Answering Phone

Good Morning,
My business coach and friend had a saying AATP (Always Answer The Phone!). He got his start coaching businesses in his niche industry after years building his own business in that industry. He did a lot of work with small one-person business owners, those who did all the work, so when they were out in the field doing the work there was no one around to answer the phone.
To solve that problem my friend found a company that had people able to answer the calls, were trained to answer most questions the callers had and even book appointments for the businesses! Sure it was costly, but not as costly as a lost job!
The point I want to make is Answer Your Phone! If you transfer your business line to your cell phone, then you have to answer ALL calls even if you don’t recognize the number.
OK, you say, “But Phil, there are times when I just can’t answer the phone.” Then do what I (and probably you) do: use voicemail. But here is the thing. You have to return the calls in a timely manner. We all have made calls to a business, gotten their voice mail and left a message. Then waited….and waited….and waited and never got a call back. Now be honest, have you done that to prospects?
Try to return calls within an hour or two if not sooner. If that’s not possible then call by the next day. But Always Return Calls (ARC) no matter when you do so!
Now, here is a tip I use when I recorded my outgoing message that I learned the hard way. Ask people to leave a message, to say their name slowly and to repeat their phone number twice so that I can write it down and call them back. If I can’t understand what they are saying I can’t return their call.
If you do this, you will increase sales!
Till next time.