I HOPE your business phone is being answered by a real live person. And if you still are “on da truck” I HOPE it isn’t you! (Taking calls in another client’s home is a huge no-no!)
But as an owner or manager you’re always going to get business calls on your cell phone. (And sometimes in front of another client!) So my question is…
What’s on your phone?
NOTE: Remember, it isn’t just YOUR phone. What’s on your employees’s phones? For example…
Ringtones: I googled “ringtones” and got back 89,400,000 results! 95% of these would offend your average customer! So make sure all employee cell phones have a “discreet” ringtone. (Even better, put phones on vibrate BEFORE entering a customer’s home!
Voicemails: I notice a common theme here as in, BAD voicemails! Like rap music in the background or “Hey dog! Wassup? Leave me a message!” or no personal message at all! Just the boring, generic recording that says “you have reached ###_###_#### blah blah blah”. No business name! No business info!
Seriously, people? What kind of Moment of Truth is this? If I was a customer looking for a service provider I wouldn’t even leave a message! I’d hang up and try someone “more professional”!
Texting on the job: Want to create a horrible Moment of Truth? Have you had complaints about your employees texting/chatting on their phones while supposedly working? (And for every complaint you receive there are 100 more “silently irritated” clients who will “go elsewhere” next time!) Learn how to avoid this problem here…
NOTE: My thanks to Atlanta Jon-Don employee Rita Berry for much of the above QuickTIP!
Steve