I have a fulltime job and I was taking the calls at work. Well… I just got reprimanded for doing this. Does anyone have any alternatives? Does anyone use a call center? Please give some details.
You can always put hours to call into your advertising.
Your other option is a good anwering machine that has a lot of functions.
Neither of those options is nearly as good as being there on the end of the phone as soon as people call. But you sure can’t afford to lose your job over some phone calls.
The trouble with not answering the phone is that Americans are very impatient. They want it right now, and if they don’t get it right now, they forget what it was that they wanted.
With an answering machine with caller id, you can do call-backs if they don’t leave a number. A lot of people just hang up when the machine comes on.
If you use an answering machine, have a good web page and refer the caller to that to look at until you can cal them back.
Turn it to your advantage and when you call them back, make a little light-hearted joke about how working for a boss makes your life dificult. That will be bonding, that you are a working guy, just like they are.
What I have done before was hire an answering service. I used voice connect. The problem is the cost, but considering the alternatives, it is worth it. I’ve had them collect the basic information and tell the seller that a specialist will call them back within 24 hours.
The cost will highly depend on how targeted your marketing is.
Try Ringcentral.com You can set up multiple lines, let people listen to recorded messages on a chosen extension number, it sounds quite professional, & is fairly inexpensive.
I’m not a big fan of voicemail systems and recorded messages. Who wants to call someone to try and get help with a foreclosure or something and get a recorded message. Not me, I hang up on voicemails all the time and I suspect I ain’t the only one. \
If you can’t answer your phone all the time, I would consider getting a second line and another cell phone and paying someone to answer it, or using a live answering service to take down information and messages for you (you should be able to find one locally).
Yes but you are not a motivated seller.
I gaurantee that if they call and get a voicemail with a recorded message, and then they call the next guy and he answers and talks with them personally, they will go with the guy they talked to and not the guy that they had to push #2 and then leave a message.
Just my opinion though… :biggrin
I think you’re better off getting another cell phone and paying someone to answer it if you can’t.
Answering machine yes, but if they get a live person at an answering service, they will give the information.