Ask & Ye Shall Receive!
Several recent experiences have caused me to really understand that you get what you ask for, and you have to give to get. Let me explain. I just returned from a short business trip to Boston, and wanted to change my return flight. I asked the lady at the check-in counter when I was leaving Buffalo and she told me that it was going to cost me more to change the flight than to just buy another ticket. Okay, if you know me, you know that ain’t gonna happen! I asked what my other options were, and she told me to go to the check-in counter in Boston and they would let me go on the immediately-prior flight for no charge. Awesome, says me.
Yesterday, I went to the counter and told the guy there that I wanted to change my flight, and really didn’t want to spend any money to do it. The agent, Vincent, told me my options – pay $40 and get a guaranteed seat on the next flight, or wait and try to go stand-by on any flight. He checked the next flight, saw that it was half-full, and said ‘here – you don’t need to spend $40 – just go to the gate and tell them Vincent said you’d get on this flight, no problem’. Awesome, thanks Vincent!
Off to the gate I went, and the flight ends up being delayed. Passengers are lined up mercilessly harassing the check-in staff, so I got in line and when I was at the front, I used something I learned from a speaker, (maybe John Maxwell, I’m not sure) and I said to the lady ‘I don’t really need any complicated help. I saw how much these people were harassing you, blaming you for the plane being delayed and cursing at you. Just take my standby boarding pass and take a few moments to get re-centered and forget those jerks’. Well, she beamed this massive smile at me, and after a few minutes told me how much it meant to have had those couple of minutes to purge her frustrations silently. Cool, I thought, and went away to wait until the rest of the passengers had boarded.
Finally, the boarding started and I was shocked to hear my name being called. This lovely lady had not only assigned me to a seat, she had assigned me to a business class window seat! How cool is that!!
So, I asked for a free switch of flights, and I got it – totally awesome. I then gave some respite to the gate agent, not expecting anything more in return than the good feeling I get from helping someone out, and I got rock star treatment as a result!
Everywhere I go, I ask if they can give me a better deal, whether it’s hotel rooms, airfare, pretty much everything. I’m never upset if they say no, however, I will push a bit because I know that they never offer their best rates on things without a bit of back-and-forth. If they are skilled enough at the game and hold their ground, I will pay the price they ask and congratulate them on standing firm. Gee, I wonder if maybe some of your clients test you that same way? I bet they do.
If you’re the kind of real estate or mortgage agent that needs another 5, 6, or even 10 extra sales before the end of the year, then these skills are exactly what you need to get them closed. Request your free coaching call (a $400 value!) by submitting the form to the right. You’ll be amazed at how much your business will change as a result of coaching with me.