5 Mistakes Real Estate Agents Make With Call Capture

Call capture technology has the ability to greatly increase the number of leads generated by a real estate agent or business, but only if used properly. Even the most potent of technology will not yield optimal results if not used correctly. Despite the power and versatility of call capture, many real estate agents do not use it to its full extent, and there are five major and often made mistakes.

The first is not following up on calls as quickly as possible. This can be difficult if the inquiries on the call capture line suddenly skyrocket, but most customers have a waiting threshold of only a couple days or less before moving on to another agent. And really there is no reason an agent should not be able to return their call within a couple of hours. Even a quick phone call to let a customer know that their inquiry was received and someone will contact them again in the near future with more details can do wonders for retention. People will always abandon an agent that they feel does not value them.

The second major mistake agents make is not being prepared. An agent will most likely have multiple extensions on the same line for different properties. Make sure that before calling a client back, the information related to the home they were interested in is readily available. Their questions could range from price to time of availability for a showing, in addition to more specific questions about layout or upgrades in the home. A real estate agent that seems unprepared will likely lose a client's interest. Homes are the most expensive purchase most people will ever make, and a lack of information will drive them away.

Another major mistake that agents make is not giving a reason for callers to connect to the agent right then and there. The recording will likely be the first introduction the client has to the property - they will have seen a sign or business card with the call capture number on it, but never have been inside or possibly even near the house. The recording needs to pre-sell the home. A few specifics are in order but don't give away everything. The idea is to provide enough information that the client is interested, but leave out enough that they will want more details. Agents can encourage a call with the use of phrases like, "To find out the best upgraded feature of this home, press 0 to speak to me now." Or they can entice them with, "To find out why the current homeowners hate to sell this house press 0 now." Then agents need to make sure that when they connect, they are ready to fulfill their promise with some extra, valuable information that wasn't in the recording.

Some agents simply make the mistake of not using the toll free call capture number enough. Many businesses will put this number on signs of homes for sale in the neighborhood and on their website. Both of those can generate excellent traffic, but are only the tip of the iceberg. The call capture number should be on everything the real estate company produces. Business cards, pens, pads of paper, mugs - if it has space on it for the number, it needs to be on there. Anything the agent does needs to be connected to the call capture number. If the business sponsors any local teams, for example, make sure this number is mentioned or displayed at their games. This is because an agent can never predict where a strong lead will come from. The more places in which the toll free number is displayed, the more leads will be generated.

As much as the call capture number is a valuable business tool, a company must ensure it entails a personal feel. Using computer-generated recordings on the capture line or delivering the information in a stilted and disjointed way is a mistake. The recording on the call capture system needs to be done by a real person, and with some real enthusiasm for the home being sold. An apathetic effort in the call capture recording will lead to a similar response from a potential client, who will move on to a more dynamic real estate team. Studies show that there is an increase in conversions when a potential client calls and listens to recording on a property and is then connected to the same person when they are ready to speak to someone. Real estate is a personal business and when the agent makes the recordings themselves it gives the call capture line a personal touch too.

Call capture is just like any other technology in that it is designed to help us do things easier, faster and more efficiently. And just like any other technology when not used properly, it won't help us accomplish much of anything at all.