Recommend a good answering service?

[orbitalclean]

I am either too busy or too exhausted to take all my calls. Looked into live answering services and tried a couple but haven't found one worth anything.

So far I've tried:

PATLIVE: Good service, well recommended BUT the messages are sent by email or cutoff by txt message. I don't want to have to check-in all the time, need them sent to voicemail. plus I got about 2-10 hangups per day (at $2 each) from wrong numbers. Someone must have advertised the number directly, rather than had it forwarded.

ANSWERINGFORALL: Cheap service but it took them over 2 minute's to answer my 2 test calls.. Hardly nobody is going to hold on that long...

Does anyone have an answering service they can recommend?

 

[Scott]

Have you tried Perceptionist? I have not, but several here say good things about them.

Scott

 

[orbitalclean]

Hey Scott, Thanks for the input. I forgot to mention I did a search here and found them. I think I read they are $20 per appointment? That might be peanuts to some, but not I...

 

[Rex Tyus]

Voice mail 8) . Free with a good calling plan.

 

[orbitalclean]

I guess I thought it went without saying that most people do not leave messages anymore.

 

[J Scott W]

Ten hang-ups per day at $2 plus sales calls and the price shoppers compared to $20 for booked appointments. No charge if they don't schedule a job. Seems more than fair to me.

Scott Warrington

 

[Rex Tyus]

I guess I thought it went without saying that most people do not leave messages anymore.

Regional differences. Just making a joke. Not intending to offend .

 

[orbitalclean]

Hey Rex! No offense taken bud!

I have definitely considered keeping just voicemail and use it now, nothing wrong with it at all. I just want the advertising $$$ to get responded too. I don't know, maybe I'm worrying too much

 

[orbitalclean]

Ten hang-ups per day at $2 plus sales calls and the price shoppers compared to $20 for booked appointments. No charge if they don't schedule a job. Seems more than fair to me.

hmmm. I do see how it would work out but still seems a little high to me. I guess it's because I want someone to answer all my calls but maybe they wouldn't be feasible for that?
Lets say 4-5 jobs a day at 5 days, I could probably get a full time Secretary, but then I still have to sell and schedule...

ScottW or anyone know how often they turn a call into an appointment/sale? They probably sell better than me, since its all they do :?

 

[CleanEvo]

As an owner operator you're going to have to get used to answering the phone. I answer 90 % of my calls, however there are times I just can't. I've left a really good voice mail message briefly explaining the owner/operator thing and that I'm probably cleaning someones carpet at this time, rarely people hang up, most leave a message. Be creative...make them want to leave you a message...let them know you'll call them back "sooner than they expect".

 

[Dominick Cassano]

I've been using Perceptionist since March 2007, and they are very good, and affordable. I'm very happy with them.

 

[Steve Toburen]

David,

Like the two Scott's I've heard good things about Perceptionist. The "don't pay unless you do the job" deal does make it appealing.

If you want more control then you may want to look at one interim step many of our SFS members have used which is to contract with an elderly/ infirm person to answer their phone and book jobs using the script I offer in my PS (always a PS!) on a commission basis. This has worked well till the carpet cleaner can hire a full time, dedicated office person. (Always the best solution.)

Steve Toburen CR
Director of Training
Jon-Don's Strategies for Success

PS Whatever you do you must 'book the job". If you want to know guaranteed how to answer the eternal "how much" phone question then just send me an e-mail to stoburen@homefrontsuccess.com and ask for my Special E-Report on Selling Over the Phone. If you want the free DVD then just include your mailing address. No charge for either the Report or the DVD EXCEPT you must read/ watch them. I'll be checking in ...

 

[orbitalclean]

Yeah that sounds more like it to me. Have some nice old folks take the call and forward me the message right after.

I don't even want to think about what these other company's could be doing with my leads. I don't want them building mailing lists, having someone else pop-up if my pricing doesn't work out etc. Seems a bit risky to me.

 

[Al]

I just hired a girl who is absolutely fantastic! Her position is supposed to be Director of Marketing and Advertising. Primarily for our new restoration department.

She asked if she could try answering the phones. OMG, it was unbelievable! She is a genius

She immediately could do what I do, she was quoting the jobs and everything. She asked the customer if they had any furniture or tile and grout to clean while we were there. She upsold a sofa.

She looked over after that call and said "I call that up selling" ! lol

I said awesome that"s a great term

"is there anything else i can sell" yeah Protectant, BAM now she's selling that.


On the third day I left her in charge of my phones and she lined up 2600. in work. I left the office and didn't have to take calls for the first time in my career of cc'ing.

I had her read Scott's working smarter 101 and she put those closing tactics to use immediately! She called me and said "I did it " after using the take away sale to land a job.


She launched our "Got a Leak" program with ease, started our media package and got a nice press release in the paper. (All this is covered in Ivan's program)

She did something on the Internet where she was looking inside of homes for sale and scored 2 jobs. She already new what the rooms looked like!

127. 20 and 675. on her own! Oh yeah she was talking to a commercial prospect and said " on a scale of 1-10 how dirty would you say your carpets are" ! I thought that was amazing. She invented the "dirt scale."

When I find out how she got those jobs I'll post about it.

She did a lot more, called our customers back to make sure the job was perfect and made a certificate of merit for Kyle because ha got a raving review. It was hanging in the office when he got back and Kyle was proud to see it. That's good for moral!

I guess Gal's like this are out there? I've been interviewing and searching for 2 months. This one happens to calls me Uncle

 

[orbitalclean]

Geez AL! I'll take one of those please! What a dream receptionist that would be. I truly hope she is still working out so well for you.

After missing 2 sales calls and calling right back but never getting a hold of them again, I ended up going with perceptionist.

Five star service so far. I am blown away by how professional and knowledgeable they are of the cc industry, scheduling and handling my calls. They are really good.

 

[Al]

She is working out well, she's my niece and has a sick daughter so we lost over a week of missed day's already.

That's the only issue, boy after having her for a week and then loosing her for a week, I could really feel the pain! Man I've been suffering and didn't even know it. She's since been back for another week and we already smashed all prior November sales records.

If I was to start all over, the first thing I would do would be hire a Director of Marketing.

 

[alazo1]

Talk to the owner of Proline in San Carlos, ca. His name is Steve. In talking with him a few weeks ago he had mentioned of someone doing this, the service is more personal then just a phone service. The person doing it is the west coast CRI rep (or something like that).

Albert