The telephone is a fantastic device for communication, and with the advancement to other areas like faxes and cell phones, this technology has surely become an indispensible tool for conducting business. My greatest irritation with this device is the people who can't seem to use it to completely cover a topic or conversation with just one call.
Do any of you also get the odd customer who just can't seem to get it all said with a single call? A call that covers all bases seems to be an impossibility for these folks. Just after you've hung up, thinking that the communication had ended, and you've sat down to resume what you were doing, the phone rings AGAIN. Same person, with just an additional thought that just occurred to them. You jot down whatever additional point they made, get your brush ready to letter, and the phone rings, yet AGAIN!!! Same fool, with another additional tidbit of information on the subject. Am I the only one who these people call, or have any of you had similar experiences? Have you ever had days when 3 or 4 people with this condition decide to phone you ?
How do you handle them?
Posted by Jon Aston (Member # 1725) on :
Hi Ken.
If you can identify any sort of pattern or can categorize the types of supplementary information that result in these additional phone calls, this might give an indication of what additional qualifying questions you might be able to make a point of asking during the initial conversation.
Posted by Jillbeans (Member # 1912) on :
Hey Ken... Get CallerID & voice mail, dude. After your initial phone call, once you recognize the yay-hoo's # on the second call-back, let them leave you a fricking message. I have a guy from Mars...no joke...who will call me 6 times in one day over a damn $25 coroplast sign. "Could you add...etc." (He does order big stuff too, that is why I put up with him) People like that, I feel, just like to hear themselves yakk. Once they get you on the phone, it makes them feel all-powerful or something. They think you are a "starving artist" and that they are your only customer. I repeat, get Caller ID...helps weed out those damn telemarketers too. Well worth the $3 to $10/month it will add to yer Ma Bell bill. Love- JILL Posted by Kissymatina (Member # 2028) on :
I don't have to handle them, I don't get them.
During the initial call, I make sure we communicate everything that is on the customer's mind. I ask questions to make sure we are on the exact same page and allow them to convey any other thoughts that pop up while we're talking instead of partially listening and thinking I know what they're saying. Maybe after hanging up, your customers feel that you weren't totally understanding them.
Posted by jimmy chatham (Member # 525) on :
i tell everyone to e-mail or fax their info to me. saves time and trouble later.
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
I don't get a whole lot of calls like that, I get a couple occassionally and the answer is simple:
At the end of the first conversation, repeat everything they said to you, back to them. Then ask "Is that all correct?" After they confirm, ask "Is there anything else you wanted to add while we're on the phone?" You could then say "I have a busy day and won't be near the phone to answer any more calls."
This shows your customer you were listening to them, and gives them the hint you're busy and can't spend all day on the phone. It also gives them an opportunity to bring up any impulsive requests right then.
Funny thing about impulses - they're not all that impulsive, but rather a subconscious thought that just hasn't been made aware to the customer yet. When you ask them "Is there anything else?" it triggers their subconscious which formulates that question/idea instantly.
If you've ever gone to a fast food drive through window you've seen it in action:
The order repeat - not just a confirmation that everything is accounted for, it subconsciously instills your confidence that your order will be correct - why else would we be so upset when we find out they ultimately screwed it up, it's just a friggin burger!
The "upsell" or "information pump" - You want fries with that? Would you like something to drink? Do you want to make that Super sized? These questions are not for you, they're for your subconscious - if you subconsciously want any of these, you will say "Yes".. same goes for sign customers - deep down inside they want something else but they just dont know it yet - talk to their subconscious and weasel it out of them.
The "move along" command: "Please pull around to the drive-thru window" - Well, DUH! We all already KNOW that's the next logical step, so why do they say it? They're talking to your subconscious again, and the message is "Your order is complete, no chance of making any changes now, we're busy so it's time for you to move along now."
Posted by Roy Frisby (Member # 736) on :
I didn't know any of you knew my wife! Posted by Ian Stewart-Koster (Member # 3500) on :
Good reply by Mike- very good. Worth rereading & printing out. For the customer who keeps ringing- tell them to email it instead. You could add the comment about the hour/dollar meter ticking over while you're on the phone to them, taking from the time you can spend on their sign...
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