Fuster Cluckers; what to do?
It's the best title to the book I am currently writing. The reason I think I see this in people so much is that we aren't keeping open communications the listener can hear. Here's how I figured out the name and concept.
I am more than plugged into the foreclosure genre for quite some time. I even did the processing at a bank here in Chicago putting the screws on people. I've experienced both sides of their table and in some their cases, they're victims in some way and compassion is called for. That's why I started out to get my license and quit the banking side all together. Life is so much more rewarding than a $52,000 a year J.O.B. which was going no where fast, too.
I think it's a shame so many need to be so overly cautious and selective in 4 walls and a roof. There's so much to chose from! It leads to what is choking our economy right now, hereby being called Fuster Clucking. Fuster Clucking is being so in your head and any and all reasonable steps forward will be negated by confusion and doubt, and there you sit. In the Fuster Zone. Maybe a better way of saying it as a Current customer acting complacent to moving forward or avoiding to commit to moving forward. We all get it in some form from time to time. Uncertainty in today's market is also understandable. I see it all the time and once again I witnessed failure to move forward cost someone one great house they wanted. I can identify the action but what I remember is I need to help them conquer it.
I'm going to be looking for answers to this zone I see people fall into and I can see I can apply it to many different areas of life. Where do I get lost in confusion so I can avoid making a bad decision? Where do I as a Realtor fuster up making one more call, send one more postcard, post one my Craigslist posting? It reminds me of a quote:
Procrastination usually results in sorrowful regret. Today's duties put off until tomorrow give us a double burden to bear; the best way is to do them in their proper time. ~ Ida Scott Taylor
Our job is to teach that when we see our customers in the Fuster zone. How do you get them to say what is going on for them? Well, we know it's a fear- they stopped 'hunting' and are now stationary/what did that to start with is a behavior to look for. Slow returned calls or no calls at all. Emails aren't opened for days. Docs taking forever.
I think the only way to get this hurdle resolved in a kind and gentle way is to pop by and visit 24 hours after asking for the papers/doc/actions to be performed. I'm even set meetings in Starbucks and Caribou's to get the bonds established and solidified. I ask them what time do they make their first stop in the morning (i.e. Starbucks by 6AM? etc) and just meet them there. It won't take long, they're on their way to work! Promise to FedEx any originals if dealing with docs. I do it so I can ask about them and maybe show them the next step and estimated turnaround times and you're done. You need to have them feel safe with the process unfolding.
I like the loyalty to the customer is Job1 anyways, and yes it's hard to keep going, but being there for them is what keeps a customer loyal for years, and all those referrals will keep the business going...one procrastination after another.