[Shaun_Ashmore]

Can anyone recommend a professional answer service, I need cover for a week?

Shaun

[JandS]

Phone divert no good then Shaun..that's what I do on holidays.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Not to Egypt I want to enjoy the sun.

Shaun

[jasonl]

Ill cover them 

[Robert Watson]

Hi Shaun, I`m needing cover for a week also, I`ll phone someone Iv got in mind tomorrow and if it works out I`ll let you know.

[Kev Loomes]

http://www.ukfactotum.com/carpet-cleaners

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Thanks chaps, ha ha Jason 

Shaun

[davep]

Why not let Jason take the calls if local then you take his whilst he's away?

[Buckland]

Shaun - did you try Penelope?

[Hilton]

Off to Egypt ?
Have you seen the latest advice from the F O

[ian harper]

factotum, as kev says have used they more than once very good service.

[Ian Gourlay]

What is the experience of using this Company

Are Customers still interested when you get back to them or have they gone on and called another Company

[david@zap-clean]

What is the experience of using this Company

Are Customers still interested when you get back to them or have they gone on and called another Company

I've just run a 2 week trial with them while I've been away in Spain.  It worked very well for me.
 
I know I've been loosing customers (previously) by diverting calls to an answering machine. A call handling service reduces this problem, at a price worth paying I feel.

It was a bit of a pain having to call up customers each evening though, it cut into vino tinto time!

[Warren Aldridge]

I've been using these people for 3 years. They kind of under stand the carpet cleaning business through the experience of taking my calls.

I use their virtual PA service, they have my price list and quote customers and take bookings for me. We collaborate on a google calendar. They see my schedule and book in jobs around that.

There are only 2 of them so they both know my business well. Including vetting customers for parking for the truckmount and what jobs require a portable etc

Anne is the MD and Shaun is her employee.

http://www.freelanceofficeservices.co.uk

Very good service, highly recommended

[Craigp]

Really interesting Warren

I would LOVE not to have to take calls.

Some calls might need a some selling/converting though, how do they handle that?

[Warren Aldridge]

I give them an excel spreadsheet with my prices and a discount range incase they need to haggle.

In general they are so professional sounding sometimes I'll pick up the phone and customers will only want to speak to Anne to do the booking.

If they can't win the job they log the call and how it went and you can call that person back and try yourself.

I suppose any of you could just input your prices into my spreadsheet and they can work in the same way for you. I'll let Anne know that she can do this with my spreadsheets.

[Warren Aldridge]

They also use Voipfone. I use Voipfone too so all calls that go from me to them are free

It's a good setup.

[Craigp]

So it's not all calls they take? only if you miss it or click reject on your phone?

That would be good for when I'm halfway down cleaning a flight of stairs, I often don't answer then, which can mean losing the job.

[Warren Aldridge]

Diverts go from my Voipfone land line not from my mobile.
In your case you can divert all land line calls to them, and the can act as receptionist and call you. If you can't talk then they will quote and take the booking.

[Warren Aldridge]

Or yes, as you say

If you can setup auto divert systems on your mobile that would be good.

It's really cool when you check your emails after a job and the bookings are there all sorted.

I hate talking on the phone at the best of times, while working you can forget it