According to Re/Max, I Need to Get a Life!

Posted on 07. Jul, 2007 by Dave in Random Musings

So earlier today, I got an e-mail from a newspaper chain that I placed a real estate ad on asking me if I was interested in some new advertising opportunities. Not a big deal, really. BUT, the classified rep who sent it mistakingly (presumably) openly CC'd her entire contact list of about 200 people. So of course, immediately a few folks hit the 'reply to all' button so all 200 of us got the complaint that was really just intended for the sales rep.

So in an effort to stop the presumed endless chain of 'replies' that was about to be forthcoming (including the first one that said "When we placed our ad we had no idea that we would receive crank calls and scam solitations. It is unfortunate and I hope The Sun is addressing this issue.") I sent the following note to everyone on the list (BCC'ing them of course):

Folks

Please don't reply to all. I'm calling the [newspaper] now to complain. I suggest you all do the same. Besides the solicitation, the fact that all of our email addresses was made public is insane. (Note I've BCC'd you here)

Thanks

No big deal right? One agent replied to me individually making fun of the original offer saying it was the same price they were already getting. Another home seller thanked me for the suggestion as she was about to hit the 'reply to all' herself.

One real estate agent from Re/Max among the original 200 e-mails chose a different route. Replying with this:

Dave,

Relax. Mistakes happen! Click the delete button. The amount of time you spend calling the [newspaper] vs. clicking on the delete button far out weighs the other. With an email address like 'Cool Dave' I wouldn’t think you would have to be a butt and call the sun. It happens! Don’t you have anything better to do with your time than to call the sun? Get a life!

A bit harsh, no? I mean, was I really not having a life because I got spammed and was concerned about it? Working in the Internet world I'm pretty famliar with what happens as your e-mail address bounces around. But was I being a jerk? A 'butt' even? Really? Should I 'get a life', and if so, where would I find it?

Oddly enough the same thing happened to me on another real estate web site. An independent sales rep cc'd hundreds of people. An apology came very quickly, and a refund of ALL the fees I had paid to date were refunded almost immediateley, HUNDREDS of dollars. So I'm guessing that incident cost that company thousands, but it was the right thing to do because they knew had someone really complained about a Privacy Policy violation, or worse a CAN SPAM violation, the damage to their reputation and pocketbook could have been far worse.

But I go back to the issue at hand …

So I was a bit irked by the reply, and frankly amazed that in today's world someone would respond from their business e-mail address and tell a potential client to 'get a life'. Sure, I probably wouldn't have ever used this particular agent because they were not in my area, but who is to say down the road if I'm selling or buying a house, I don't get completely turned off from Re/Max as a whole because of the actions of one of their independent reps?

So here's my reply back;

Ms. [Name removed, pending apology...lol...hopefully from Re/Max anyway],

I think it is fairly inappropriate to send a potential client of ReMax, a message that says "get a life" or told I'm being a "butt". If I'm looking for a new representative and someone from Re/Max responds, I'll be sure to tell them they didn't get my business because one of their agents told me to get a life because I was complaining about spam. Real professional. Who is the one wasting time now. I normally don't complain about anything, you actually were correct there, but knowing the negative things that happen when people openly share e-mail addresses, I certainly am within my rights to address it without fearing someone is going call me out.

Mass e-mailing people and violating a privacy policy is not a mistake, its a major problem. Forgive me for trying to stop 200 people from clicking 'reply to all' … goodness.

Re/Max customer advocate: The [newspaper] openly CC'd many customers on a mass e-mail. I simply replied to all via BCC and asked them not to continue to hit the 'reply to all' button and suggest folks complain about it. Not a big deal in my estimation, however one of your agents chose to respond by telling me to 'get a life'. I hope this doesn't represent the feeling of the Re/Max corporation.

Thank you

Clealy, I did CC the customer relations team at Re/Max, only because I wanted to find out if they would offer me a life, or would that only be after they sold my house?

But alas, we weren't done.

The agent fired back. Apparantly, I need to get lots of lives! Plus I'm no longer cool. Damnit!

Is it safe to say you won’t be calling me to buy or sell your next home? What a shame? I’m sure we would have hit it off! AS I said, get a life! Get a life … get a life … Get a life, Don’t waste your time. I will forward to Remax myself … get a life … get a life! Don’t you have anything better to do with your time? Get a life!

Hey, "COOL DAVE" get a life! Mistakes happen. I guess you are so "COOL" you have never done anything like Karen did. I don’t even know the girl and I’m sticking up for her. "COOL DAVE", get a life!

Have a good one. Relax. Can’t you fight world hunger, stop the fighting in the middle east, feed the hungry, help the unfortunate gain more in our world? Damn, what a great cause you have taken up. GET A LIFE!

So, therefore. I'm on a quest to find a life. And of course, to track down the most senior person at Re/Max to let them know that the rant of an independent agent probably cost some other poor agent down the road tens of thousands of dollars.

Lastly (perhaps), before sending an e-mail again to Re/Max customer service, I sent the following to the agent:

Ms. [name removed, for now]

I'm going to really ask you to think about what you've written and how it reflects on Re/Max before I take any further action. An apology would be greatly appreciated. This isn't about whether you sell my home. It is about whether Re/Max does.

Thank you

God knows what the reply to THAT will be. Crossing my fingers it is just an apology. Otherwise perhaps the name and link to the agent's site might make an appearance here.

Oh, did I mention? My CURRENT agent is with Re/Max. I'm sure they'd be thrilled to find out the conduct of an agent outside their office impacting an existing client.

Share and Enjoy: