How to Answer the Phone When You’re Not There
Posted on November 5, 2009
Filed Under Business Basics
Sheila asks:
“I have a gift basket business and work elsewhere until I make enough money to work on gift baskets full time. Since I can’t answer the phone during the day, what are my options to get orders from people who call me when I’m not there?”
This is a long-standing dilemma, not just for designers but for anyone who’s building a business while employed full time. Thankfully, there is one solution that working designers consider as ideal.
That solution is to transfer the line during the time you are not available to a trusted person who will answer the phone in a professional manner.
The word “trusted” means that you have interviewed this assistant, provided him or her with scripts based on various scenarios, and have completed “telephone role play” to test their skills.
This person may be a neighbor, relative, stay-at-home mom, senior citizen, or someone who’s currently unemployed.
Sending calls to your voice mail is still an option, but it’s one that bothers many designers due to frequent hang-ups. In my experience, if a person did not leave a message, it was either a telemarketer, a competitor, or someone who didn’t qualify to be my client.
The article, Hiring a Virtual Assistant, provides great tips for finding a qualified helper.
You will find an assistant to monitor your telephone, and when you do, it will slowly and steadily increase your sales so that you can operate your gift basket business full time.
