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Thread: Mobile phones do we leave them switched on after hours??

  1. #1
    GregG
    Guest

    Default Mobile phones do we leave them switched on after hours??

    I was wondering do you leave as youre advertised number is it a mobile , a land line or a 1800 number on 7 days a week.??
    As I am just starting out should I have as a contact number my own personal mobile or my house number or a seperate number ( mobile or other) just for business.??
    I believe that some contractors turn their contact number off (usually a mobile off after hours especially on weekends).Are you always available for youre customers??
    I imagine that as I am concentrating on acreages I will not have the same total number of customers as contractors who handle small lawns only.

  2. #2
    mojo111
    Guest

    Default

    Hi Greg Mobile 24/7 plus land line. Most people only ring my mobile during the day and land line after hours anyway. I claim my mobile 100% for tax and about 50% of the land line allso. Got to be available all the time for Quotes, ya never know ya just might miss out on the big one if the phone is off or the answermachine is full. Call waiting is good I use that more than anything else. If ya are just starting out the phone is your lifesblood it can make you or break you. ie kids on the bloody net and not on call divert. Have had people ring me later and say. I've been trying to get hold of you but it just rings out. Some folk hate mobiles ya got to have both IMO. cheers.

  3. #3
    APS_QLD
    Guest

    Default

    Mine is on all the time, if i'm out somewhere dinner, movie, etc i turn it off. I don't have the hassle of people ringing all the time so it not a major issue for me. Then again i have not advertised sinse December so only my regular clients which are no hassles.

    When i finally get the trailer finished and signage on ute and trailer may then become an issue so would look at it again.

    As for numbers i used my mobile, home and 1800 number when i advertised.

    My two cents worth

    Brian

  4. #4
    pbm
    Guest

    Default

    I am also contactable 24/7. I pretty much leave my mobile on 24 hours a day. If someone is phoning for a quote and they can't get you they just move on to the next guy.

  5. #5
    Rod
    Guest

    Default

    My primary source of contact is my mobile and that never gets turned off (except the Cinema.)

    I also use a pager if and where I miss a call it diverts to a real person who will take a message and page me. This pager also has an email address that some customers have used to email me in the middle of the days as opposed to mobile call rates. The pager cost me $120.00 quarter ($1 a day.) The pager is a beauty as when mobile net gets congested it grabs the calls even when my phone cant ring (network busy.)

    And thats another point for discussion. When you phone is turned on and a message comes through (phone never rang?) either message bank or the pager. Telstra is annoying when they put your service on standby usually around 8-9 a.m. or 4-6 p.m. when in peak times.

    The pager is also a back up as one day I dropped my phone into a pool (from top pocket.) The pager captured calls for about 2 hours whilst the phone dried out on the dash board (still works.)

    I use to utilize telstra message bank but found that only around 50% of people will leave a message. With a real person that is now close to 90%.

  6. #6
    Tonyr
    Guest

    Default

    Well....

    I have my mobile on 24/7, this is the only number I advertise.
    The only time I don't answer is when the freaks call after 10 at night or I simply can't, therefore I have message bank on and always respond asap.

    I do not give out my landline number, I believe somewhere in this confusion we must seperate work from private, heck who wants to answer every call into your house with biz name, nice to pick up landline and just say hello or your name....imo.

    I think a 24/7 mobile is plenty....I struggle to see or understand why people who screw us down for every cent and generally price shop so often need to call us out of hours, we are lawn mowing contractors, what urgency could come up....their lawn grew 3 ft thursday night or friday night and they have a party on saturday so need it cut right now....pleeeaaasseee.

    I do answer calls out of hours as some believe it's best to call then, many clients do and say they call then cause they didn't want to interrupt me on another job, so I don't mind as they are being considerate, outatowners etc call outside work hours too, that's ok.

    But local freaks half full of turps who leave everything to the last minute expecting me to get their jungle cleared right now, I usee to try to service this weird market, don't now, say call jims.

    On invoices I have my postal/home address, even thinking I should get a P.O Box so freaks don't know where I am.

