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Okay, I admit it, I go overboard posting about this, but it DRIVES ME INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!
PLEASE, if you are looking for a home in the Charlotte area (Im not sure how the rest of the country works), do not walk in and give me a dirty look, blow past me and tell me you are looking at decorating ideas!!!!!
I would not walk into your office and/or place of work and do that to you.
This job feeds my family. And I have a job to do. These homes are my responsibility.
I am not going to make you buy a house. Im just here to show you around and make sure you don't rob me blind (Which don't laugh, it happens all the time)... If I could force you to buy a house, I would be sitting on the deck of my beautiful beach house in Hawaii and not counting change for grocereys.
Okay, I admit it, I go overboard posting about this, but it DRIVES ME INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!
PLEASE, if you are looking for a home in the Charlotte area (Im not sure how the rest of the country works), do not walk in and give me a dirty look, blow past me and tell me you are looking at decorating ideas!!!!!
I would not walk into your office and/or place of work and do that to you.
This job feeds my family. And I have a job to do. These homes are my responsibility.
I am not going to make you buy a house. Im just here to show you around and make sure you don't rob me blind (Which don't laugh, it happens all the time)... If I could force you to buy a house, I would be sitting on the deck of my beautiful beach house in Hawaii and not counting change for grocereys.
Well, I gotta say, I have looked at model homes and told the realtor on site that I was just checking things out b/c I was curious . . . (wh/ one could translate to looking for decorating ideas, I suppose!) In fact, one of my closest friends and I did this quite often . . . but we targeted three particular new developments . . . and my friend ended up building a custom home in one development where we spent a lot of time. Of course, we were not rude, but we were not interested in conversations about "what we were looking for" and "how soon were we thinking about building/buying" etc.
So don't get discouraged. People don't always reveal why they are looking at a model home, often b/c they are not at the stage at that moment to actually buy or build a home.
Well, I gotta say, I have looked at model homes and told the realtor on site that I was just checking things out b/c I was curious . . . (wh/ one could translate to looking for decorating ideas, I suppose!) In fact, one of my closest friends and I did this quite often . . . but we targeted three particular new developments . . . and my friend ended up building a custom home in one development where we spent a lot of time. Of course, we were not rude, but we were not interested in conversations about "what we were looking for" and "how soon were we thinking about building/buying" etc.
So don't get discouraged. People don't always reveal why they are looking at a model home, often b/c they are not at the stage at that moment to actually buy or build a home.
I can totally understand where you are coming from. And when people are nice, I have absolutley no problem if you want to just look and wander around. But when they are rude and act like I am a beast... thats where I draw the line. You wouldnt believe how many people do that to me.
I can totally understand where you are coming from. And when people are nice, I have absolutley no problem if you want to just look and wander around. But when they are rude and act like I am a beast... thats where I draw the line. You wouldnt believe how many people do that to me.
Oh, that again... When too many people do the same thing to you, the reason for that usually lies with you. And I don't mean "you" in particular - applies to everybody.
Coincidentally, a couple of days ago after I went to see how the construction of my new house is going, I drove by another builder's development next door and decided to see their models. Was welcomed by a broad friendly smile and the question "Would you TERRIBLY mind signing?" Smiling back, I told the guy I'm having a house built next door and just want to see the models. What was the reply? Another great smile and telling me to go right ahead (of course without him following). After I got my decorating ideas or however you wanna call it, I thanked him politely, complimented him on their wonderful houses, and left.
That was the common situation when you go through the office to the models. What exactly can anybody be afraid of in this setup?! Am I gonna put some furniture in my pockets on the way out?! In my development, you just leave your driver's license and get the key to all 13 models. They even had all models wide open at the beginning, but apparently ran into some trouble... I guess some smaller things can be stolen after all, but how many people would do that... I'd consider it "cost of doing business."
I really feel for the new-home buyers in Charlotte.
Okay, I admit it, I go overboard posting about this, but it DRIVES ME INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!
PLEASE, if you are looking for a home in the Charlotte area (Im not sure how the rest of the country works), do not walk in and give me a dirty look, blow past me and tell me you are looking at decorating ideas!!!!!
I would not walk into your office and/or place of work and do that to you.
This job feeds my family. And I have a job to do. These homes are my responsibility.
I am not going to make you buy a house. Im just here to show you around and make sure you don't rob me blind (Which don't laugh, it happens all the time)... If I could force you to buy a house, I would be sitting on the deck of my beautiful beach house in Hawaii and not counting change for grocereys.
It sounds to me like you don't like your job very much.
You are in the service industry in sales, and deal w/customers. We ALL are punching bags from time to time. Either find something else where you don't deal w/people or grow thicker skin, plain and simple. Honestly, no one cares about the person who is in the model. This is what YOU signed up for. Deal with it.
Sorry if you don't appreciate the blunt feedback but its getting tiresome.
Sorry, but I agree with CouponJack. Welcome to the 1980's. The early '80's. The days of order-taking are over and back to basics is the NEW BLACK! You need to look at your business like baseball. Every time you smile and hand out a card it's like a time up at bat. If you don't get to bat there'll never be a chance for hitting a home run. You also don't know whether or not whoever is looking for decorating ideas may also have a friend who will get that business card because they remember you as helpful and friendly. Take the long view of things if you plan for this to be a career, because the interesting thing about it is that every day is different and though there are some jerks out there, for each one of them there will also be a person who really appreciates you. Funny, but its the nice ones you'll remember several hundred transactions from now and they'll remember you over and over by giving you referrals.
I take it you are venting again, lol. Well, go ahead and vent. But, it's not going to change anything. You're dealing with the public. They aren't all having a great day, don't all react or behave the same way or well. It's the same in ANY industry that deals with a lot of people. Hang in there. Some people are just....rude. Be as polite and friendly as you can, get your card or brochure in their hand, tell them it's great meeting them, tell them where they can purchase the same furniture or who can do a wonderful job for them in painting/decorating in their neighborhood and you just might end up with some customers!
You are all right. I just had to vent, and maybe there are some people who will think about being rude and disrespectful before walking into a model.
I think your definition of "rude and disrespectful" may be different from mine. I'm sure I've encountered prickly people who work in customer-facing roles who may have assumed I was being rude when I was doing no such thing. I don't let that bother me; I'm always courteous and polite to salespeople, even when they don't return the favor.
When my BF and I go house-hunting next year, we'll probably look at a lot of models. We may even go to a model in a neighborhood where we have no intention of buying a house just to see the build quality of that particular builder. I certainly hope whoever is there doesn't yell and scream at us if we are truthful and say that we're just browsing.
Oh, and thanks to whoever neg-repped me for that and didn't sign their name. I've already given one out today too, but at least I had the guts to sign my name.
Last edited by nativeDallasite; 11-26-2007 at 10:39 AM..
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(Which don't laugh, it happens all the time)... If I could force you to buy a house, I would be sitting on the deck of my beautiful beach house in Hawaii and not counting change for grocereys.
Just looking . . .
