Why do people answer the phone if they are in the middle of something important?

[2LaneCruzer]

My phone helps me make money.

The quicker I return phone calls (or pick up the call in the first place), in general, it helps me to make more money.

For some reason, it seems businesses forget this.

Commuincation is a two way street, and I agree, texting is an easier means of communicating if the importance isn't "high" IMO, added it helps keep track of what was said.

Always gets my wife when I'm on a conference call and I'm in the bathroom and I have the phone on mute. One time I forgot to have the phone on mute and the question was "what is that noise":laughing:

Hah. I was mowing my yard on my JD a couple years back; Sharn Jean was gone, so I had the cordless in my front pocket just in case. In the meantime, she came home, and set up a conference call. Unbeknownst to me, I made a "butt" call and treated the conferees to the melodic throb of a 14 horse John Deere Kawasaki!

 

[Jstpssng]

My phone helps me make money.

The quicker I return phone calls (or pick up the call in the first place), in general, it helps me to make more money.

For some reason, it seems businesses forget this.

Commuincation is a two way street, and I agree, texting is an easier means of communicating if the importance isn't "high" IMO, added it helps keep track of what was said.

Always gets my wife when I'm on a conference call and I'm in the bathroom and I have the phone on mute. One time I forgot to have the phone on mute and the question was "what is that noise":laughing:

If you were about to close a sale when another call came in, would you put the first caller on hold? I understand what you're saying, yet in the case which started the thread my brother answered the phone only to tell me that he was in the middle of an important call.

I don't talk when I'm driving nor do I take/make calls when the cell service is poor. Bluetooth is nice because with a glance I can see who is calling, how good my signal is, and start looking for a place to pull over. Like texting, leaving a voicemail can be more beneficial for both parties if I need to find an answer to a question.

 

[Sigarms]

If you were about to close a sale when another call came in, would you put the first caller on hold?

If I'm in a very important meeting (be it "closing a sale" or perhaps something else that may be even more important), I set up a general text response and inform the person that I'm tied up and will call them within 60 minutes.

What's interesting is you think "closing a sale" is really an important reason to miss a call (and to many people, it would be). In my line of business and dealing with people, one "moment" doesn't define the business relationship. Being a relocated Yankee in the south, at first I rubbed some people wrong no doubt with my honesty and asking questions I wasn't afraid to ask. What's more important is when someone calls me on a Sunday and I get them what they need on a Monday or Tuesday LOL

I deal with owners and grunts. I've found its best to treat the grunts as you would the owner.

 

[Dftodd]

I deal with owners and grunts. I've found its best to treat the grunts as you would the owner.

This is very important With the company I work for, us grunts do the majority of the purchasing. The Boss just issues the PO number for companies we are set up with. I use my company credit card for everything else.

Chances are pretty darn good that if you don't return my email or phone call within a reasonable amount of time, you probably lost that sale and I've moved on to someone else

 

[ultrarunner]

The Administrative Assistant can open a lot of doors and close them too... at least in my experience.

 

[Sigarms]

This is very important With the company I work for, us grunts do the majority of the purchasing. The Boss just issues the PO number for companies we are set up with. I use my company credit card for everything else.

Chances are pretty darn good that if you don't return my email or phone call within a reasonable amount of time, you probably lost that sale and I've moved on to someone else

Ultimatletly, it doesn't matter what position you hold with a company when someone "calls on you" IMO, what's important is that the person who is calling on a potential customer treats everyone within that company the same, be it the janitor OR the owner, with respect and common courtesy, and you do what you say you're going to do.

I still remember helping train a guy in Alabama. I have no clue who the customer is, but go walking in and the "trainee" asks the guy at the counter "are you the guy I need to be talking to or should I be talking to someone else?". Talk about having someone tell you to go screw yourself under your breath LOL

 

[2LaneCruzer]

The Administrative Assistant can open a lot of doors and close them too... at least in my experience.

You just tweaked an old chord in my memory. Years ago, I read a book entitled "Power! How to Get It, How to Use It: by Michael Korda". One thing I remember is that the people whose desks are the closest to the boss often exercise a lot of power...the secretary or exec. assistant included...a good thing to keep in mind when you have to deal with these people.

 

[Sigarms]

You just tweaked an old chord in my memory. Years ago, I read a book entitled "Power! How to Get It, How to Use It: by Michael Korda". One thing I remember is that the people whose desks are the closest to the boss often exercise a lot of power...the secretary or exec. assistant included...a good thing to keep in mind when you have to deal with these people.

1 - Treat people the same way you expect to be treated (if you're a prick, get out of any type of sales work).
2 - If someone calls, answer your phone.
3 - If someone calls after hours or on the weekend or on a holiday, still answer your phone (this step may not have to be repeated for the same customer if they don't do anything with you down the road and you keep answering your phone after hours).
4 - If you tell someone you're going to do something, DO IT!
5 - If you tell someone you're going to find an answer out for them, even if you don't have the answer, call them and let them know you hadn't forgotten about them, and you will call them back (repeat process if nessesary).

A business relationship is a two way street and a customer is not always right, but you have to let them think they are.

"Power, who in their right mind wants it, how to get by and enjoy people you work with" By Sigarms

My boss always hates it when I state "life is too short to deal with pricks" LOL

He also dosen't like to hear that money can't buy you happiness. If I can't be happy giving 110% to a job and career, time to find something new.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Respect always has to be earned. A useless, lazy unmotivated employee deserves no respect.

There are always key people in a business. The useful ones. They are always on the phone and the system or receptionist offers to put you through to their damm voice mail. As long as their phone keeps ringing, they will never return your call. At least not in any timely manner.

 

[Sigarms]

Respect always has to be earned. A useless, lazy unmotivated employee deserves no respect.

And that's why if you give 110%, are enthusiastic and show determination, no matter what job you start off with, you will work your way up the ladder.

A job doing half but isn't worth a job having.

That said, I just sent off an e-mail to corporate about their google form they set up for our customers to use, and I informed them that they needed to set it up differently to make it easier to use. Turns out I was complaining.

Thing that always amazes me about businesses is they set up these procedures for their customers to jump through online but never try the procedures themselves to see what their customers experience. As I tell my own customers, if they complain to me and I pass the info along, it's a "valid complaint". HOWEVER, if I complain to my company about the same process my own customers go through, I'm a pain in their butt and they wonder if I like working here. Go figure...