Approaching NEW potential customers

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1

Originally Posted By: B Ray
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I have over 20 years in the Electrical field and have been around construction about the same, next week I will be at AHTI course in Memphis ,Tn. My question is, after I get back from school how do I appproach real estate offices and what to expect when I get there. One real estate agent told me to come on Tuesday because that was the day they had their meeting. That way I could give a presentation to all 42 agents at that time. How do I approach myself to get the confidence in these agents with the expereience that I have. I feel I can talk to all the agents ,just unsure on how to impress.

2

Originally Posted By: lwilliams
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B Ray,


How do I approach myself to get the confidence in these agents with the expereience that I have. I feel I can talk to all the agents ,just unsure on how to impress.

Don't try to impress them at all, just be yourself and talk about your related experience, you don't have to give the details (ie how long etc) and do not use the words newbie, just out of school, new at this, just started... If you are confident in your ability to inspect they will see that.

3

Originally Posted By: Guest
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Your Subject “how do I approach new customers” is one matter, approaching realtors is another.


Your customer or client will be the person interested in the house.


The realtor is the person who stands to profit from the sale of the house.


If you consider the realtor your client, then the real client will get a crappy inspection.


I’m sure it was just a bad choice of words, but if you think of the realtor as the customer, you’ll be committing a grave injustice against your real customer.

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Originally Posted By: rcooke
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Be prepared speak no longer then 6 minutes . Have notes so you stay on track. practice your speech at home and do it lots of times . Talk to the mirror. be relaxed, no jokes, do not talk about the competition . Give them all a pen and pad with your name on them cost less then $1.00 for both .What I found is they all like the idea of a prise you can get 1 ,2 ,or 3 small things from dollar store or similar . Give them out to agents .you can put a number on the back of your pad before you give them out and the agent with that number you call gets a prise .Just talk about your self . your experience your training, how you always have the phone answered. I find the best is if can always have some one else answer the phone and take the orderers .Dress neat you see all agents are neat be just as neat . I always wear a tie summer and winter on all calls, works for me . Think positive and you will be positive . Remind the agent’s you are there to help them sell the home . sales make us both money .


Roy Cooke sr

5

Originally Posted By: Guest
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Roy,


Your job is not to help the agent sell the home. I'm sorry but that's an entirely twisted view of your job description.
Neither is your job to kill the deal.
Your only responsibility is to the client and that includes reporting every issue you find, fairly and accurately.
Guys like you are the reason for E&O rates being so high, and prohibitive legislation proposals for the entire profession.

It's just impossible to suck up to realtors and at the same time perform an ethical and fair evaluation of the property you're inspecting.

It's possible to ethically market to realtors, but you have to make clear that your only client is the one that's paying you, and you have no intention of ignoring defects to preserve the sale.

Help them sell the house. Damn, that's just perverse.

6

Originally Posted By: slanicek
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I can see both sides of the argument. Regardless, it is a thin line that you need to walk. I do feel that it’s ok to market yourself to realtors but not in ways that will compromise the integrity of the inspection. Yes, you can find clever ways of promoting yourself as a guy who helps speed up the process (you’re local, can deliver reports fast and in various ways, etc.). But trying to be known as an assett to closing a deal…don’t go there. Your sales pitch to the agents, IMHO, should be along the lines of your professionalism, your experience, your inspection process and your turn-around times. You start customizing your methods because of what they do or do not want you to report on and how/if you report on it you’re going to be doing a disservice to the real customer. It’s just not worth it in the long run. You’ll be getting call backs from customers (remember, the customer is the buyer in the vast majority of all contracts) before you know it wondering why A, B and C is wrong with their house.


If you're worried about alienating yourself from a specific office, look at it this way. If you're in a large metro area: there's an office just as big and just as busy as the one you walked away from right around the corner. If you're in a smaller market like I am: well, like the old saying goes....everybody knows everything about everyone in a small town. Not only do you risk your own name being tarnished real fast but in my experience the realtors are even more worried about that. They know you are out there in the market place just as much as they are and nobody wants a bad rumor being spread about them.

7

Originally Posted By: Larry O’Connor
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Hi everyone


I have been following this thread and would like to ask a similer
question.

I'm new to the industry. I just joined NACHI. I'm working on
finding a school to get the proper classroom/correspondence
training. But most importantly I've been contacting other HI's
outside my proposed inspection area, asking to be a "ride a long".

