10 reasons why so many (not all) employed listers often vanish when it comes to vendor management:
1. Fear of Accountability
Listers sell the dream to secure the listing, but when the reality of vendor expectatitons vs market conditions kicks in, they would rather not be the bearer of bad news.
2. Shift in Responsibility
In many agencies, once the home is listed, it’s handed over to the negotiators or admin team. The lister’s role is seen as "done," so they avoid the tougher conversations later.
3. Ego vs Execution
Listers thrive on being the hero who "wins the deal." Vendor management involves uncomfortable conversations—price drops, feedback, and underperformance—that don’t fuel their ego.
4. The Fear of Conflict
Vendor mangement often requires honest discussions about overpricing or lack of interest. Many listers avoid this because they fear upsetting the vendor and damaging the relationship.
5. Compensation Misalignment
Listers are usually incentivised on securing listings/instructions, not on sales completion. This creates a disconnect between listing the home & managing it to sell.
6. Time Prioritisation
Listers often focus on winning new business because that’s where the perceived value lies. Managing existing vendors is seen as less urgent, even though it’s critical to success.
7. Lack of Training
Many listers are trained to win listings but lack the skills or confidence to handle difficult conversations during vendor management.
8. Passing the Buck
Once a property is listed, listers often expect the rest of the team to "deal with it." They see themselves as the rainmakers, not the service providers.
9. Protecting Their Image
Listers don’t want to damage the goodwill they’ve built during the listing process, so they delegate the difficult conversations to someone else.
10. Cultural Issues
In some agencies, vendor management is undervalued or poorly structured. The lister’s role is prioritised over the ongoing relationship, leaving vendors feeling abandoned.
To fix this, listers need to be involved from start to finish, tying their success to the entire process—not just the listing. It’s not about getting the instruction; it’s about delivering the result.
Agree or Disagree?
