Running late? You’re also running out of respect.
Football Hall of Famer and philanthropist Gale Sayers once said that if you’re early, you’re on time. If you’re on time, you’re late. And if you’re late, you’re forgotten.
In these days when every minute seems to be accounted
for, you can’t afford to compromise someone else’s busy schedule. A few minutes
could cost you the sale of a new home, because lateness is a sign of
disrespect. The ultimate way of gaining respect is by delivering on time,
whether that means showing up a few minutes ahead of schedule or providing the
follow-up when you’ve promised it, not a few hours or even minutes later.
Too many people have become casual about promptness. I’ve
seen this problem with salespeople in model homes. They show up 10 or 20
minutes late to open the sales center, or leave a half-hour before the posted
closing hour. These times are promises to your prospects. When no one is there
to greet the potential buyer, you’ve already broken a promise and compromised
your respectability. As a manager or developer, this is crucial for you to
understand because every person on your sales team reflects you and your brand.
Even if you are vigilant about timeliness, one slip-up with a salesperson at
your model reflects poorly on you.
Can you afford such a cavalier attitude? You’ve invested
millions on developing your project, including the infrastructure and model, as
well as countless hours of your own. Why would you then ignore the lack of
consideration your team is extending to your potential homeowners? I guarantee
that while a few might tolerate it, they will not accord you the respect you
should command.
