Although it is rewarding to work closely with your clients in the course of your real estate career, once in a while you may encounter an unhappy, angry or disappointed client. These feelings could stem from their unrealistic expectations (a topic we explore in All About Expectations), or just emotions from making a big financial decision.
Regardless of whose fault it is, your goal as an agent is to resolve the issue and secure business. Read on to learn some strategies that can help you deal with an unhappy client.
Step One: Be A Good Listener
Sometimes your clients may just want someone to acknowledge their concerns and reassure them.
You don’t have to take these grievances personally – all you have to do is listen to their side of the story. After they’re done venting, rephrase their complaints to show that you have heard them out and understand their frustrations. Doing this will go a long way in building trust with your client.
For example, let’s say that you are working with a client who wanted to buy an apartment in Business Bay, but the seller backed out at the last minute. Listen to your clients’ thoughts on the situation and acknowledge that you understand their frustration.
Step Two: Understand The Problem
Take time to understand the problem. If your client has a legitimate issue to be unhappy with (such as inaccurate information about property price trends or additional costs they were unaware of), we would suggest you listen to their concerns and address them.
Here’s an example: Imagine you are working with a first-time homebuyer who is worried about paying too much for a 1-bedroom apartment in Business Bay. Talk to your client and understand the source of their concerns. Maybe they’ve received inaccurate information about property prices online, or a previous agent quoted lower prices for apartments in Business Bay.
Listening to their concerns can definitely help you pinpoint the problem.
Ask Questions
To find out more about your client’s grievances, ask several questions to understand their worries. We would recommend asking open-ended questions that encourage further discussions, rather than closed questions (answered by yes or no answers). Also, acknowledge their concerns before you ask your questions.
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For example, “I understand your worries about the price of the property being higher than what you expected. What were your expectations on property prices in Business Bay and how did you come across this information?” This can help initiate a conversation on property prices.
Step 3: Find A Solution
Now that you know what the issue is, look for ways to resolve the problem. If it stems from your client’s lack of understanding of the market, take your time to educate them about the current real estate market in simpler terms.
If your client is unhappy about the prices of property (inaccurate information) as mentioned in the scenario above, you could educate them with a CMA (comparative market analysis) using data from the DLD available on Transaction Insights on Profolio™. Perhaps seeing that they are actually getting a fair deal based on the prices of apartments in the area, they would be at ease.
Step Four: Offer Alternatives
If you haven’t been able to come up with an effective solution to the problem, or their requests are unreasonable, come up with alternate solutions. Offer your client a few alternatives that match their requirements and may appeal to them.
If it’s the case of your client worried about paying too much for a property, suggest similar properties in the area for a lower price range.
Step Five: Ask A Mentor
If you are still in limbo about this situation, you can always take it to your manager or your agency. You can find better ways to deal with unhappy clients by discussing your issues with experienced agents or seniors.
With time and experience, it becomes easier to handle difficult situations in your real estate career. The secret to being a successful real estate agent lies in your commitment to learning, every step of your journey.
If you’re passionate about brushing up on new skills, join us at Bayut Academy for our series of interactive workshops for real estate professionals. You can also check out our Content Corner on the Agent Portal, for more topics that can help you in your career.