Voice Maill is not new, and with the advent of increasing email and website usage, phone traffic is on the decline. The telephone still remains, however, a viable means for our customers to connect with us, and , now, when customers call, they have something important to state, or an important question to ask.

If you, or a reliable person in your office, is not available to respond, the customer may become frustrated, or worse yet, angry and disappointed. I have found in the three offices which I operate as a Massachusetts title attorney that putting the customer through an endless series of prompts and instructions will,  in the long run, lose business for me and my firm.

Think of it this way. You are the professional. You know your business better than the customer. The customer is often looking for reassurance or the answer to a simple question. When the customer hears your voice, the customer almost always calms down. The customer has asked for servioe, and you are providing service.

What if the customer is calling to ask you a question that you don't know the answer to, although you have been researching the matter?  What if the customer is asking to see his or her HUD-1 Settlement Statement although you have not received "final numbers" from the Lender? My experience has told me that there is no harm in telling the customer that you do not have the answer or the HUD-1, but you are "working on it". Isn't that better than having the customer call 4 or 5 times and then decide that you reallty don't care enough to even speak with him or her?

I try to stress upon every person in my firm the necessity of actually speaking with the customer, not putting the customer off. There is nothing any of us does that is so unique that another person cannot replace us. Letting the customer know how important we think he or she is, by trying as hard as we can to speak with them when they call, can make the difference between our success, or failure, as real estate professionals.

 

 
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6 Comments on The Hazards of Voice Mail--Don't let the "Easy Way Out" Turn off Current or Potential Customers

NOV
11
2009

Great points.  People call to talk to people not phone trees.  The worst is when it says to press 1 for ________, 2 for ________ and so on.  Yet when it gets to the end you still don't know which number to press because the department you called on wasn't listed.
4:15pm • #1
231,397 Points 39 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp

Hey Brian--I am starting to see "put it into voicemail" as saying, "I don't want to deal wirth this person" That just doesn't work in pur business.

People call to speak to a person, not a recording.

 

 

Elliott Topkins

www.topkinsandbevans.com
4:17pm • #2
NOV
12
2009
1,021,027 Points 65 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Excellent points * As a sole-broker office, I have had my office phone line forwarded to my cel phone for the last 3 years * I continually upgrade my phone and service AND respond to voicemail messages from prospective residents and clients during the weekend and early evening!
8:08am • #3
104,851 Points Attended Rain Camp

Thanks for your comments!   You certainly just pushed "my button" on this topic.   One of the most annoying parts of representing a buyer starts with the lack of response from the listing agent in setting up an appointment.  An agent often have a 24 hour notice - but they fail to mention it may take 48 hours to receive a response to schedule the appointment!  So....this results often in not showing that property.  Wonder if the Seller really understands what is happening and how many missed appointments to show the property due to the agent not answering their phone.  Try explaining to your client, in a professional manner, that the other agent just is not doing their job!

The saga continues... now we finally get a property, recommend an attorney, and then what happens, we made a big mistake and suggested a law firm that does not believe in answering their phone. Yes, many times they have a receptionist, but oh, perhaps she is out for the day or stepped away from the desk, then what?   If the attorney partners do not typically answer, how can they expect their associartes and para-legal staff to be responsive? 

 This becomes a vicious cycle, those of us who are on the road and yes, we rely on an easy to use cell phone, ever tried to punch in the correct spelling of a name on your blackberry - or the time involved in attempting to do this.  Then you have to stop and think, ok, should I start with "Bob" or "Robert" and then I wonder "just how he does spell his last name?" Or perhaps, how many Susans are there in  your office, and do you remember the last name and correct spelling.

By the time I punch enough numbers to get to a desk (at this point I have no idea if it is the correct person) ...and then GET VOICE MAIL, my message is usually not very pleasant.  I am not the client, imagine how they must feel, now not only are they upset with the attorney, but with me, the person who recommended the law firm.

Agents - it is time we beome more in tune with the client's need and customer service, answer your phone!  But also, stop recommending law firms that do not answer phones and respond to the client.

Attorneys, you are also in the "customer service" busines, why not respond that way?
5:55pm • #4
NOV
13
2009
231,397 Points 39 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp

Lynda--The points you make are excellent. Voicemail is even harder to access in the days of Blackberry where number and letters require different points of contact.

People want to speak with people when they make a phone call. Look at how disastrous it has been for credit card companies to have people in India or the Philippines answer consumer complainst.

Elliott S. Topkins

www.topkinsandbevans.com
3:27pm • #5
231,397 Points 39 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp

Lynda--The points you make are excellent. Voicemail is even harder to access in the days of Blackberry where number and letters require different points of contact.

People want to speak with people when they make a phone call. Look at how disastrous it has been for credit card companies to have people in India or the Philippines answer consumer complainst.

Elliott S. Topkins

www.topkinsandbevans.com
3:27pm • #6


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Elliott S. Topkins Massachusetts Real Estate and Title Atty

Boston, MA

More about me…

Topkins & Bevans-etopkins@topbev.com

Address: 10 Newbury Street, 4th Floor, Boston, MA , 02116

Office Phone: (617) 236-0104

Cell Phone: (617) 596-3184

Email Me

Realtor's Resource Blog is dedicated to furnishing current strategy and information to the Massachusetts real estate community of professionals and to out of state realtors and REO and relocation companies who need excellent representation in Massachusetts. My law firm, Topkins & Bevans, can cover the entire state of Massachusetts. I hope to use my 40 years of hands-on real estate experience to assist you and your Massachusetts Buyers and Sellers.


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