Getting high-quality clients will help minimize these uncomfortable situations. With our effective marketing strategies, Awkward Agent helps you make meaningful connections with hard-to-get clients. To find out more, get in touch today!
