Reminder: Technology serves usBrian L. PeartTechnology,Sales,Training
John was a great guy--outgoing, enthusiastic--and I was sure he
would make a great loan officer. He went through our training and
was very excited about our follow-up system and utilizing an ACT!
database. He came out of training on fire and raring to go. Three
months later, however, bill collectors started calling our offices
for him, and he was seen less and less. Soon, we never saw him
again. I saw him, not too long ago, waiting tables
somewhere--another dream of greatness vanquished on the slopes of
opportunity.
I see scenarios like John's played out in mortgage company after
mortgage company, across every city in America. Technology is
great, but it will not make you successful by itself. Technology is
a servant or tool, not a master. John's problem was that he spent
the first two months getting all of his technology tools set up. He
had the database just right; he had his Blackberry in sync with his
ACT!, which was in sync with his Realtor Farming System. He had a
“For Sale by Owner” program ready to roll, fliers
completed and waiting to be sent to real estate agent offices. What
John did not do--what he never did--was actually make the calls and
talk to the consumers and real estate agents, themselves.
John was techno-savvy, but he never asked for the business. In
truth, he was hiding behind his gadgets, instead of making phone
calls. Nothing will take the place of talking to a customer--that
is your job. Technology should allow you to do this; if not, then
you are not using it properly. Technology was created to serve us.
The purpose of a good contact management system is to make it
easier to call more people--to keep you on top of who you are
supposed to call and when. Its purpose is not for you to spend a
month inputting all of the names. The purpose is to help you stay
on top of a host of contacts, to minimize your
“thinking” time of, “Who am I supposed to
call?” and maximize the time you are actually on the
phone.
I love wireless networking--I can go RVing and still stay
connected, manage my offices and talk to the people I need to be in
contact with. When a new broker starts with my company, however, I
want them in the office for the first 30 days. I want to coach them
and see them. When they know they have to show up, it forces them
to work. In 10 years, I cannot think of one person who was
successful starting out in this business and worked from home
instead of coming into the office. Certain habits must be formed,
and they are best formed in an office. Once those habits are
solidified, working from home is a great thing afforded by
technology. But a strong work habit must first be developed!
I am sharing all of this to illuminate one point: you only make
money when you talk to clients or potential clients. The purpose of
technology is to help you do this faster and more frequently. Take
a look at how you are using technology. Are you hiding behind it,
or are you using it to free up time to talk to more people? This,
and this alone, is the true purpose of technology. It is a
wonderful servant, if worked correctly.
Brian L. Peart is president of Nexus Financial Group Inc.
and publisher of the Top Producer training course. He may be
reached at (866) 355-1244 or e-mail
[email protected].
