I have conversations with business owners and their staff and I’ll ask what the #1 priority is. Almost universally it’s the same answer: “More Customers.”
Myth: “More Customers and More Calls ” Equals More Profit.
Fact: “More Customers and More Calls ” Equals More Headaches.
Read that again.
If you were to have more “Ideal” customers than you can imagine starting tomorrow, what would be the first thing to break? Think about this question carefully…
NOTE: Through the effective use of paid advertising, a “flip of the switch” can make this happen in mere hours from now.
What Usually Breaks? In 99% of most cases, I’ve experienced it being a LARGE gaping hole at your point of entry that most of these potential ideal prospects will “fall” into never to be seen again BEFORE you (the business owner) have ever had the chance to even meet them or know they even existed.
How can I prove this to you? Simple. First, lets examine your phone.
1) Is it answered when it rings within 2 rings? Not answered by an automated device, but by an actual human? If yes, read #2 – If no, fix # 1 first.
2) Does the person answering the phone know that their only job at that exact point in time is to get that person on the other end in the door for YOU to determine if you can help them or not?
I’ve had this similar discussion multiple times with multiple business owners over the years. Here is the typical scenario.
A) “Wes, can you make my phone ring?” Yes I can (and do). The Measurement: I can and do track/record calls when appropriate.
B) Calls come in and NO-ONE Answers the Phone DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS.
C) I will then ask why no one is answering the phones? I’m told (I AM NOT KIDDING HERE) “It’s ringing to much, we don’t have the staff to handle the calls and I do not what to hire more people, can we automate this?”
NO! We cannot automate this. This is a potential customer TRYING to do business with YOU!
This exact conversation happened 2 times just last week.
The Fix:
1) Ensure all calls are being answered by a LIVE person
2) Ensure your front desk answering the phones understands that the only objective is to set the appointment. No diagnosis, no determinations, no pricing, No Other information – NOTHING – Their only concern is to Get the caller in the door – period.
When the priority is set properly, the inquiry procedure and system is in place, there is never a such thing as “the phone rings to much.”
More often than not, I find that most clients that I start consulting with already have people falling into that gaping hole at their point of entry and they do not even see “the hole” because they are so used to working around it. Fix the thing that will break first and I’ll bet you’ll find the “inquiry calls” will magically increase.
Questions about this? Call me!
Wesley J. Harrison
816-482-3755
