BIC TIP #1122: Communication Is Not Optional
If there is one complaint that never goes out of style in real estate, it is this:
“My agent never kept me informed.”
According to regulators, attorneys, and disciplinary case files, lack of communication is the number one complaint against brokers. Not pricing. Not contracts. Not marketing. Communication.
The fix is simple, but it requires intention.
At the very beginning of the relationship, brokers should ask two direct questions:
- How do you prefer to receive updates? (Text, email, phone, or a combination)
- How often do you want to hear from me? (Daily, weekly, milestone-based, or only when action is needed)
Once the client answers, your job is not just to comply. Your job is to document it. Notes in the file, CRM entries, follow-up recap emails, or text confirmations all matter. If it is not documented, it did not happen.
Most complaints do not start because something went wrong. They start because a client felt ignored, confused, or surprised. Silence creates suspicion. Communication creates trust.
Being proactive does not mean over-communicating. It means communicating the way the client asked you to, at the frequency they agreed to, and keeping a record of it.
When brokers do this consistently, complaints disappear, files get stronger, and compliance becomes effortless.
