| In today's world it seems as if everybody is on the | | | | The bad news was that it did not happen but at least |
| phone, mostly cell, almost all day long. I would suspect | | | | we had a better car rental company reputation. |
| that most of these calls are social and in some rare | | | | Whether I owned the business or worked in the |
| instances business calls but I can assure you that very | | | | corporate world returning phone calls was good |
| few of them are vendors or suppliers returning your | | | | business. It was an excellent way of retaining business |
| call. This article does not deal with social calls nor sales | | | | that you worked hard to obtain. In retrospect this |
| calls soliciting business. I will discuss the unpleasant task | | | | practice improved my standard of living. |
| of returning a customer's phone call that you suspect | | | | Since I return phone calls I can only guess why others |
| might be a serious problem. | | | | don't do the same. I imagine it is because aggravation |
| First a few examples and please keep in mind that if | | | | is implied. Perhaps even the fear of loosing the |
| you called me you would either speak to me or I | | | | account. I would estimate that about 50% of the time |
| would return your call if I was unavailable. Returning | | | | there is a problem. And the other half of the time is |
| from lunch one day I had a call from a very significant | | | | additional business opportunities. Responding promptly |
| Canadian charter operator. After exchanging amenities | | | | to the problems only encourages the continued |
| I ask how can I help her. Her question, "We had a few | | | | support of the customer. On a very rare occasion the |
| problems this past Christmas and I am wondering if | | | | phone was used by my customer to terminate the |
| we are going to have any more problems this winter?" | | | | business. It never dawned on me when I was returning |
| With their tremendous volume of business the answer | | | | a call that there was the possibility that I would loose |
| was obvious, "Of course we'll have problems. Look | | | | the business. And the rare time I lost the business at |
| Joanne, no one calls me to give me business so when | | | | least I was on the phone and had an opportunity of |
| I have a message it usually means that there is either | | | | attempting to save the business. |
| a question or a problem. I did return your call and I will | | | | When I was in the office I always answered and |
| do the same in the future to resolve any problem." The | | | | never fielded my calls. If I was available I took the call. If |
| customer needs to know and you have proved it, that | | | | I was on the phone or not available a message was |
| you will be there to service their business. | | | | taken. I returned the call immediately upon receipt of |
| On another occasion I am told that Uri called and he | | | | the message. People who were not familiar with my |
| was very angry. Uri was a secular Israeli working in | | | | habit were surprised by the promptness of the |
| the tour department for a now defunct airline. He | | | | returned call. I know because they told me so. |
| answered my call with his last name and in a deep | | | | When I was out of town on business, usually for a |
| monotone I said, "This is the Messiah." With | | | | week at a time, I would check my office for |
| spontaneous humor Uri remained calm and I pleasantly | | | | messages daily. It was a slow day if I only had two |
| resolved his concern. | | | | messages and the count averaged about five |
| As a testament for the importance of returning calls I'll | | | | messages. I always made it a habit to return the call |
| mention a visit to a major mid-western tour operator. | | | | that I thought was the biggest problem first. After this |
| He had four programs and Alamo served only one of | | | | call was concluded the rest of the calls were down hill. |
| these. It was an Orlando package with airfare, hotel | | | | In summary this is not a sales primer. It is intended to |
| and our car rental. After the preliminary "how's | | | | stress the importance of returning phone calls. You will |
| business" he said, "All of you car rental companies are | | | | be miles ahead of your competition and this is certainly |
| garbage [descriptive substitute word] but you are the | | | | a consideration when a prospective customer |
| only one that returns phone calls." That was good | | | | compares you with your competition. While at Alamo, |
| news and an opportunity for me to say, "Then you | | | | an up and comer asked me the secret of my |
| can include Alamo in your other three programs, put | | | | success. I told him. "There is no secret. Just do two |
| me first on your speed dial and call me every day." | | | | things. See enough people and return phone calls. |