| |
Business Phone Blues
By Kingston Amadan
I work for a specialty after market auto parts retailer. We have no showroom, so around twenty percent of our business comes from the Internet while eighty percent comes from the telephone. We send out catalogs to those who request them or anyone who has placed an order in the last year. We also advertise in the back of automotive magazines. Needless to say, telephone sales are truly the lifeblood of our business. As of late, however, I've been wishing that weren't the case.
My company's business phone system has what I would call, the absolute most annoying hold message ever produced. My boss, the owner of the company, is a really nice guy. Unfortunately, he is a really nice guy with a very pronounced speech impediment. One day he decided that instead of the traditional hold music, he would play a repeating digital loop of him announcing our weekly specials. We are a very busy company. In fact, most days find our sales reps on the phone from the time we get in until the time we leave. As you might guess, with such a high volume of calls, many people are left on hold.
When our customers finally reach a sales rep, I would estimate that about thirty to forty percent of them do an impersonation of my boss... no kidding. The other sixty or seventy percent usually compliment us on the "funny voice" doing our ads. I've had a few who were offended by it, thinking we were trying to make fun of those with speech impediments. The thing is, almost everybody has something to say about the hold ads. I even had one customer complete an extensive order while doing his version of "the voice". Since our boss is a really great guy, my coworkers and I are less than amused on one hand, yet highly entertained on the other. My only problem is that while most of my colleagues are spread out over a huge office, my cubical is right next to the boss'. I have to keep a straight face during some fairly good impressions.
I miss the hold music.
About the Author
Click to purchase small business phone systems, telephones, phone equipment and more. Read more articles on phone systems and phones in the work place
Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/23119.html
| If you wish to add the above article to your website or newsletters then please include the "Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/23119.html" as shown above and make it hyperlinked. |
| Some other articles by Kingston Amadan | Getting the Best Deal on Small Business Phone Systems
Small business can mean a lot of things, but for most companies who fall under that moniker, small business means operating on a stringent budget. Even if the expenses of your business allow for ...
The Basics of Upgrading a Business Phone System
So you've outgrown your current phone system and need to expand. If replacing your current business phone system is not in the operational budget, there are options for upgrading what you already ...
Top Questions Your Web Design Firm Should Be Asking You
Before any business owner develops a web site, they usually have something in mind regarding the esthetics, layout and overall budget they have for the project. While all of these are certainly an important part of building ...
Finding the Best Web Designer for Your Website
When shopping for a web designer, there are several things you can do to help find the best value for your money. Between talking to the design team and viewing their portfolio of completed projects, one ...
Hiring a Web Design Firm vs. Freelance Designer
A web site is more than just a tool for business. It's part of your "brand" image, your storefront and a measure of your professionalism. A good web site is navigable, provides easy access to ...
The Right Restaurant Supplier Can Make All the Difference
Last month, I opened my third restaurant in twelve years. Anyone who knows anything about the restaurant business will tell you that success of that nature isn't ...
|
|
| |
|
