Who books your appointments?

[sara g]

Help!!!!

My office is above a gift shop and I have been trading massage services in exchange for the gift shop employees to book my appointments. Now the business is moving!!!!! So, I have to find a new way to book my appointments.

Obviously I could get an answering machine, but I am afraid I will miss clients who refuse to leave a message. I just think it's always better to have a person answer the phone.

Has anyone tried those anwering services and if so, are they expensive?

All ideas and thoughts on this subject are appreciated.

 

[Rocks]

I answer my own phone, (I use my cell phone number.) I think that's the easiest and cheapest. I have caller ID included in my bill, so what I do is called up those numbers A.S.A.P., and say,"Hi, I'm Heather, I say my massage businesses name, were you trying to call me?" I've never had someone say,"Oh,well, I had the wrong number." I've had to play phone eforum.xxx but sooner or later, I've gotten in touch with the person.

Happy Posting!

Heather

 

[Pompal 09.]

Hi All! I did get my own phone line. We have 6 massage therapists and we are now taking turns answering phones and being the "receptionist". If we are unavailable, then a machine picks up. We started answering our own phones march 1 and so far we like it much better.

 

[DAMIAN]

I anser my own phone (cell) and prefer it that way. Then I can answer questions, get an idea of what they need most, and feel fully prepared for new clients. If they don't leave a message I use the Caller ID feature just like Heather does.

I have one long-time client who HATES leaving messages (they are so long and rambling that I've no idea what she wanted) so she just keeps calling until I am able to pick up. I very much prefer talking to my clients myself.

 

[stormer_xxi]

My hubbie & I are in practice together and we share a cell phone. We take turns. Usually, when he's not available to answer the phone, I am, and vice versa. In the event that we're both occupied, I encourage clients to leave messages on our voice mail. For those who don't, I might try to call the number back, but then I might not. Depends. If they try several times but don't leave a message, I'll almost always call the number when I can. For clients that hate leaving messages, I understand, but I also can't know what they needed if they don't. For private/blocked numbers, we don't answer them, and we state this fact every place that our phone number is listed, at least everywhere possible (on the website, on massage directory listings, etc). It's a cell phone so it's always with one of us. Oh yeah...and you can write off both the phone and the monthly service, if you use it just for massage! Sweeeet.

At no time will we ever pay for an answering service. Too much hassle, not worth the cash. Heard too many stories. If/when we get real busy to the point where we're practically never able to answer the phone, we might hire someone like a trusted friend to do that, but until then...