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Tony Whiteside, GRI, MRP, e-PRO (VanderMorgan Realty)

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Rainmaker
5,583,278
Barbara Todaro
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA
Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

new agents should be shadowing a seasoned agent before covering the phones....

Apr 14, 2016 05:18 AM
Rainmaker
1,052,186
Candice A. Donofrio
Next Wave RE Investments LLC Bullhead City AZ Commercial RE Broker - Fort Mohave, AZ
928-201-4BHC (4242) call/text

My first broker put the newest agent at a desk RIGHT NEXT TO HERS. So you were shadowed and hovered over by her. She was the bomb. And floor duty IS great for new agents. Not so good for the hapless caller who gets the new agent necessarily. But you learn about referrals that way. ;)

Apr 14, 2016 05:29 AM
Rainmaker
1,844,271
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

Floor time is the company using you 'unpaid' to be a secretary & answer the phone. You will get business if your phone skills are good enough along with your scripts.

Apr 14, 2016 03:56 AM
Rainer
231,224
Mike Rock
Complete Design - Granite Bay, CA
Granite Bay Luxury New Construction...For Less

in the olden days you FOUGHT for floor time, now not so much. it is STILL a good training ground for the exact reason you said, IF the broker is listeningand helping. very valuable if it goes down like you said

Apr 14, 2016 03:07 AM
Rainmaker
290,969
Allie Angeloni
Long Realty - Oro Valley, AZ

I have seen where Floor/Phone Duty generated business, as in customers walking in with questions on a property or a community, or a customer calling in with specific questions, or wanting to List their property.  It also depends on where your office is located, as some seem to get more traffic than others Tony Whiteside.

Apr 14, 2016 03:03 AM
Ambassador
5,048,883
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

I got quite a bit of business from floor time when I first started but we were in a great walk-by location in Cambridge MA.  It certainly won't be effective in some locations

Apr 14, 2016 03:48 AM
Rainmaker
628,764
Buzz Mackintosh
Mackintosh REALTORS - Frederick, MD
“Experience, reliable, leadership”

Depending on the model of the Brokerage; opportunity time is a great way to generate business and for a new agent the best way to learn and practice your sales skills.

Apr 14, 2016 03:38 AM
Rainmaker
1,027,602
Susan Haughton
Long and Foster REALTORS (703) 470-4545 - Alexandria, VA
Susan & Mindy Team...Honesty. Integrity. Results.

When I was a new agent, I loved floor time and did get business from it.  It also gave me the opportunity to see what was going on in the office.  As I got busier on my own, I gave it up because I didn't want anything scheduled that might interfere with showings, home inspections, etc. but it was time well when I did it.

Apr 14, 2016 03:34 AM
Rainmaker
1,513,143
Raymond E. Camp
Ontario, NY

Probably a little of both; it would also be an opportunity of helping one to learn about a work and business plan to help them later in their career.

Apr 14, 2016 03:16 AM
Rainmaker
1,725,996
Sandy Padula & Norm Padula, JD, GRI
HomeSmart Realty West & Florida Realty Investments - , CA
Presence, Persistence & Perseverance

Both in my opinion. Most brokers, however, do not seem to care and only want the phones answered and people greeted.

Apr 15, 2016 04:46 AM
Rainmaker
7,835,402
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Our office does not have floor duty. Staff members answer the phones. 

Apr 15, 2016 12:06 AM
Rainmaker
5,216,381
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

In most cases floor time is a waste of time. Some offices, in great locations, have excellent floor time.

Apr 14, 2016 10:38 PM
Rainmaker
634,482
Kathleen Luiten
Resort and Second-Home Specialist - Princeville, HI
Kauai Luxury Ocean Home Sales

In our office it can generate business but most brokerages don't get that much from their floor.

Apr 14, 2016 06:56 PM
Rainmaker
1,622,432
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

I did know know that anyone still does them. Clients do not call offices anymore, they call specific agents they usually find online or via signs. 

Apr 14, 2016 05:32 PM
Rainer
321,564
Melissa Jackson REALTOR
Trinity Premier Properties - Azle, TX
Helping You Make The Right Move

Our office doesn't offer floor time.  We have other options in the works.  No one ever signed up phone duty.  We now have someone, not agent, on the phones during working hours.  

