Chantal, don't try to justify yourself to anyone. Smile and tell them it is easy work, too. Encourage them to get a license and hang it in your office. Maybe, you can get a referral fee from your broker for enlisting new blood for the company. Why fight it?

Don't let them get to you.  We are on call 24/7.  I think I might have said nicely.  Sir, do you answer your phone at 11:00pm at night for your company???

I work when my clients need me to work, within reasonable parameters. And when my agents need me to work. That can be a lot.  I'm always working but I'm also playing. :)

(preparing to duck and cover in a moment:)

I think sometimes we can be too willing to be too available too often  unnecessarily, and that can bite us in the posterior and create a perception that diminishes value.

Chantal's gentleman should have made time during HER hours. He hired a professional. He needs to respect that she is one. And I'm not hearing respect.

I'm not saying breathe rarified air or be AWOL like lousy agents. I'm saying the perception of 'bending over backwards' may invite those who wish to exploit your kindness and conscientiousness.

I tell my clients that I don't usually work past 6 or 7 pm unless it's truly necessary -- because I'm stupid when I'm tired and they don't want me stupid. :)

I have found the problem often lies in the different time zones. I am in Central and some of my potential clients are 2 hours behind me, like California, so 11 is 9 to them. I have learned to accomadate when I can. They do see the value in that. I have been paid well.

Most folks who ask you to justify, are looking for a cheap way out. If they are such cheapscapes let them do it alone and see how far they get.

Chantal, all of the above responses are really great advice.  

Many people think all we do is go on vacation, eat at nice restaurants, and the like.  But we all no the truth about dealing with clients; especially our 11pm ones, by the way they are always the ones crying for attention.  Similar to two year old kids.

I work about 60 hours a week on Real Estate, and the rest of the time on my Home Construction and Development businesses, oh yeah, and I have Rentals to.

So as you can see I go on Vacation all the time!

I work about 35 to 70 hours a week, depending on what's going on.  Actually, I'm always "at work" as I work out of my home office.  But I will admit, unless there is a contract being negotiated I try not to answer the phone after 7 in the evening, because, as Candice said (and I loved her answer) I'm not on my best game after 7 - I'm pretty much zoning out by then...

I probably work just over 40 hours, but I set the hours.  NOT my clients.  If they can't respect my time, they are a liability waiting to happen.  

I got a call on my cell phone the other night from a customer at 2:30 AM (calling off  a specific ad in a New Home Guide) --- I clicked ignore as fast as I could.   And try to remember to turn it off now at night.  Geesh!

<<How do you spell Ironney?>>

with one N.  :)

I work probably 60 hrs a week.  Some days I'm not doing much of anything and then other days I'm doing everything at once...the old feast or famine kind of thing.  But even when I'm not running like a chicken with my head cut off I'm reading blogs, checking out new technology, always answering emails, working on my site, doing research and yadda yadda..  :)

I had a person call me who really wasn't a customer of mine but someone I had referred to another sales associate out of state...about 7 states away mind you, at 1am in the morning.  He just HAD to talk to me about this house he put an offer in on WITHOUT representation, (there went that referral fee).  I wished him the best.  He then called back at 1:15am.  My husband picked up the phone.   That ended that, lol.

There are days that I just shut the ringer off on the phone after 7pm, there are days I will do it earlier if I find the need, but those days are few and far between.  I actually tried having a set day of the week that I would take off.  It didn't work.  :)