{"id":13138,"date":"2010-09-02T09:19:02","date_gmt":"2010-09-02T16:19:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/?p=13138"},"modified":"2010-09-02T09:19:06","modified_gmt":"2010-09-02T16:19:06","slug":"fire-proofing-vs-putting-out-fires","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/13138\/fire-proofing-vs-putting-out-fires\/","title":{"rendered":"Fire Proofing Vs. Putting Out Fires"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m an addict. \u00a0 I’m addicted to drama. <\/em>To feeling necessary, to the hustle, and to the grind. \u00a0I have heard 3 bloodhounds separately say “putting out fires,” recently.<\/p>\n

And to that I say: why? \u00a0And to myself I say, why.<\/p>\n

Here’s the thing: even though we’re living through a paperwork-fight-to the death with the Government, we still have quite predictable businesses that lend themselves to systemization. \u00a0I broke out of the pack as a mortgage lender when I tried to get every single file “clear to close” on the first pass. \u00a0It was more work up front, but in 2007 (after the ‘crisis’s’ \u00a0first act) I had a great year. \u00a0Doubled my 06 volume.<\/p>\n

Why? \u00a0Because if an underwriter ever “stipped” me, I’d add meeting that stip to my checklist and solve the problem. \u00a0I required title companies to send a HUD-1 on DAY-1, and if they were picked a fight, it was easy to get them to take the 10 minutes to estimate taxes, etc.<\/p>\n

This process was the only way I survived, and the only way the carnage from my tax stuff wasn’t worse than it was.<\/p>\n

Which is to say this: we can become anticipatory in our businesses. \u00a0We can learn how to figure out what customers <\/em>need, and how to serve them.<\/p>\n

But, we have to give up our “superman” ethos. \u00a0Most house problems were caused by the Realtor\/Lender\/Whomever having a terrible process. \u00a0Most of them were caused by someone acting clueless. \u00a0“We need a termite inspection? \u00a0Really, man, the underwriter pulled THAT out of nowhere.”<\/p>\n

We have more power than we realize. \u00a0We can systematize a transaction so it goes like clockwork. \u00a0So it’s “artisan” quality, in lieu of “call center” quality. \u00a0 When we pursue operational excellence, then what happens?<\/p>\n

Our clients notice a difference.<\/p>\n

We notice a difference and are more proud of our work.<\/p>\n

There are no “fires” to put out.<\/p>\n

So, in lieu of going after the drama we manufacture, we can make more drama by throwing ourselves at Jeff Brown Challenges, or Greg Seinfeld Chains.<\/p>\n

“What do you learn” with every file.<\/p>\n

“What caused a delay” with every file.<\/p>\n

“What gave the customer pause” Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I’m an addict. \u00a0 I’m addicted to drama. To feeling necessary, to the hustle, and to the grind. \u00a0I have heard 3 bloodhounds separately say “putting out fires,” recently. And to that I say: why? \u00a0And to myself I say, why. Here’s the thing: even though we’re living through a paperwork-fight-to the death with the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-13138","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"hentry","6":"category-real-estate","8":"no-featured-image"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2249,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/2249\/click-the-button-one-more-time-as-an-expression-of-thanksgiving\/","url_meta":{"origin":13138,"position":0},"title":"Click the button one more time as an expression of Thanksgiving","author":"Greg Swann","date":"November 21, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"It's Thanksgiving, a fact of the calendar that sneaks up on me every year. By Friday, the Salvation Army Santas will be setting up their buckets outside stores, since no one has told the Salvation Army that Americans switched to debit cards in 1995. It's all one to me. Cathy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Egoism in Action"","block_context":{"text":"Egoism in Action","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/category\/egoism-in-action\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.paypal.com\/en_US\/i\/scr\/pixel.gif?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2105,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/2105\/san-diego-fires-i-wanna-hear-from-a-chargers-fan\/","url_meta":{"origin":13138,"position":1},"title":"San Diego Fire Update: I… Wanna Hear… From a Chargers Fan","author":"Brian Brady","date":"October 26, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Nick Canepa, of the San Diego Union Tribune, wrote that the game must go on this weekend and that it must be held at Qualcomm Stadium: San Diego deserves this football game. It needs it. The event may not house or clothe anybody or do much to dramatically change even\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Real Estate"","block_context":{"text":"Real Estate","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/category\/real-estate\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2080,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/2080\/more-news-about-the-fires-in-san-diego\/","url_meta":{"origin":13138,"position":2},"title":"More news about the fires in San Diego . . .","author":"Greg Swann","date":"October 23, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Dan Melson continues his regular updates on the San Diego fires from a new post. From Google Blogoscoped, KPBS has created a Google Maps overlay on the San Diego fires, with information on fires, evacuation centers and closed routes. KBPS also has a live radio stream and a Twitter feed.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blogging"","block_context":{"text":"Blogging","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/category\/blogging\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2077,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/2077\/pardon-me-for-not-returning-your-callemail-but-san-diegos-on-fire\/","url_meta":{"origin":13138,"position":3},"title":"Pardon Me For Not Returning Your Call\/Email — But San Diego’s On Fire","author":"Jeff Brown","date":"October 22, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Geez, another fire, no, two of the nasty boogers. Santa Ana's suck. What's a Santa Ana you ask? It's when desert winds from the northeast come swooping down into So Cal, bringing super low humidity, and winds blowing the wrong way. It also brings mid-80's temperatures in late October. When\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1857,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/1857\/unless-bloggers-begin-covering-school-board-and-city-council-meetings-major-and-not-so-major-crimes-serious-and-not-so-serious-accidents-and-fires-weather-issues-of-importance-to-the-few-and-to-the-ma\/","url_meta":{"origin":13138,"position":4},"title":"“Unless bloggers begin covering school board and city council meetings, major and not so major crimes, serious and not so serious accidents and fires, weather, issues of importance to the few and to the many and issues of little interest to themselves—all this on a daily basis—they will not provide the services now covered by the mainstream press”","author":"Greg Swann","date":"August 26, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Damn straight. And it is pure agony to get a horse shod, too. The headline is quoted from a luddite's lament in The Age -- in Melbourne, Australia. Technology threatens the jobs of the farriers of our age, newspaper reporters, and there is nothing for it but to weep incessantly\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blogging"","block_context":{"text":"Blogging","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/category\/blogging\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2076,"url":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/2076\/if-youre-wondering-about-the-fires-in-san-diego\/","url_meta":{"origin":13138,"position":5},"title":"If you’re wondering about the fires in San Diego . . .","author":"Greg Swann","date":"October 22, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"...Dan Melson is doing regular updates... < ?php include(\"SDfiresupdates.php\"); ?> Technorati Tags: blogging, real estate","rel":"","context":"In "Blogging"","block_context":{"text":"Blogging","link":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/category\/blogging\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13138","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13138"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13138\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13139,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13138\/revisions\/13139"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13138"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13138"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bloodhoundrealty.com\/BloodhoundBlog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13138"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}