Resolving The Tangles

Some transactions just seem to have a way of going haywire.  They can frustrate clients, builders, and the agent on the other side of the transaction.  In the midst of the third missed closing date, the late loan package, or "Oops, we forgot to order the survey," What do you do?  

Most of us would like to respond with our frustrated emotions built up over the course of the problem.  A nasty e-mail, venting over voice mail, or trying to hide from the problem are responses that temporarily alleviate the problem but create a monster to encounter down the road.   So what do great sales professionals do when everything gets tangled? 

Be Proactive:  attack the problem with speed and commitment. Make the call to the angry client now.  Address the attorneys' request as soon as you get back to the office.  In addition to responding to what is wrong, determine what you can do to get things going in the right direction.  Solving the problem is one step, but a pro is going to add a positive touch after solving the problem.  Bring some flowers, ask what else can you address, or deliver cup cakes to a meeting that could otherwise be tense.

Invest: problem solving can take resources.  Build your budget knowing that a certain number of transactions are going to take money from you not only to close, but also to earn those referrals and good will.  What happens when we save $100 from every transaction to budget for future resolutions?  We work from a position of strength and ease, exactly what haywire transactions need to become a smooth line toward success.

Set the Tone:  This means turning your attention away from personalities and failures, and focusing on what you can do and create.   For example, at a meeting with the builder who continues to come up short, it may be easy to go into a rant at the office or even worse with the builder himself.  What happens when you open the meeting with these words, "I want to acknowledge that we are all frustrated with the current results.  There is blame to share.  However, I am committed to doing everything I can to create success from this point forward.  How do you feel about taking that step?"  Such an opening acknowledges the problem but also inspires resolution from all parties.  

Be empowered to bring order from chaos, orderly service lines from a tangled mess, and most importantly, create the environment for successful transactions for your clients.