Print This Post
Wednesday, September 9th, 2009How, when and where you meet a client for the first time is a crucial turning point in ensuring your personal safety. For example, you should never, ever meet someone for the first time at a property—this leaves you vulnerable. Instead, take these 10 easy steps to help empower you:
- Make sure you are not alone in the office when meeting someone. If you are alone, call a friend or colleague before the client is due to arrive and ask them to call and check on you 15 minutes into the visit. Then call them back when the person has left your office.
- Ask every prospect or new client to stop by your office to complete a Prospect Identification Form (an example of this form is online at www.REALTOR.org/Safety), preferably in the presence of an associate.
- Use a registration book for all clients and other visitors. Be careful to make sure that everyone signs in.
- Introduce the prospect to someone in your office. A would-be assailant does not like to be noticed or receive exposure, knowing a person could pick him/her out of a police lineup.
- Get the client’s car make and license number. Check this information yourself—don’t just take their word for it. You can do this discreetly by watching them drive up, glancing out at their car, or checking it when you leave the office.
- Photocopy their driver’s license and retain this information at your office. Explain that this will be shredded when it is no longer needed. Legitimate clients do not mind you copying their driver’s license. We freely show our license to the clerk at the grocery store when we write a check and we show our ID to rent a movie.
- Call references and verify their employment and current address, and retain this information at your office.
- Check county property records to confirm the ownership of a property before you go to a listing appointment or approach a for-sale-by-owner listing. The more information you have, the easier and faster it is for police to catch a perpetrator if you become a victim.
- Always let someone know where you are going; leave the name and phone number of the client you are meeting.
- When talking to any client or prospect, be careful not to share any personal information—specifically, details on where you live or information that can allow the person to pinpoint your home.
(Sources: Louisiana REALTORS® Association, Washington Real Estate Safety Council, Nevada County Board of REALTORS®)
Visit NAR’s REALTOR® Safety Web site at www.REALTOR.org/Safety
This article is part of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®’ 2009-2010 REALTOR® Safety Resources Kit.
Thankfully my husband and I are a team. Although I do have concerns about him as a man, I rarely have to go out to visit clients. I NEVER meet a man alone, only one’s we have had many ongoing deals with.
Be careful out there..
Almost everyone has a camera phone so asking a client if you can take their picture and download it to your computer should not really be a problem. Skillfully, explaining the reasons to the potential client or clients ought to be reason enough for them to agree to having their picture taken. If they don’t agree the agent can either decide to not work with them or to just take another tack on building up a rapport between them.