Fifteen Minutes

Over the years I have developed some business practices that I adhere to religiously.

One of those is my 15 Minute Rule.  If I am to meet a client or potential client to look at an apartment, view a home or inspect some dirt, I will wait for fifteen minutes and then I am gone. Fifteen minutes is not a long time, but it seems that way because it is my practice to be early.

My policy always is  that the potential client must have driven by the property and viewed it from the street prior to setting up an appointment. A no show is a waste of my time, the seller’s time and the time of the current occupant. Since implementing that strategy, my percentage of “show ups” has increased sharply.

In today’s culture it is easy to make the appointment, not write it down and forget. Or just plain not show up. That’s rude.

Over the years, I think I can count on the fingers on one of my hands the times someone has called and said they were late and could I possibly come back. I will if the schedule allows.