Many agents try to explain the reasons why they deserve their commissions by mentioning that we’re self employed, which means we not only split our commission with our broker but also pay all our own supplies, gas, health insurance, marketing materials, etc. They then go through and explain how their knowledge and experience can save their clients time and money, which makes them that much more valuable. This is all true (and I use many of those arguments myself) but there’s another big reason that many agents earn the commission they receive: being on call 24 x 7.
Occasionally a client asks me if I ever get a day off. While yes, there are some days that I do not meet with clients and/or do not go to the office, very rarely does a day go by when I do not spend at least an hour working for a client or on my business.
When a buyer or seller chooses an agent, that agent inevitably becomes their on-call staff for the duration of the transaction… and often afterwards as well. Since most people work days, much of an agent’s time with clients is in the evening or on weekends… the same time an agent’s friends and family are typically wishing to be with them. Work on weeknights can often go till 9pm or later and weekends can often be spent with 2-3 clients a day and run 10-12 hours.
Even when a “day off” or “family time” is scheduled, invariably an offer comes in on a listing or a buyer finds a house they have to see ASAP. As agents we always try to strike a balance between professional and personal life but it is easy for “just this once” to become “I’ve got to go again.”
Before I became a real estate agent I was a computer server administrator and was often called in on nights and weekends… but never as much as I am today. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job and understand that it comes with both benefits and drawbacks, but I don’t know how many consumers really understand the commitment it takes to be a full-time agent.
In a given week I’ll often work many more hours than an on-call ER doctor and earn quite a bit less than they do. Even most doctors have scheduled shifts and scheduled vacations, whereas I’ve found my schedule can vary dramatically day-to-day, nearly every day.
We all make career choices that dictate the lives we live and in no way am I complaining about my work, however it seems that some consumers do not understand the human cost that comes with providing excellent customer service.
