Never Growing Old
February 17th, 2009 categories: Real Estate News, Relocating
Have you ever wondered whether those daily vitamins people take make a difference? Years ago I ran across a New York Times article indicating seventy percent of Americans took daily vitamins or supplements, convinced that these would make them healthier, and, as a result, add years to their lives. Would imagine, in today’s health conscious, image driven society, those numbers have only increased. But, is that money well spent?
In a report published last week by the U.K’s Daily Mail, researchers found ”no benefits from vitamin pills against cancers or heart disease, and they did not protect against dying prematurely.” However, the good news is the same article indicated the study’s results may have been skewed “by the type of people habitually taking vitamins.” Those being the same people who eat healthier and exercise more. In other words, lead healthier lifestyles, thus making it difficult to pinpoint exactly which acts were responsible for what benefits. So, is it the lifestyle or the pills that are making those studied healthy? While we may not be able to stop the aging process, there are some simple things we can do each day to make the moments we do have a bit better for ourselves and those we come into contact with.
The English writer and poet Samuel Johnson once said:
“The excesses of hope must be expiated by pain; and expectations improperly indulged, must end in disappointment. If it be asked, what is the improper expectation which it is dangerous to indulge, experience will quickly answer, that it is such expectation raised as is dictated not by reason, but by desire; expectations raised, not by the common occurrences of life, but by the wants of the expectant; an expectation that requires the common course of things to be changed, and the general rules of action to be broken.”
In other words, expecting too much can certainly lead to loads of disappointment. How many times has a friend or family member failed to respond to the letter you sent? Or, in today’s digital world, do your e-mails to them (and to clients), containing questions (and, no, not the rhetorical kind), ever go answered? If so, does it ever frustrate you? Or, do you simply shrug it off as being impolite or inconsiderate, or unprofessional? Are you exepecting too much?
Have you ever thought that the receiver is simply making a choice. They have better things to do than respond to you! I can recall my father reminding me that if something is important to someone, they’ll will do it. Logically, it seems that if it is important to the receiver, a response will be forthcoming.
As a Realtor, response time is one of our keys to success with leads, and generally, with clients. As a provider of information – information that is available from many sources - the value of how and when we respond to inquiries can’t be understated. The term normally applied to the “when” is the word, ”timely”. OK. But what does timely mean? How do we quantify it? Is that a response within a day? An hour? A couple of minutes?
Fortunately, with the proliferation of handheld devices, most of us are able to respond rapidly, and oftentimes immediately, to lead or client/customer requests. Even if we’re out of the office, the calls are forwarded to our iPhone or Blackberry, or other handheld device. Regardless of what data the inquirer is looking for, frequently, the details are at our fingertips.
While a rapid response is important, accuracy, some would argue, is more important, especially when it’s the first contact with a lead. As we’ve all learned, first impressions are oftentimes lasting impressions.
While doing our best to enjoy the life we have, and possibly add a few more years to our lives, we’re willing to make some modifications to our diets and lifestyles. While it won’t make time stand still, we hope it improves our quality of life. But, there are some practices and habits that never grow old, whether we do them personally or professionally. Answering inquiries, proving information, and responding to e-mails in a timely manner, aren’t just good business, they’re also common courtesy. And, without them, your business doesn’t stand a chance.