I've received a few potentials. But I was most impressed that
those who did respond were very open to provide information.

Unlike the gentleman in the original post, I do not have work
experience in the construction trades, other than being a "do it
yourselfer" on my own homes.

My background has been as a field service technician working
on hospital equipment (sterilizers, surgery tables, surgery lights),
smal environmental test chambers, and then working on copiers
and faxes. So I do have electrical, electronic, & mechanical
experience.

When a client or realtor asks for my experience as a HI,
I can't say "never done one". "Never been in the construction
business"...or they would be showing me the door.

Any suggestions here?

I have no intention of doing any inspections until I know
exactly what's involved in the actual inspection process,
What tools I should have in the beginning, etc.

Thanks,
Larry

8

Originally Posted By: rpasquier
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When I get a realtor on the phone or in person, I always tell them that it is my job to tell the facts about the house, NOTHING more, and NOTHING less.


If I did anything else, then I would be compromising my ethical standards.

It is my job to tell the possible buyer, my customer, Everything that I see, and if that blows the sale, well, it blows the sale, sorry charlie.

It is my job, the one that I was hired for, to give that buyer all the information necassary to make the decision on whether THEY wish to buy the house. What is wrong with the house that they can use to haggle, or get repaired before they buy the house, and how much work will be involved for them, after they buy the house.

I state facts, NO opinions, if it is a safety issue, I note it, if it is a major problem, I note it, if it is something positive about the house, I note it.

My job is to give facts, and let the buyer come to their own conclusions

9

Originally Posted By: rcooke
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Sorry chad I am very successful at what I do and stand by every one of my statements . How can I make your E&O go up I am claims free since I started in the last century. I also dropped my insurance .I also support NACHI by being a member and try to help all new inspectors . I do not run down other inspectors. If I did not do my job perfectly every time I would not sleep at night . Yesterday I did a home from hell . The young couple loved it If they had spent $40,000:00 on it it would still have been the home from hell. I told the agent and my client how bad the home was and they walked away I charged nothing and have a happy client a happy agent and a happy home inspector. I again am there to tell the truth and always do .


I also tell the home owner that follows me around that I am there to help them sell their home and if I can not do my job properly they might not get their sale.


I Do my best to please 5 persons at all my inspections.


Roy Cooke sr.


Chad Fabry

NACHI Member: No
Is this in error?


Posts: 169




Posted: Mar 4, 2004 8:11 AM Post subject:




Roy,

Your job is not to help the agent sell the home. I'm sorry but that's an entirely twisted view of your job description.
Neither is your job to kill the deal.

Guys like you are the reason for E&O rates being so high, and prohibitive legislation proposals for the entire profession.

10

Originally Posted By: Guest
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


Well Roy,


You seem like a nice enough guy. You can't please everyone all the time.

The only thing you have an obligation to is the house condition and issues and the reporting of them honestly, to your one and only client.

All else is superfluous. Admitting that you're there to help sell the house is unethical. Period.

Sorry, this is an edit.
Admitting that you're there to help sell the house isn't unethical. The act that you admit to, is.

11

Originally Posted By: dvalley
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Chad,


Well said.

I agree with you 100%.![](upload://1vLTT5nFinAwa8AYy8JfTPJ6bVH.gif)

--
David Valley
MAB Member

Massachusetts Certified Home Inspections
http://www.masscertified.com

"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go."

12

Originally Posted By: rcooke
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What do you say to the owner of the home who hangs over you while you try and talk to the possible purchaser. I try the soft approach and it has always worked for me ( I am hear to try and help you sell you home ) It makes my life easier to not piss him off and keeps my client in a good frame of mind . I want my client not upset to hear all I have to say . the same thing I want the agent not upset so he does not make my life more difficult when I am showing my client what I have found . I ask my client if he would prefer the home owner to be some where else so we can talk . I also ask him if they would prefer the agent not be there also . This is when I tell the agent my client ( if that is what they want ) would appreciate if you are not around while I explain the home to them. It works for me I am never confrontal always relaxed and soft spoken. If you find your system works for you great but I know from many years mine is the best for me.


I charge more then my competition, work less, get better homes and this is the way I like it . I do not give my services away.


Roy Cooke sr Brighton