[garyj]

It's not just this trade either. I've been trying to get hold of a glazier in Tottenham and not one has answered their phone.

[wynne jones]

I agree with Doug and I bet a lot of people do this too.

[robert meldrum]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh so it's about professionalism

You don't often write daft posts Doug but that is extremely daft to suggest it's more professional NOT to answer the just because you're working.

My clients expect me to be working when they call and never offended when I tell them I'll call them back within the hour or in a few minutes.

It's most definitely GOOD TO TALK.

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

Robert it is most professional to answer every call as if you business depends on it but in the world of carpet cleaning, there are many times when I have to concentrate on the job in hand and cannot do that if I am answering lots of calls.

Sometimes I am just cc'd out and dont want to talk to anyone about carpets!

Cheers

Doug

[benny d]

My call center in India takes all my calls then advises me when I get home.
Unfortunatly most of the jobs are either in Mumbai, or Dehli 

[Simon Gerrard]

quote. Simon i thing Dougs in a position to filter as he says and choose which one he responds to which is quite an enviable position to be in being able to cherry pick who you work for.I would like to be there one day myself.Regards Alan(swindon)
[/quote]
That's fair enough, but isn't it deeply disrespectful to people to have them leave a message and then because your filtering process eliminates them from your interest you simply don't return the call?  I wouldn't expect someone of Doug's calibre to be so unprofessional to people who have done nothing but register an interest in employing him. If he's that busy why not have a message saying you're not taking on new clients at the moment. At least then people won't be expecting you to call back and getting offended when you don't.

Simon

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

Simon, think about it.

If I put a message saying I wasn't taking any more work then it would not be a very effective filter as no one would leave a message.

Why anyone should be shocked that I filter calls, don't all businesses, credit checks etc

When I was less established I took almost anything , now I don't need to.

Cheers

Doug

[Matt Lindus]

We had a disaster in the pool plant room last week. Chem feed, wave generator, uv, pumps and heat all out, caused by a hairline crack in an exchanger that leaked into the electrics and burned out the lot. Called five engineers last week to get this sorted asap as the kids are at home and have mates round all the time.
Only 1 got back in touch 3 days later and told us it would be 2 weeks before he could get to us.
Some people don’t need the work!!

[Colin Day]

Simon...

With your gigantic 10 Million HP TM and all your work you're so busy doing because you own the biggest TM this side of Nagasaki Swing-Bridge, I'm surprised you don't have an answering service that tells all potential custy dudes to just F-Off....

[clinton]

Same here with a decorator and took one a week to get round to us.

[PaulKing]

Hey Colin mines the biggest TM this side of theNagasaki Swing-Bridge and north of the Tyne Tunnel and don't forget it!

2.5 70 bhp V4 engine running a,
Storbuilt 5LP Blower 900 cfm
Thermo maxx 150C heat generator
uprated 4000 psi pump
160 gal recovery tank

If I turn it up it splits solution hoses and at full revs and it sticks a tile spinner to the floor with a 100 foot of vac on it so just shows there is no point in too much power.

Oh and I never answered my mobile phone in a customers house,  I wouldn't answer my phone in a friend or families house without going outside, to my mind, its just curtosey the customer is paying you good money to do the job so , being distracted by a phone is a no-no for me.

[Simon Gerrard]

Colin,
Simon...

With your gigantic 10 Million HP TM and all your work you're so busy doing because you own the biggest TM this side of Nagasaki Swing-Bridge, I'm surprised you don't have an answering service that tells all potential custy dudes to just F-Off....   
Erm, it's the biggest both sides of the Thelwall viduct and don't you forget it.  Paul's aint bad either but it aint as pretty as mine

[Hilton]

quote. Simon i thing Dougs in a position to filter as he says and choose which one he responds to which is quite an enviable position to be in being able to cherry pick who you work for.I would like to be there one day myself.Regards Alan(swindon)

That's fair enough, but isn't it deeply disrespectful to people to have them leave a message and then because your filtering process eliminates them from your interest you simply don't return the call? 

Simon
[/quote]

In a word............... yes !

[Scotyhot]

Poor customer services speak enough for a certain company... In such a case it means the others from their staff would be as much professional as the people in the call centre

[PaulKing]

your right Simon, its not going to win any beauty contests.

[Simon Gerrard]

Bit like it's owner  ( only joking)

[Simon Gerrard]

Douglas,
I can't understand how you can filter people without first speaking to them to find out what they want. In my experience people are very short, sweet and to the point with their answering machine messages, so if you don't call them back how do you find out what they want and what the job entails. Presumably you filter out jobs that are too small or too far.
To be perfectly honest, I think you're doing a spot of trumpet blowing, whilst throwing your professional credibility to the four winds. It's just plain rude to ask people to leave a message and then because you don't like the tone of their voice, or whatever other filtration criteria you can glean from a short message, not get back to them.

Simon.

[wynne jones]

Different people have different ideas about right and wrong. For instance if I was a customer talking to a tradesmen and his phone rang and he just started talking to them I'd say that's disrespectful, someone else would wonder what all the fuss was about.

Run your business the way you want to, your customers will ultimately decide whether you are right or wrong, not another carpet cleaner.

[Doug Holloway]

Simon

I really don't need a lecture on manners from someone who posts under a false name.

As for how do I filter, on many aspects, too many to go into here but obvious to most. The vast majority will receive a return call to determine their requirements and my ability and desire to fufil them.

Sometimes as happened over the weekend when I switched the phone off Friday afternoon and back on Monday, there were 8 enquiries over the weekend, some of who did not receive a call back because of sheer volume of work.

Cheers

Doug

[Simon Gerrard]

I really don't need a lecture on manners from someone who posts under a false name.

Doug,
Not that old chestnut again that goes back donkeys years which you seem to bring out of the cupboard at every available opportunity. And you missed out the word, 'Allegedly!' I don't see how you can harp on about something which you as a moderator turn a blind eye to day upon day upon day, as this forum is riddled with false and double identities and like me you must know their real identities, but strangely you never seem to mention it. Tut - Tut, Douglas, double standards, hypocrisy, perhaps, old chap.