Edwardsville and Glen Carbon Real Estate Chat: Will Your Clients Remember You In 35 Years?

Sometimes, I get burnt out on the little things in our industry.  Prospecting, juggling details, keeping people happy - it all adds up and takes it toll.  You have to be aware of when you start to get this way, because if you don't, things will inevitably fall through the cracks.

I'm really picky about the service that my clients receive.  I came into real estate from several different backgrounds.  One of which was customer service.  Sometimes, I think we lose sight of what is really important, and absolutely vital to the success of our business - and that is how we treat our clients and our fellow agents.

When I was a kid, my Grandfather owned a brokerage.  There were times when we would go over for a visit, and he'd need to run to the store or the office to pick something up.  As a young, impatient child I would usually stay at his house because I knew he was going to run into someone he knew and a 30 minute trip would end up taking us two hours.  As I got older, I started to realize that how you treated each and every person that you came in contact with was very important. 

My Grandfather could have been having the worst day of his life, yet he never took it out on anyone.  I've worked in the service industry before, and I can tell you first hand that a lot of times I got the brunt of someone elses bad day.  He always had a smile or a cheesy joke to share with someone.  He treated everyone he met on a daily basis with care, respect and sometimes humor.

My Grandpa was never a rich real estate agent with tailored suits and a luxury car.  He made enough money to give his family a good life and to spoil his grand-kids a little.  He always put his family first, and because of that he turned down business.  He never lost sight of what was important.  He never took more clients than he felt he could handle.  He wanted to give his best to each and every one of his buyers and sellers.

When Grandpa passed away in 1996, I was devastated.  His visitation was scheduled to last five hours, from 4 - 9 pm.  We had so many people come that we were unable to leave until 11:30 that night.  Everyone from the guy that delivered Wonder Bread to the local grocery store to other real estate agents came to pay their final respects.

While I was giving my mother a break from the receiving line, an older woman came up to me.  I didn't know who she was.  She leaned in and hugged me tighter than almost anyone that day.  When she pulled back she put her hands square on my shoulders and said "I know you don't know me, honey. My name is Ann Young and your Grandfather helped me buy my first house in 1971.  I didn't have a lot of money, and the only homes I could afford were small.  I couldn't find an agent to treat me with respect until I found Ira.  He never once treated me different than anyone else.  When I saw his death in the paper, I just had to come and thank his family once again for helping me achieve the dream of home-ownership when no one else gave me the time of day."

Grandpa taught me a lot of lessons while he was with us.  After my conversation with Ann, he taught me the importance of how you will be remembered when you're gone.

Ira Zoellner left this world better than how he found it.  I strive every day to live my life and run my business like he did.  I would rather have someone like Ann show up when I'm gone, instead of simply focusing on the bottom line.  Never lose sight of what is important.  Grandpa didn't.