Dealing with difficult clients is a huge headache. You’ll find those who are unrealistic, impatient, unsure, demanding, or just plain rude. Even so, only by successfully handling them will you real estate agents earn the title of a true professional.
Remember that no two clients are alike. You need to be able to identify multiple personality types. And though you can't satisfy everyone, knowing common types of client personalities will make you better prepared to deal with issues.
Negative and discouraging, they always find something wrong in everything — from the houses you show them, to your recommendations of how to do things. These people can be unreasonable and difficult to negotiate with.
- Show empathy
- Ask questions to see where the negativity if coming from
- Provide practical solutions for their needs.
On the other hand, these clients are impulsive and agree too much. They make many promises, say “yes” to everything, but are slow to deliver. This gets in the way of receiving honest feedback of the property or your service, and stops you from improving as an agent.
- Be brief but specific
- Provide clear incentives
- Act quickly when you identify what they want
- Make their purchase easy
Think they know the market better than you and are very critical of your recommendations. They also think they know what they’re doing and will get in your way of finding the best home for them.
- Don't take anything personally
- Be patient and attentive
- Use clear statements
- Introduce new ideas to show that there is more they thought
These clients don’t say or provide much feedback. They’re uncertain and usually respond with "I don't know". At times, they give one answer in a call or email and then have a different opinion later on, which gets in the way of communication.
- Acknowledge their indecision
- Identify the barrier to the purchase
- Don't be pushy
- Offer facts and best solutions for their needs
These clients are very concerned about their budget. They compare prices and are difficult to reason with.
- Set clear expectations
- Ask for a budget range
- Offer a list of options
- Highlight units at their price point
These clients overreact, are loud and very pushy. They say things like, "Are you crazy? That price for this quality?" They will rant about something upsetting them and demand for immediate action, which can create tension.
- Don't argue or respond with emotion
- Show that you understand their point of view
- Look for alternatives and offer solutions
These are very entitled clients who believe their needs should come first. They act as if you don't have any other clients or tasks to deal with, and push by following up through texts, email and voicemail before you’ve had the chance to review the situation. At times, they may even demand something that you can’t deliver.
- Be extra communicative
- Reassure them that you know what they want
- Do the best you can to meet their expectations
- Provide a compromise if possible
These clients are usually very friendly but tend to repeat themselves or ask the same questions, which can take up a lot of your time.
- Listen carefully
- Paraphrase back what they say
- Ask closed questions for a yes or no answer
- Narrow down what they want
During first meetings, ask specific questions to clearly understand what they want, their needs and non-negotiables. You’ll be able to learn what kind of people they are as well. If you see personality traits that could cause problems along the way, you can also plan how to avoid them.
Sometimes, clients are negative or lash out simply because they don’t understand the industry, such as many first-time buyers who don’t know the sales process. Address this problem by educating your clients instead of being defensive and losing a deal. Explain the current market in simple terms, and tell them at each stage of the sales process what they need to do and how you will help them.
You can also translate current market data and give useful insights of happenings. This will clear up potential misunderstandings and boost your image as a knowledgeable agent. Your clients will be more motivated and take your suggestions properly.
When a client voices out an issue, let them talk until they’re finished. Allow them time to get everything off their chests. Some concerns may be legitimate, some may not. By listening, you might find that there’s a simple misunderstanding and that their concerns are actually easy to solve.
Many buyers are looking for the perfect house to raise their family. They may go through emotional ups and downs, which is why they may have trouble and take time making decisions. Having a little patience and empathy are the ways to go.
While being empathetic and attentive to your clients is good, you need to set boundaries. Stand your ground. You are the professional, so make sure your clients understand what services you provide, and what you will and won't do. Lay out the groundwork and realistic expectations at the beginning and remember to remain calm while doing so.
If you sense something is “off”, just say what you notice with something neutral like, “There seems to be some misalignment” to open up the conversation. Identify and acknowledge what is really going on. Once you understand the real issue, only then can you change it.
In the end, no client is worth the pain of disrespect. If a client is too disruptive and hard to work with, let them go. Don’t work with those who drain so much of your time and effort without giving back worthy results. Let go and focus on your top 20% and 2% best leads.
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