How Fast is Fast Enough?

I noticed something fascinating in a recent study by the California Association of Realtors.  (For graphs and charts, etc. read the full draft report at www.car.org/media/pdf/159699/2009HomeSellerSurveyDraft.pdf).  Many customers are demanding a quicker response time from their agents.  Two-thirds of the respondents expected a response from their realtors in less than two hours, and a whopping 35% said that only an instant answer would satisfy them.

When asked to estimate actual response times, these sellers guessed that two-thirds of their agents responded in under four hours, with 9% responding instantly.

Now, I live and work in West University, where improper cell phone usage can get me pulled over by the West U cops – so I simply cannot offer you an instant response every single time!  However, I have plenty of safety nets to make sure I respond promptly to my customers.  Technology provides one fail-safe (my email and text messages roll over to my cell phone), and people provide the other (my two fully-licensed assistants, Jane and Blaine, can answer most questions on my behalf).

But there is another important question to ask:  Do you want a fast answer - or do you want an accurate one?  Please remember that it takes time to review complicated legal documents and calculations – and that careful review is in your best interest.  My personal preference is therefore to stress accuracy, rather than just speed.

(Sorry, I must end this post here – gotta answer the phone!)

Roger Martin

www.rogermartin.com