The "FFK" Epidemic: Why You Get the Appointment, But You Don't Get the Viewer
Let's look at the math of a typical struggling agent.
You make 100 cold calls. 90 people say "No," "Busy," or hang up. 10 people say "Yes."
You feel like a champion. You put 10 names in your calendar for the weekend. You tell your Team Leader: "Boss, I have 10 appointments this Saturday! Confirm exploding the sales gallery."
Saturday comes. 10:00 AM – No show. 12:00 PM – No show. 2:00 PM – No show.
By 5:00 PM, you are standing alone in the sales gallery, drinking your fourth coffee, watching other agents close deals.
You go back to your leader and say: "Boss, the leads are useless. All FFK (Fong Fei Kei). Malaysians have no integrity."
Stop lying to yourself. The prospect didn't ghost you because they are a bad person. They ghosted you because you are a Lazy Agent.
The "Set and Forget" Mistake
The biggest delusion among rookie agents is this: "They said YES on the phone, so they will show up."
You assume that because you care about the appointment, they care about it too. Wrong.
To you, this appointment is your paycheck. To the prospect, this appointment is a "maybe." It is low priority. Between the time they said "Yes" on Tuesday and the appointment on Saturday, life happened.
Their kid got sick.
Their boss gave them extra work.
They wanted to sleep in.
They simply forgot who you are.
If you do not remind them, they will not come. It is that simple.
The "Professional Nudge" vs. The "Desperate Check"
Many agents are afraid to call or WhatsApp to confirm because they think: "I don't want to seem annoying."
So they prefer to wait and "hope." Hope is not a strategy.
If you don't confirm the appointment, you are signaling to the prospect that the meeting isn't important. High-value professionals confirm meetings. Doctors confirm. Dentists confirm. Lawyers confirm. Why don't you?
The "Lockdown" Sequence: How to Stop the FFK
If you want to turn a 10% show-up rate into an 80% show-up rate, you need to stop expecting them to remember. It is YOUR job to remember for them.
Here is the protocol:
- The "Calendar Lock" (Immediately after the call)
Don't just hang up. Send a calendar invite or a WhatsApp summary immediately.
"Hi Mr. Tan, great speaking to you. Locking in your slot for Saturday, 11 AM at [Project Name]. Here is the location pin." - The "Value Reminder" (24 Hours Before)
Do not ask: "Are you still coming?" (This sounds desperate and gives them a chance to say no). Instead, assume the meeting is on and send value.
"Hi Mr. Tan, looking forward to seeing you tomorrow at 11 AM. I've just printed out the ROI calculation we discussed. Sending you the Waze location again to avoid the jam: [Link]. See you!" - The "On The Way" Text (2 Hours Before)
This creates social pressure.
"Hi Mr. Tan, I'm grabbing a coffee on my way to the gallery now. Do you drink Latte or Black? I'll get one ready for you for our 11 AM chat."
Why this works: It is very hard for a human being to FFK someone who is buying them coffee. It triggers the psychological rule of reciprocity.
The Hard Truth for Team Leaders
If an agent tells you "The prospect FFK-ed me," ask them to show you their phone.
Scroll up.
Did they send a reminder the night before?
Did they send a location pin in the morning?
Did they engage the prospect between the call and the viewing?
If the chat is empty, it's not an FFK. It's negligence.
Summary
A verbal "Yes" is not a contract. It is a fragile intention.
It is your responsibility to carry that intention across the finish line.
If you don't remind them, you don't respect your own time.
If you don't confirm, you deserve the empty chair.
Stop blaming the "bad leads." Start managing your appointments. The sale doesn't happen when they pick up the phone. It happens when they walk through the door.
