The Success Connection

The first few months just fly by.  The new agent is overwhelmed in a whirl-wind of events.  Orientating themselves to new surroundings, learning unfamiliar procedures and developing new inner-company relationships.  All while conducting their first transaction.  Generated from their sphere of influence, it did not go as smoothly as they first imagined.  None the less, it closes.  And while what was left of their commission check after expenses was a lot less then they hoped for, they could now join the ranks as an "experienced agent". 

Monday morning they show up, bright and early to assure that they will obtain a coveted 'floor bar'.  (See Floor Policy)  Certainly this the "golden ring" to their success.  The water-cooler stories told of a single floor call resulting in millions upon millions of dollars in volume, still echo in their head as they proudly adhere the magnetic strip of plastic next to their name.  They float around the office, taking care of some clean up and filing that they've neglected.  However they are ever so careful not to travel too far from their phone, least they're called to action with those seven musical words: "I have a floor call for you".

It doesn't take long before they realize that floor is extremely unpredictable.  However they have an ace in the hole:  They've been really working their sphere.  Between the three mailings and a few phone calls, they've generated several good leads!

A few months pass:  They have successfully closed two more transactions, both from their sphere of influence.  Their time is primarily focused on starting a geographical farm and going to lunch with their new best friend; an outside loan officer who says he is overflowing with leads and needs to give them out to his 'A team' of realtors.

Several weeks go by; The agent's attendance to the weekly meetings, workshops and events has noticeably declined.  When they are in the office, their conversations have turned from the positive promise of a possible transaction, to the groaning and whining that the fees are too high and their commission splits are too low.  Around the water-cooler, they're heard to mutter: "I'm giving Edina half my commissions, and what are they doing for me?"

A few months later, Beryl is taking their name off the roster and de-activating their voicemail.  While working on a CMA, a couple of veteran agents come across the name of the once promising agent.  For a split second they wonder: "What ever happened to 'so-and-so', they seemed to have such promise.'  And then they continue on with their work.  Never to give 'what's their name' a second thought.

End