Happy Sunday Everyone:
Sometimes we have to ask if the universe is trying to tell us something. It started with our company wide monthly meet up, our CEO, Ron, showed up with a T-shirt that simply said, “Pick up the phone”. Again, simple concept but if you want to maintain your clients, you have a better chance of doing so by picking up the phone. You might say “duh”, but when’s the last time you picked up the phone vs. email, vs. txt, vs, video, whatever…and actually talked to your client? My client retention is pretty damn good, but the point remains, I need to pick up the phone more with my clients!
Wednesday night I’m talking to Jack (my oldest), now living in Raleigh NC for his first job at a Cisco Systems. He had the opportunity to speak to his boss’s boss for an hour on best practices etc. Same day Ron is wearing this T shirt, this guy tells Jack, “People will send 10 emails back and forth trying to figure something out, when you don’t know how to do something, pick up the phone and talk to them”. Simple, yes, but how many times are you on the email train? Also-be a part of the solution, when someone is asking you the question, simply tell them to call you.
Thursday. As much as I hate to admit it, we screwed up on a loan. We still closed on time, but we created drama we didn’t need to create. Everyone scrambling, late to get docs out, escrow officer pissed, Realtor pissed, client pissed. New Realtor relationship (which is never good). The loan funds/records Friday, everything is fine, but the relationship is likely toast and across the bay, so I’ll never see her again. Team reminds me “You should call”. I’d like to say I didn’t need the reminder, but I did. I called her, I acknowledged 100% our fault and apologized for any undue stress to all parties. We talked for 10 minutes, and then she said, “you know I really appreciate you picking up the phone to call me”. Relationship might not be over.
Last one. Driving Friday afternoon and get an incoming call from one of my all-time favorite business partners (who rarely calls). I answer, she starts explaining about the fact that she was going to email me a question and finally decided she’d just “pick up the phone” and call me. We talked for 15 minutes, covered her question but then talked about life and everything in between. Even reminded me it was another favorite business partners birthday (which I would have missed).
So, there you have it-48 hours:
- CEO wearing T-shirt “Pick up the phone”
- Jack’s boss: when you have questions “Pick up the phone”
- No longer pissed off Realtor “Thank you for picking up the phone to call me”.
- Top referral partner “then I thought I’d just pick up the phone and call you”.
Is today’s message simple? Very. But I’d challenge you to consider how many times you choose to not pick up the phone when you should.
Pick up the phone this week.