I can't be available during business hours - help!

[KristineS]

With cells phones and wireless networks and PDAs and all that stuff, people are getting more and more used to having messages returned at odd hours. It's not considered as weird as it once would have been. I wouldn't worry about it. I answer messages on weekends and at night and so do people I do business with, and no one has ever said it was odd or questioned it.

[LFinkle]

There are a number of services who will take calls for you during business hours. They can have a message that says "Tom is out of the office during business hours and will return calls before or after business hours. What time is best for you and what number might he call?" This isn't an ideal solution but an option. You could provide your cell phone number also. Personally I don't think they will be too forgiving even with 24 hour turn around unless you are a business that doesn't typcially have office hours. People are busy and want instant gratification. If they have to play phone tag with you they are likely to go somewhere else. If you can at least have email access easily that will hellp

[BeSeenLocally]

I would hire a virtual assistant to take your calls and tell him/her that you are meeting with clients and you will get back as soon as possible. Make sure your VA finds out their availability for you to call them back. It would be very cheap to set this up or us an real person answering service. With you not starting until Nov. I do believe you will have time to figure this out. It has been my experience that everyone is shutting down mentally in preparation for the holidays.

I would be interested in seeing your software.

[teerwater]

I would work with a local answering service so your calls never go to voicemail. Like Huggytree said, you won't get many calls when you first start, but if you seem unavailable all the time (i.e. voicemail) , you'll never grow your business.

Dan

[bacterozoid]

I guess I'm a control freak, but using an answering service worries me. Has anyone had experience as a customer or client of one? I've been on the consumer end of a larger one - it was really obvious the reason I was sent to one was because the company I called wasn't normally available, but still nice to have someone answer my call.

I'll look into some local services - it's something I would be willing to try.

[teerwater]

I'm a little of a control freak myself, which is why I went with a local answering service. There are some good people out there who will give your business the "we're a real business feel" just by answreing the phone. I used to get several calls a week where the caller didn't leave a message which breaks down to lost potential revenue. I think you'll do well with an answering service and it will give you peace of mind knowing that your clients have spoken with a real person. It's at least worth a try.

Dan

[Steve B]

I disagree with using an answering service. As a consumer - if I can't speak with a real live person from the company that I'm calling, I'd rather have a machine. Having a person answer the phone is "nice", but if they are completely unable to answer any questions about the product or service - then I'd rather get a machine. At least with a machine, I won't waste my time asking a detailed question only to find out they can't answer it. It's even worse if they don't immediately identify themselves as the "answering service". I've described some embarassing details to a doctor's answering service before I figured out all they can do is take a message.

[huggytree]

i agree with Steve....id rather have a machine

all my customers leave messages....almost no one hangs up....you wont lose anything by having a machine

[Spider]

Perhaps it's a generation thing or a locality thing. I now prefer to get an answering machine most of the time. I even prefer these "smart" answering machines that can answer basic questions. Then one doesn't have to deal with a person, which can be exeedingly timewasting if all one wants is directions to their store, account balance or operating hours, delivery or tracking information.

OTOH, some people - and that is likely to be older people, but not always - like the personal touch of a real person.

Either take a chance or enquire of your customers which they prefer and direct them to one of two numbers - an answering service on one number and an answering machine on the other.

[Steve B]

"If you're really old - dial 1"

"if not really old, dial 2"