    When i started I usd Ebony's 1800# service, noticed people prefer to call a 1800 over a mobile, but every good thing comes at a price...especially here where most jobs are short term or one offs being a retirement town and ooodles of price shoppers.

    as a mowing service....do we really need 24/7....I respond between 6am to 10pm, outside those hours is just disrespectful, gota have some home life, this is not a emergency service business afterall.
    Phone is always on....and if awake will answer it, but found callers after 10 are freaks anyway.

  7. #7
    great_outdoors
    Guest

    Default

    I only speak to people between the hours of 7.30am - 6.00pm. People have to realise that we have families that would like to spend time with us as well. I am prepared to lose a little money for the sake of my family and if the punters out there cant understand that the i don't want to work for them anyway.

  8. #8
    APS_QLD
    Guest

    Default

    I guess i have never really considered it when i was running my bathroom renovation business i never had a mobile it was my home number.

    So have not really changed my ways but i found when building very rarely did i receive a call after 9 pm. I found most people rang between 7pm and 8pm. In fact even now i don't get late calls of course i will be advertising soon so will see what happens.

    I can always delete home number from advertising if it get bad.

    Brian

  9. #9
    dvmcmrhp52
    Guest

    Default

    Voice mail is a wonderful thing.
    During working hours it gets answered, after hours they can leave a message and I'll call at MY convenience. We all have a life outside of work I hope....................
    Well........Maybe............sometimes............ .........LOL!

  10. #10
    mick
    Guest

    Default

    Mobile 24/7, but I only answer it from 7am till about 9pm. I stay up late so dont have a problem before 9 but its when they ring in the morning, 5.30, 6, 6.30 is just bloody rude! They say, just wanted to catch you before you left for work. They do, I'm still in bed crashed from staying up late!

    I do advertise my home number but its in smaller print than my mobile. It usually works too! I figure if they want to save a few cents by not ringing my mobile then they will be tight when I giver them a quote or what ever.

    Both phones have answering machines which are always on. I've found most of my regular clients understand that I cant hear the phone while working so there happy to leave a message.

    Something I would like to do next time around is let them know they can Text me on the mobile. Alot of younger people use Text messaging these days, like email!

  11. #11
    Topcat
    Guest

    Default

    My tip here would be to call yourself on your moblie listen to your message,if you would leave a message fine.

    My phone stays locked in the office Sat/Sun- this is family time- but in the start 24/7 NEVER LEFT HOME WITHOUT IT!

    If you don't have a good v/mail message chances are you lost that customer to someone else......

    Just give old fashion service, they love it.........

  12. #12
    bradtez
    Guest

    Default

    24/7 for my mobile too just like most of your other guys. I dont advertise, but on my business cards i have both landline & mobile numbers. I notice the only clients that dont call my mobile are the old folk (60+)

    I have message bank on the mobile & answering machine at home. In canberra, if you get back to someone...you get the job!!

    Brad

  13. #13
    Rod
    Guest

    Default

    I read with considerable interest that Saturday and Sundays are family/quality time.

    Have I missed something here?

    I work for no other reason other than to support/provide for my family!

    Okay, yes, somebody did text me at 4.00 a.m. for a job one morning (twice in fact.) After getting over the initial shock (twice) I did the job and she paid me for it there and then.

    Some operators carry on as if there (bulltwaddeel I just got a call at 8.47 p.m. for a $400.00 job.)

    If you feel you are that exclusive after hours then it comes as no surprise that some of you are posting threads between 8.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. "Asses your self image!!!!"

    If you are quiet and sitting at home feeling sorry for yourself, then look around you these pain in the "arse" customers (as they are often) pay our mortgages.

    Jump on me as at least two of you will, however, remember that it is a "b l o o d y rat race" out there. How many calls do you expect to cop between 6 an 6, not that may I presume.

  14. #14
    bradtez
    Guest

    Default

    If you are quiet and sitting at home feeling sorry for yourself, then look around you these pain in the "arse" customers (as they are often) pay our mortgages.[/QUOTE]

    Rod..i would kill for a day to just sit around at home and do stuff all!!!

    Brad

  15. #15
    Rod
    Guest

    Default

    I agree, I would love to sit around. But I have five kids to educate and provide for. My ads are in the yellow pages and PDC directory.

    How many days off do you need? how much money do you owe? how long is that piece of string?

    Don't let your business write an advertising cheque you can't cash!

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