Do you return all phone calls on new leads?

[Right Touch]

Just wondering what the general opinion is on returning phone calls to possible new leads. We also have email request forms that new potential customers can fill out on our website. And when noone is in the office, all calls get automatically forwarded to my cell phone. So, even though the economy is rough, I still receive a decent amount of potential leads for everything from lawn care to design/build. My question is even though maybe you dont want to take on a lawn thats out of your service area or a landscape job that you dont feel is right for your company (for whatever reason), do you still call the person back all the time and just explain to them the situation? Or, if you arent going to take the work, there is no reason to call them back? I guess my reason for asking this is I am stuck being both the owner, running a couple crews, mechanic, and also the secretary, and sometimes at the end of the day, even though maybe I planned a few hours of office time, things (and im sure everyone can testify) dont always work out as planned, and its difficult to make lead calls at 6pm after you've been up since 6am and running around crazy all day. The business is almost big enough to hire a secretary- maybe next year. Until then thought its all me.

[ontheouter]

I can relate to what you're saying, I run a very tight round and never accept work outside of my area, but these calls still come in when I'm busy and tired, and on some days I definitely go through the motions of whether to call them back or not.

But I suppose at the end of the day I try to remember that my reputation travels outside of my service area, my service areas change on occasion, and people move house. And that call I just neglected could have been my best customer when situations change in the future - it has happened.

So as much as I don't want to on some days, I return the call, and if I really don't feel like it - I'll send through a message on their cell phone.

[Right Touch]

thats how i feel. You never really know where that call may lead you. I've had new customers who I wind up doing patios for their parents, brothers, aunts... Sometimes one call can go along way- but for example, my lawn crew really cant take on any more work without starting to sacrifice quality on current customers, so what do I do when people keep calling? Do I tell them just that and hope they appreciate my concern for quality and tell them to try again next year?

[ontheouter]

Exactly right.

I was going through a massive reduction in territory size 4 years ago, and letting go of all my old clients from the old outer areas and replacing them with new ones in the new tight area. Keep in mind I was really tired and worn down at this time in my lawn mowing life.

Anyway, I got a call from a woman from one of these suburbs I had let go, I didn't return the call. 2 days later she calls again asking for a quote, I didn't return this call either. Like I said I was pretty run down at the time.

The following day she calls again, and in the message she tells me she has 7 properties that need quotes in the suburb I was leaving. Needless to say I did the quotes and they were accepted, I then did all the services on the same day from then on. It was my most profitable set of jobs and service day in my round for years, and all billed with a single invoice. Sweet! But by all rights I shouldn't have got the jobs at all because I ignored her original calls.

[LouisianaLawnboy]

Network with some people, and give them your leads. Their are people who are dying for work.

[jbbarnett]

Yes you should always return calls. It is simply a good business practice and that is reason enough to return the calls. People will respect a returned call if itis only to say that you regret not being able to take on their job at this time for whatever reason. Outside my field of work I was recently taking bids on a project and really wanted a particular company to do the job. I called them first and they didn't return my call for a week. By that time i had already obtained another company, signed contract, and paid cash for the project. By my best estimate the guy made a few grand profit of my job and is now doing a job two doors down off my recommendation and is good work!

[QualityLawnCare4u]

Absolutely! I try to return every call (well most) in a professianal manner whether I want the job or not, with a very few exceptions. I think it says a lot about your company.

[supercuts]

you have lots of customers and many will know someone at sometime, and you had better have returned the call or you can tarnish a good name

[mdvaden]

We return all calls - otherwise it can look bad, or they call again which wastes even more time.

All my flyers lead to my website only - no phone.

All my business cards lead to my website - no phone.

They have to go to the website to find the phone number. Now in the paper, I put my phone too. But I found that 98% of people I work for have internet. I cause many to go to the site to get some questions answered ahead of time. Seems to whittle down 1/4 of the phone calls.

Like if they wonder if I merely sell sod - they find out that I just install sod.

Not all calls are returned the same day, and I my family who may answer the phone knows not to promise a returned call the same day.

Have to admit though - when I come home, the messages on the board are not super exciting to deal with, but it's much nicer to see them posted there than a blank slate.