Apr 14, 2016 01:45 PM
Rainmaker
1,090,637
Diana Zaccaro Broker Associate
ZOOM Realty Group - Cocoa Beach, FL
"The Accidental Blogger" Cocoa Beach, Florida

Both. You will learn the company listings quickly so you can speak knowledgeably when you get a sign call or walkin. One broker had new agents sit with an experienced agent on floor to get a feel for the process and learn the phone system, etc before letting you go it alone.

Whether it will generate business depends on many things...is the office well located with a lot of foot traffic, are the listings marketed enough to provide great exposure, how is your sales background...do you come from a job where you are used to handling inquiries and dealing with the public?

The day and time of your floor shift can impact potential business and new customers. Try mixing up the days and times you do floor until you get a feel for which are the busiest. If you take the last shift of the day, ask if the after hours phones are forwarded to the agent on duty. That is a great way to pick up business and many don't want to be bothered at night and on weekends.

 

Apr 14, 2016 12:34 PM
Rainmaker
823,579
Susan Laxson CRS
Palm Properties - La Quinta, CA
Realtor in San Diego, CA & Naples, FL

I think floor time is only good if you have a great location and the possibility of walk-ins. Other than that, I think it is not a worthwhile way to generate business.

Apr 14, 2016 12:14 PM
Ambassador
2,684,009
Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

     If your company gets floor calls or walk-ins, go for it. 

Apr 14, 2016 11:11 AM
Rainmaker
582,106
Eric Kodner
Madeline Island Realty - La Pointe, WI
CRS, Madeline Island Realty, LaPointe, WI 54850 -

If you work in a market area where there are walk-ins, floor time can be quite lucrative, but it requires patience. You do learn a lot by putting in floor time.

Apr 14, 2016 08:06 AM
Rainmaker
1,712,676
Joe Pryor
The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK
REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

No but it could be a good way for a broker to be sued for acting like agents are employees to do as they are told.

Apr 14, 2016 07:34 AM
Rainmaker
763,883
Tony Lewis
Summit Real Estate Group - Valencia, CA
Summit Real Estate Group Valencia & Aliso Viejo

Floor-Time is an excellent way for a new agent to learn how to speak with the public.  It is also an excellent opportunity to begin a data base and get sales.

Apr 14, 2016 06:32 AM
Rainmaker
1,231,853
Mary Yonkers
Alan Kells School of Real Estate/Howard Hanna Real Estate - Erie, PA
Erie/PA Real Estate Instructor

Lots of good responses here Tony Whiteside Whether it generates business depends on the training & skill of the agent taking floor duty.

Apr 14, 2016 06:09 AM
Rainmaker
1,466,207
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Tony Whiteside Floor duty was always a tied and true way for getting clients. The Internet has limited the number of potential client calls into an office, but if someone does call, you want to be the one to take the call.

Apr 14, 2016 05:12 AM
Rainmaker
1,502,998
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

It is a real good way to get familiar with your office's inventory and to pick up some clients.  I've know people who did well with it and others that hated every second of it.  Depends on your personality I guess.  I say try it for a month and see what happens.  Just don't make it your only means of getting new business in.

Apr 14, 2016 04:57 AM
Rainmaker
4,882,355
Richard Weeks
Dallas, TX
REALTOR®, Broker

I have a friend and that is all she did. If you could not work you shift she would cover for you.  She has been in business over 15 years and probably makes 100K doing nothing but floor duty.  I guess it just depends.

Apr 14, 2016 04:15 AM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

Tony,

The question must be asked, "What else would you do instead of floor duty to generate business?"  In the clarity of the answer 'Nothing else" then floor duty becomes a good idea.

However, why not double duty that activity.

While lagging on floor duty use that time to mine the MLS to  maintain your MIAM data base and update your CIS Score Market adjustments.

While lagging on floor duty explore the Q & A of AR or Z-devil and see if you can not identify problems that need solutions that other agents are ignoring or fail to recognize. I posted a question this morning to illustrate such an opportunity. Those who are solutions providers will see the opportunity.

When you have solutions, you also have something of value to talk about, and that changes everything.

When you can delineate yourself from the sea of smiley faces, by offering a solution it makes you walk taller when doing those meet and greets, knocking, direct response marketing....everything you do is more assured by the solution(s) you present and the clarity of the value you bring will not go unnoticed by the ones you have identified.

PS: do not allow the broker to use you as unpaid clerical help doing office admin supporting other agents. That when you can understand the value the broker has placed on your time. Floor duty should mean taking the calls of citizen buyers or sellers. PERIOD.

