Best Way to Answer a Business Phone?

Edwards Finance > Phones

Q. I've made it my policy that if I'm waiting in line to be served and the sales clerk thinks it's *more* important to take a telephone interruption than to serve me I'll put down my purchase and walk out of that store. Telephone customers do not have any more clout than customers who are in front of you.

A. This is why the phone at my wife's chocolate shop has an answering machine that picks up after 2 rings and gives the hours and a chance to leave a message. I made it a point to instruct employees that the phone is *not* to be answered if they are already dealing with a live customer. More than half the time the caller just wants to know how late the shop is open, so that's in the greeting. I'm a little more lenient. I figure the caller has no idea that there's a queue for the clerk's attention. I let the clerk answer the phone, and if they're good, they'll put the person on hold, and then apologize for the delay. No real loss of time or attention for me. If they begin to talk to the person, then I can get upset. In fact, the same goes for face-to-face service. I once walked into a picture frame shop and the owner (who was the only person working there) would not even acknowledge my presence -- he just continued an ongoing conversation with other people. After 10 minutes of this, I walked out and wrote him an angry letter. How much would it have cost him to say, "Hello, I'll be with you in a minute"? It cost him $200 in business not to do so.

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