You’re wrong to think that no one really calls through the phone anymore. There are still many people who make regular calls through telephones, particularly for business establishments. Some call to make a deal, others have a query, while some would like to make an appointment.
If you’re in the business industry, the basic rule for you to follow is this: always pick up the phone the moment it rings.
Here’s why:
1. You Don’t Miss Out on Deals, Clients, or Offers
When a person makes a business call, they usually do so for a valid purpose. It isn’t just to disturb your office operations and whatnot. In most cases, these callers are there to inquire about your services. Hence, the caller at the end of the line could’ve possibly been a paying client.
If you don’t pick up the phone, then you lose this potential client. Remember that for your business to grow, you need a steady following of clients.
Apart from that, picking up the phone also ensures that you don’t miss out on the latest deals and offers of suppliers. When you have the best deals and discounts, this can help you provide new products and services as well to your clients. Before sales representatives even get to meet you personally, they’ll often schedule for an appointment first, and try to pre-introduce their products to you over the phone.
If you don’t have enough members on your workforce to ensure that the phones are picked up all the time, then you might want to subscribe to an answering call service.
2. You Make A Good First Impression
Making a phone call can often be likened to visiting a physical store. In fact, in most cases, before you can even make an excellent physical impression on clients, you may already have this opportunity over the phone.
Often these clients call first to inquire if you’re available on this time and date, or if you have these particular products. Nowadays, customers don’t like wasting their time, and they want to know that the business they’re going to approach has what they’re looking for.
If you don’t pick up the phone when they call, you’re losing the chance to make an excellent first impression. These potential customers want to feel like you value them enough, for you to never miss any opportunity of a potential customer calling for an inquiry.
3. You Can Cater To The Needs Of Your Existing Clients
Apart from addressing the needs of your newer clients, there are also things that you can gain from catering to the needs of your existing clients. Your customers want to know that you value them. Should they have any concern about the products or services that they have purchased from you, they want it to be addressed and solved when they call.
For instance, you’re in the food and restaurant business. At the end of the line is a caller that’s craving for your pizza. But, she doesn’t have the opportunity to leave her home, because both her kids are now asleep, and she hasn’t called for a sitter. Because she likes to have your pizza, she will call for delivery instead. When you don’t pick up, that leaves a negative impression on a loyal customer’s mind.
Answering phone calls can often be equated with customer service. And, in the business industry, you know how vital customer service is.
4. You Will Be Able To Maintain A Professional Front
Businesses need to show the general public that they’re professional. Remember, for you to thrive, you need your customers to stay by your side. Without existing and new clients, you’ll only drown in the sea of competition.
One of the most valuable ways that clients can judge whether or not you’re professional is in the simple act of politely picking up the business phone. Why bother having a phone when you don’t pick it up in the first place, right? It can cause disdain and irritation, too. Plus, it can be considered as very unprofessional.
The only time for you not to pick up the phone is obviously when it’s ringing beyond office hours. There, you have a perfect excuse not to. But, if the phone rings within office hours, be professional and pick it up.
Conclusion
These above-enumerated reasons are only a few of those that highlight the importance of picking up the phone when it rings. In most cases, the caller on the end of the line is calling for an important reason, and you might be missing out on something big simply because you failed to pick up the phone. The telephone plays a vital role in your daily operations since it’s capable of connecting you to your new, returning, and soon to be loyal clients.
