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Has anyone ever done something like this as the outgoing voice mail message:

For example: "Hello! This is Jamin with Parker Tree Service. I'm sorry I'm not available at this time. Because I am the owner and operator of this business, I am typically climbing trees during the day. Therefore, I return my calls in the evenings. Please leave me your name, address, and phone number. I will get back to you as soon as I can. Thank you for your understanding."

Feel free to edit this. I'm just making a suggestion. It is something I've been thinking of doing, but never really asked my colleagues about what they think.

What do you guys/gals think?
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Not sure the answer mach is the way to go in this age, even back in the 90's pepole did not want to talk to a mach. They would just hang up, and move down the page. Now with the my god I need it done now rate pepole move at I'd say find the cheapest way you can to get someone to answer the phone for you. This leads to the services it is a cheap rate per month if you'd compare it like so. This service answers 24 hours aday. How much would it cost you to pay the mim wage 24 hours aday 365 days a year? Plus this is tax write off at the end of the year, the whole bundle cuase it is out of house.
 
I forward my office # to my cell phone, if they don't leave a message, I call them back from the caller ID. Not once have I had a person upset with me for doing that.
 
Jamin', It's too long IMHO. Keep it short and to the point. Schedule time throughout your day to check messages and return calls. Assess each to prioritize whether the call back is simply to ascertain a time you can get back to them to discuss their needs at length or a need to discuss now. If you've allowed for this in your day then you will be mindful of it when you schedule jobs.

This is the tough part of a small business' growth, balancing the task of generating work and doing it without adversely affecting one or the other.
 
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What about all those telemarketing calls. It would cost you per call taken or up to so many. My phone rings off the hook all day with these. At least here we can just look at the id and see either unknown name, or an out of area call. I don't even bother to answer them. I'm even on the do not call list. It's always banks trying to lend me money or to give out credit cards. Not sure if they would be able to reconize this at an answering service. Correct me if I'm wrong though.

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Lucky for me, I have only 5-10 of those a month, so it's a very small cost. As banks are going to be more hungry for business nowadays, this could change! Still, the simplicity of having my calls taken, all with name/address/phone number texted to my cell phone outweigh the little expense in lost calls to telemarketers. I have been doing the answer service for 3 years now, and it has really improved my business. Also, when the text comes into my iPhone, I can just tap the number, not dial it, and the call goes out. This is very handy when I am leaving the job in the truck... I can be efficient at making calls in the truck on the way home... lots of reduced paper work since they already took the info for me.
 
I really feel like the answering machine causes people to pass you by. I can't even tell you how many people say that we got the job because there was a pleasant voice answering the phone, and the call was returned in a timely fashion. My secretary works 9-3, and the answering machine says so. Some people call after 3:00 and hang up, but call back at 9:00 to talk to a live person.

So, in the days before the secretary, my message was always something along the lines of "You have reached the office of xxxxx tree service. Sorry, you have caught us on the other line, or stepped out of the office for a minute, please leave a message and we'll get right back to you." then check the messages A LOT during the day and call back quickly.

just my 2 cents.
 
Playing the customer role last week. Had the opportunity to call for bids from some local arbos. All calls were answered live, since I dialed the main office numbers.

In fifteen minutes I had appointments for bids from all three-- including when I had to call back to refine the scheduling.

Two were handled by front office personnel, the other was the owner/operator.

If I had the opportunity to use a message, it wouldn't include "sorry". No need for sorrow, possibly "Excuse me", and energy to make them want to do business therefore leave a message!

If presented with a very long preamble, and if a customer is call you and others in a list, it can be wearying by the shopper. Living in today's culture, you know if you don't get live, you're gonna get the chance to talk anyways-- why make 'em wait?
 
The BEST thing I have ever done for my business is hire an office person!!! She answers the phone from 8:30 to 5:00 every day. She schedules my estimates on the spot, I get home to very few if any return calls to make!! If you pay for advertising, and you are trying like heck to get the phone to ring you might as well have someone answer.WE are known as the people who Actually have a person with whom to speak..
 
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If you pay for advertising, and you are trying like heck to get the phone to ring you might as well have someone answer.WE are known as the people who Actually have a person with whom to speak..

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I like Paul's take on this. I'm going to have to think of a way to get someone to answer the phone for me...

Got it! My wife could do it! Shhhh... Don't tell her I said that.
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She's home schooling 3 boys and got a 5 month old. I think making her answer the phone would drive her crazy
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Maybe I could hire a high school kid, in the summer, to buck & split firewood and... answer the phone.
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Yo jamin! I started out having my sister-in-law coming in after school from about 2:30-5:00 and in that time she would make all of my call backs and schedule estimates. It sort of evolved after that . Start slow with what you can afford and take it from there> It eventually got to her learning Quick books and entering and paying bills etc. Great deal and really freed me up!!
 
That would be great. I hate the idea of returning a ton of phone calls when I have busted my butt off working.

Let alone, I hate not hanging out with the family when I'm making phone calls and scheduling bids.

I think it's time I do something about that.
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Jamin,trust me when I tell you you will not regret it!! It will have the unforseen benefit of making you more effective in your other rolls father,husband, and even as a sales rep for your biz because you will be fresher!!
 
beating a dead horse here, but tai and I have a lot in common. My sister-in-law is my secretary, she works while the kids are in school, from 9-3. When she started out, I paid her 8 bucks an hour for answering the phones and keeping up with the estimates. Now she has grown to all of my data entry, bill paying, account reconciliation, etc. (plus watching my kids when they have to stay home from school, etc.) Anyway, in the beginning, she was working 25-30 hours a week, so it was costing me less than 250 bucks a week to have my life back, and make our company so much more professional. So worth it!
 
Since I work mostly by myself, and I can't hear my phone ring while I'm working, I return all my calls after each job. There are times it drives me nuts, I'll spend more time on the phone saying the same thing for 10 minutes to 5 people each. sometimes I'll sit threre in a driveway longer than it took to do the stump. I HATE THE PHONE! But without I would have nothing. I ask in my message for a name, address, and ph#, and no. of stumps. Saves me a ton of time if I get all my info. I can write it down and hit the road, and they can yap yap yap as long as they want. It works about 50% of the time. Most the time its everything but the house number, or a cell number, and then it 20 questions and a lonely old person who just wants someone to talk to.
 
98% of the time I do, But if its 95 degrees out and I'm sweatin my a$$ off and it seems like the customer is cool, no I don't. I'm working on trying to be more professional in my presentation. I think it will be easier this year with the Vermeer. The rayco would just blow every last bit of heat right on the operator, the vermeer is nowhere near as bad. Hey, at least I don't have tatoos all over and I dont smoke. :) People don't expect too much out of a guy who drives around poping stumps out of the ground, but I'd like to change that...
 
Get some golf shirts with company logos screened on them for estimates and some T's for stumping. It's a little thing but goes a long way with clients. Once the screen is done then you can get a jacket or such stuff when you're out and about. Very cheap advertising.
 
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