Forum Moderators: buckworks
I currently am paying $5.00/month + 9 cents per minute for the toll free number. That is month-to-month, a 12-month contract is only 6 cents per minute. Anyways, the toll free number is routed to a wireless phone, which costs me $15 - 25 / month depending on how many minutes I use. The reason for wireless is that I haven't gone live yet, I'm the only employee (CEO), and I'm in college, so I can't exactly sit at a desk 9-5 M-F.
1) What type of call volume do you get in a ratio to your avg. orders/day? My niche sells products that all calls will mostly be about website/service/shipping/order questions - not questions about the product.
2) I'll answer my business phone as best I can, but in the chance that I am not there to receive the call - would a customer be put off by being sent to voicemail after 8 rings or so? Also would you suggest answering the phone if I am 'out of the office' (in my car, at school, etc.)? Or would this seem unprofessional and just let it go to voicemail?
3) Any other pointers for phone/customer service?
phone customer service is of course very important but if you are just starting your website I don't think you will get many phone calls at the beginning.
Our store went online 2 month ago and so far we had only 2 phone calls and 8 orders (all done online). Believe me, it you are new you won't get hundreds of orders and phone calls in the first week.
You have to build pretty big traffic / order volume to be busy with phone customer service. And it takes time and patience.
In our case we keep our day jobs and also don’t have anyone just dedicated to phone –customer service. All phone calls are forwarded to cell phone or voice mail.
If we get really busy I will consider outsourcing but it is way to early right now.
Hope it helps and good luck!
In my experience (selling $10-$25 widgets), there is something like 90/10 ratio: 90% of customers don't need phone service, and the rest 10% won't buy if they don't talk to you personally.
What's bad, these 10% will call you more than once, first hesitating if they can order, then hesitating where their orders are, and taking away your time and money.
What's worse, many calls are originated by telemarketers, and many calls are total irrelevant to your business (i.e. you sell blue widgets and people call asking if they can buy pink, green-stars painted Boings)...
So we abandoned phone service so far.
My niche sells products that all calls will mostly be about website/service/shipping/order questions - not questions about the product
How about when your customer clicks on 'call us' they are taken to a page which says 'We value your custom and time etc...please see below the answers to the most common questions we are asked' and a form for them to submit their question if its not listed, then at the bottom of the page a link to your phone number.
I've come across several sites, big and small doing this, if it reduces the number of calls by only a few percent, its worth a try.
If you want to try a negative, how about 'We are very busy, current call waiting time is approx 15 minutes, why not email your question instead?'
I saw a very big site using this, no one wants to wait on the phone, so it might work. It also gives you a reason to switch them over to voice mail... 'we are very busy right now, leave a message and we'll get back to you...'
Steve
Eight rings seems like a long time to wait. I'd go for some shorter like five rings before going to voice mail.
FYI, some 800 services offer caller ID where your company name appears. This way, if you run multiple businesses, you can still forward them into one phone and answer the call appropriately.