Apr 14, 2016 03:57 AM
Rainmaker
5,868,472
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

 When I started, floor duty was a great way to garner new clients.   In our office today, there is no floor duty.

Apr 17, 2016 01:13 AM
Rainmaker
5,104,931
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

It's a way for brokerages to get free receptionist services as far as I'm concerned. My company does not allow it. Only the front desk person answers phones and greets people. If someone calls on my listing they are immediately connected to my cell phone. If it's a rare walk-in they get sent to whomever is on the roster for the next walk in or call. 

And I've never worked at brokerage where the floor duty person was sitting anywhere near the broker.

Apr 15, 2016 01:49 AM
Rainmaker
4,572,067
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

It would depend on the office.  When I was new, I did floor duty -- it was good training and yes it generate business for me but that was a different time.  

Apr 14, 2016 11:24 PM
Rainmaker
4,434,127
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

I do not know.

Apr 14, 2016 10:46 PM
Rainmaker
3,071,489
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Haven Express @ Keller Williams Arizona Realty

interesting question - parked and reading!

Apr 14, 2016 10:39 PM
Rainmaker
2,538,633
Joe Petrowsky
Mortgage Consultant, Right Trac Financial Group, Inc. NMLS # 2709 - Manchester, CT
Your Mortgage Consultant for Life

Good morning Tony. You should definitely think of it as opportunity on your way to building a referral based practice.

Apr 14, 2016 09:37 PM
Rainmaker
851,242
Brenda Mayette
Miranda Real Estate Group, Inc. - Glenville, NY
Getting results w/ knowledge & know-how!

My very first closing was from floortime...

Apr 14, 2016 09:13 PM
Ambassador
3,727,873
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

It depends.  If you are in an office with a sort of street store front and if the phone rings a lot, it could be great. 

Apr 14, 2016 03:23 PM
Rainmaker
2,224,473
Debbie Laity
Cedaredge Land Company - Cedaredge, CO
Your Real Estate Resource for Delta County, CO

We still get a good percentage of walk in traffic and phone calls. I find floor time valuable. Each market is different and maybe you don't get many walk ins or callers.

Apr 14, 2016 01:29 PM
Rainmaker
3,988,007
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

My broker uses it to help agents get started. They seem excited about it until they have done it a few months and realize they haven't spent their time wisely.

Apr 14, 2016 01:18 PM
Ambassador
6,393,154
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

If done right both are accomplished.

Make good use of your floor time, when you are not meeting with a new prospect or client, make sure you are marketing or learning.

Apr 14, 2016 12:24 PM
Rainmaker
3,986,258
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

In my early years I did very well with floor time

Apr 14, 2016 11:32 AM
Rainmaker
4,160,356
John Pusa
Glendale, CA

Tony Whiteside Floor duty might generate some business.

Apr 14, 2016 10:35 AM
Rainmaker
1,525,616
Sybil Campbell
Fernandina Beach, FL
Referral Agent Amelia Island Florida

Floor duty has brought me a lot of business over the years including two calls my first year that brought me a around two million dollar in sales.  I also think that it helps the agent learn the business. 

Apr 14, 2016 10:29 AM
Ambassador
3,164,269
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

It's opportunity time in my office and I put out a sign up sheet and my agents flock to sign up.  I use their sign up to make a "fair" schedule based on the days they want to work.  I also call in back up from those sign up sheets on days when a walk in takes the agent out showing.  

Apr 14, 2016 05:51 AM
Rainmaker
1,157,785
FN LN
Toronto, ON

1)  No.  (2)  It probably depends upon the location of the office and trading area.

Apr 14, 2016 05:37 AM
Rainmaker
797,457
Liz Wallace
Century 21 Sherlock Homes - Rockville Centre, NY
Broker C21 Sherlock Homes, Rockville Centre, LI, N

Floor duty does not generate business but it's a good way for a new Agent to get comfortable with the flow of an office.

Apr 14, 2016 04:06 AM
Rainer
56,684
LeAnn Sink - Realtor Knoxville, TN
United Real Estate Solutions - Knoxville, TN
#ThinkSink when you need an agent.

I'm actually jealous of agents who get to do floor time!  I've heard of several contracts being made from walk-ins and phone calls. Since our brokerage used an admin girl, I missed out.....Boo.....

Apr 14, 2016 03:43 AM
Rainmaker
2,781,153
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

I have always answered the phone wherever I worked. Why? That is where all the action is. Added bonus? Humility visits with you and people respect U

Apr 14, 2016 03:08 AM