Practices vary from aea to area.  Here in Ohio 99% of showing appointments are set through the brokerage.  It is very rare here for an individual agent to set their own appointments.  I would suggest calling the broker since the agent is not giving full service to their client by ignoring the opportunities for showings.  In this area a call directly to the brokwe ALWAYS gets a response.

By the way, wait until you try and get feedback on your own listings from agents that have shown them.  TALK ABOUT IGNORING PHONE CALLS!!!!!

Keep going up the food chain:

1. Agent 2.Broker 3.The Local Board 4.Owner

After that, move on 'cause it just was not meant to be.

Phil has it right -

If the agent must be called to schedule an appointment, and does not return calls, then, in my opinion, he or she is violating the fiduciary trust to his or her seller.

But, you can't MAKE them call you back! I tell my Buyers in those cases that the house is currently (it must be, as no one will call back!) off the market and move on.

I actually have had the problem after presenting an offer. I presented an offer on a monday to the agents e-mail, fax and even had one driven over to her office on Tuesday when I did't get a call back. I even called her Monday morning to tell the offer was on the way.The offer expired on Wed. and I finally had my principle broker call her principle broker on Friday.

Finally the agent called me back on Saturday and said "Sorry, I will try to present it on Monday" My buyers decided to withdrawl their offer and if they could please present the withdrawl of offer to the client for signing. Along came Monday and her listing was canceled and put up with another agent!

Depends on the rules of your board.  Here we are to call the listing office to make appointments.  If that is unsuccessful, then try contacting the agent directly (usually cell phone is best).  If that is unsuccessful, then we contact our board office who then tries to set the appointment (usually a member of the MLS committee does it).  

So my suggestion is to contact your board office to determine the proper procedure....

When you "call the brokerage", are you speaking with THE broker, or whoever answers the phone (floor agent, admin, etc). I've found a call directly to the designated broker usually resolves the problem. If not, I'm not opposed to calling the seller directly.

The amount of times I can't get an agent to answer the phone is staggering. It just blows me away.

I HAD A CLIENT INTERESTED IN A HOME.  CALLED THE AGENT, CALLED THE BROKER...NO ANSWER.  CLIENT PURCHASED ANOTHER HOME.  THE ORIGINAL HOME IS STILL ON THE MARKET.

Schedule with the owner if that is not possible, I have just shown up at the the door.  I apologize for not giving notice and explain that I was showing the house around the corner and my clients were also interested in their home.  The old one foot in the door works for me. I have rarely been refused and when I was, I re-sheduled at the owners convenience.  Good Luck!

Realtor,  Columbus Ga

In the Dallas/Ft. Worth area we have a "Central Scheduling Service" that REALTORS, inspectors, etc. can call about almost any property in the MLS. They give you all the info. on the propetry such as whether it is occupied or vacant, on a combination lock box or SUPRA Key and they schedule a time for you and then follow up with an e-mail to you wanting to know what your buyer thought of the property. It is a great system. I rarely have to talk to the listing agent when I'm our showing homes or previewing.

Again, I emphasize, find out the rules of your board.  We get slapped if we just show up at a house.  Our rules are that even if the house if vacant, contact must be made.  And we are never, never, never allowed to contact the owner.

Don't get yourself in trouble with your board.

Agreed...call your board if you can't get a response after trying to get the broker directly.  Here in our area you will be fined $100 for the first offense of not following the showing instructions and $500 for the 2nd offense and can be suspended after that.   Of course, someone would have to complain to the board and generally won't if you bring in a sales contract, but still.   Protect yourself and call the board.