Returning Phone Calls – An Excellent Income Source

By Paco Blanco

All I wanted was a 2006 E500 Mercedes-Benz in a Capri blue metallic color.

I researched it on the web and knew that was the one for me. If the salesman had one on the lot, I would drop by and purchase it on the spot–with cash. I detest bickering salesman and the “hostage” negotiation process. I would much rather pay the $51,825 sticker price and be done with it. Anyway, my good friend gave me the phone number of “Bill” at the local Mercedes dealer and said I couldn’t go wrong. I called Bill (on my new cingular cell phone I bought for my home business), got a voice message, left a voice mail and waited…and waited…and waited… and gave up. Three days later I called another Mercedes dealer. They had the E500 in Capri blue metallic. My friend drove me down, I paid my money, and I drove away with the car. Bill was out his $3,000 commission because he didn’t return my phone call.

How many times have you personally been in limbo because of someone not returning a phone call? With today’s methods of communication (att wireless phone, PDAs, VOIP, pagers) there is no excuse for this discourtesy…a discourtesy that can cost your work at home business big bucks and (at least for Bill) three thousand dollars

Returning phone calls is the most important customer service your home business can provide. The person who made the call to your business made the effort to find your phone number, dial it on their cell phone, and stayed on long enough to leave a voice message. They must want to talk business. Return the phone call! So what if it is a problem? Solidify their loyalty by handling the problem professionally and quickly. And if it is not a problem, it very well could be a $50,000 order that earns your home company fifty percent profit!

Sometimes you can’t attend to the customer at the moment. Fine. Call back anyway and tell them. Or maybe they in turn are not available; leave your own voice message. At least they know you received their call and returned it. Then follow up until you talk to them. I would have waited a week if Bill would have called back, said he was on vacation for a few days, and would call as soon as he returned to his office. I would have known he was responsive, interested in my business, and looking after my needs

So, bottom line…return each and every phone call you receive; follow it up to a logical conclusion; and benefit from an excellent income source that many companies seem to not recognize. As a customer with money, I really appreciate it.