I received an email from a business associate this week with a proposal for me to consider. So I picked up the phone to call him. I got a busy signal. I figured it was a fluke and tried again the next morning. Still busy.
There is just no excuse in this day and age to ever encounter a busy signal when calling a business. At the very least you can get call-waiting and a voice mail system for about $10 a month. It's a cost of doing business - and who doesn't want more business?
Don't make it hard for potential clients to reach you; they won't waste time trying repeatedly. They will simply move on to the next name on their list.
Check out your phone system occasionally. Call and see how it is answered if you have a receptionist or what your voice mail message sounds like. How many rings before the phone is answered? Is the greeting (live or recorded) professional? Are there any background noises? Is there room in your system for the caller to leave a message? (Too often I hear "Mailbox is full"!)
Don't turn down business without even knowing about it.
2 comments:
Hi all:
This is a problem I have just encountered in my own practice. I can't use the cell phone that I use for business while in the ER working so I have found a service along with my eFax called eReceptionist that will forward a call to my e-mail which I check frequently each day to not miss the calls.
Good solution! Also, leave helpful information on your cell phone message, such as "If I'm working in the ER when you call, I'll return your call at my first opportunity. I check messages several times a day."
Rosalie Hamilton
Legal Marketing Strategist
Post a Comment