All About Introductions: Calls From The Vault

In our series, Calls from the Vault, we recreate real phone calls by agents in the UAE to understand what makes a good call. In this edition, we’re going to discuss how a good introduction at the start of a phone call makes a massive difference by listening to three poorly executed phone calls. Well, who really likes to pick up a sales call and hear a hello…? with no context? Definitely not property seekers!

We then take you through what a well-executed call sounds like. Keep listening!

CALL ONE

This is an inbound call, i.e., the property seeker has called an agent to enquire about a listing they saw on Bayut. Let’s look at what hasn’t worked in this phone call:

• The agent picked up the call without introducing themselves – hello, hi, good afternoon sounds unprofessional.
• When the client mentions a unit that’s not available, responding with ‘I cannot’ is inadequate and discourages them from wanting to work with the same agent. 

Here’s How You Can Improve This Call

• Start the call by introducing yourself – your name, your agency’s name, and how you can help. For example, “Hello, I am Jane from ABC Properties; how can I help you today?”.
• If your client is enquiring about a property that’s not available, respond by apologising about the property being off the market and offering other properties in the exact location. For example, “I am sorry, but a client just booked that property. Would you perhaps be interested in another unit in a building nearby?”.

Here’s how we would execute this call: 

Call Two

This is an inbound call, where the property seeker has called a real estate agent to enquire about a property for rent. Here’s what went wrong, and how it could’ve been better:

• The agent does not introduce himself, and starts the conversation with a curt ‘hello’. He also continues in monosyllables, responding to the client’s ‘hello’ with a ‘yeah’.
• When the client confirms their viewing for after 4 pm, the agent responds simply with an okay. This is a poor way to confirm an appointment with a client. 

Here’s How You Can Improve This Call

• Start the call with a professional introduction from the real estate agent.
• Ask the client for their name, after responding to the enquiry about the property.
• Ask the client about their moving dates and arrange for a viewing. 
• Wrap up the call by confirming the appointment, mentioning that you’d send the location through WhatsApp.

Here’s how we would execute this call: 

We’d recommend practising your introductions through role plays with your colleagues, to get your tone right. Learn more about professional phone etiquette and guidelines for realtors with our in-depth resource, Nailing Your First Conversation. You can also check out our Content Corner, for a range of tips and insights that can help you in your real estate career.