Playing office girl today

[Mikey P]

My daughter is on vacation this week so I'm handling the phones.

Funny how people keep their cell phones from other areas. New York, Minnesota, Massachusetts...


all these transients needing work done asap


all of them out of luck.



Stanley got six referrals from me this week.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Probably too embarrassed to have a CA number.

Seriously, they do that here too. The caller ID I have quickly screens the marketing calls.

 

[jcooper]

Funny how people keep their cell phones from other areas. New York, Minnesota, Massachusetts...

I still have/use a bank account from AZ, we moved 8 years ago... Every time I circle AZ on the deposit slip I smile. Hanging on to the past...


Az also has MUCH better banking laws than IL.

 

[hogjowl]

Being a military town, I get numbers from all over, too. I wish I could ignore long distance numbers, because telemarketing and active number farming calls are really annoying.

 

[steve_64]

If they dont leave a voicemail i know they were marketers.

I get quite a few odd numbers from regulars too. Its a new age with transferable numbers.

 

[Ron K]

Stanley got six referrals from me this week.

So honestly how do you get around that? You seriously don't recommend them do you?

 

[Mikey P]

Anybody good here is booked for weeks.
Some of those calls were for move outs so they probably were not going to pay our rate anyways.

And I never have to worry about SS out charming or out cleaning us, so they'll be back..

 

[Lee Stockwell]

If they dont leave a voicemail i know they were marketers.

I get quite a few odd numbers from regulars too. Its a new age with transferable numbers.

You are mistaken, many customers DON'T leave voicemails.

 

[Mikey P]

Very true Lee

 

[steve_64]

I use to call back all missed calls but have stopped doing so now. Maybe I just recognize the marketing and junk call numbers better now.
I get a few a year that dont leave a message but call back later.

 

[steve_64]

Every now and then I still call one only to find its not a customer. I have several numbers ive put the company's name on the number so I dont bother answering it.

 

[hogjowl]

8 months out of the year I almost always ignore long distance numbers. During move out season I have to answer them. I hate the wasted telemarketer calls I get then.

Of course, NOW they use local numbers too

 

[steve_64]

Ive gotten the local numbers too. Persistent bugers.
I get a lot of goofy numbers from one complex that rents to people from a local college that has a lot of foreigners. a lot of new york numbers mostly.
We are also a vacatiion destination so there are a lot of second homes here from people in illinois and florida that call.

 

[Old Coastie]

Then there is the charming "Rachel from Card Services."

 

[PrimaDonna]

I registered our number with a service that weeds out the telemarketer calls. My phone rings once and then stops...so I know it was a bogus call.

Someone here posted about it a while back. Can't remember name of the service, but it's been working great and is free. Just sign up on their website.

 

[Ron K]

You are mistaken, many customers DON'T leave voicemails.

No you are mistaken, Customers may not BUT clients do. Could be your market, lots of move outs and needitnows probably move on to the next BD. I am sure people that call Santa Cruz and get the message that they are two weeks out AND have used them and know their quality workmanship and respect their own home will wait. Or I could be totally wrong!

 

[hogjowl]

20 years ago, leaving a message was a big deal to old Jewish and JW women.

Now they just text you.

Lee is still in the 80's.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

I have no problem using VM or text, but busy people who are in a hurry move on if you force it

 

[hogjowl]

Old school.
They leave a message and forget about it until we call them back.

Island Boy will be here shortly to agree with u.

 

[Ron K]

Island Boy will be here shortly to agree with u.

Hey I really do live on an Island too And don't you furget it!

Bainbridge Island 98110!

 

[Mikey P]

Normally we don't get calls on Saturdays so I went for a ride up to Tahoe and then some errands. I started returning calls at 4PM (Saturday)


Came home to 7 missed calls and 1 email inquiry from a really good customer.

1. Guy wants his concrete den stripped and re-waxed. Didn't pick up my call

2. Lady needs her hose cleaned asap for an upcoming wedding. Carpet is horrible. Didn't pick up my call

3. Lady needs tile cleaned in BFE ..Didn't pick up my call

4. Lady wants to know how much top clean her Persian rug. Kid answers and tells me mom can't come to the phone right now but she'll call me back, he has my number saved. He sounds 6 years old and I think Mom was humping the afternoon away...

5. Already found someone

6. Good repeat, left the date she wanted I put her on and asked her to confirm in a message

7. Lady doesn't want to spend more than $50 to clean the $100 wool rug she bough on Overstock .com.




Note to self...



Don't bother with the phone on Saturdays, repeats will wait, the rest are last minute flakes and all can wait until Monday.

 

[Mikey P]

email inquiry ....

Just got your reminder re: home carpets. Yep it's time. Don't know how much lead time you need to come to the Summit Area? I could do Wed. Sept. 9 or Wed. Sept. 30. Those are obvious holes I see in my calendar, but could find other times if these aren't convenient for your team. Please let me know.

Took me 59 seconds on the phone to get her booked for a $710 job.

Thanks Service Monster FMS!

 

[steve_64]

When I star yt? Ed my business I believed that I had to answer every call. Now u know better. Maybe it was because of the phone book mentality. Work your way down the kist till you find someone to talk to.
I think those days are mostly over cept for a small ppercentage who havent adapted to the new technology.
Most of my new customers are referrals now too. They call looking for me not just a shot in the dark or a finger point in the phone book.
My phone doesnt ring all day neither. My closing ratio is very high these days. Three calls a day is all I need for now.