| Author | Message | 
| smeexpert Member
 
 Joined: 8 Jul 2009
 Posts: 6
 
 | # Posted: 14 Jul 2009 00:59 Reply
 
 I am a photographer and always on the road on assignment. This is my business and I work from home. Because I'm always on the road I miss a lot of phone calls that could be potential business. They go to voicemail and I sometimes don't get to messages for a few hours because of my postings.
 
 Help!
 
 How do I reduce the amount of calls I'm not taking and throwing business away?
 
 
 
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| tmorrison Member
 Joined: 23 Jul 2008
 Posts: 89
 
 | # Posted: 14 Jul 2009 01:11 Reply
 
 This seems like a good problem. Don't reduce the amount of calls, however manage or develop a plan to entertain your customers in real time.
 
 You may have to hire a receptionist or secretarty to help with this.
 
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| getagrip 
   Joined: 20 Feb 2006
 Posts: 1966
 
 | # Posted: 14 Jul 2009 02:27 Reply
 
 Maybe get a cell phone that you will always have with you when someone calls...
 
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| BobFirestone Member
 
 Joined: 1 Jul 2009
 Posts: 134
 
 | # Posted: 14 Jul 2009 03:04 Reply
 
 How about call forwarding to your cell phone.
 Or
 Hire an assistant.
 
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| tmorrison Member
 Joined: 23 Jul 2008
 Posts: 89
 
 | # Posted: 14 Jul 2009 03:43 Reply
 
 
 BobFirestone:  Hire an assistant. I agree...But hire a reliable one.
 
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| johnjimat Member
 
 Joined: 31 Mar 2009
 Posts: 357
 
 | # Posted: 14 Jul 2009 08:23 Reply
 
 i think hire an assistant is the best way to do..
 
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| mountainmom5 
   Joined: 30 Aug 2007
 Posts: 2100
 
 | # Posted: 14 Jul 2009 09:13 Reply
 
 I say utilize your cell phone as much as you can - they are amazing little tools
   
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| smeexpert Member
 
 Joined: 8 Jul 2009
 Posts: 6
 
 | # Posted: 14 Jul 2009 18:58 Reply
 
 Thanks everyone for advice. I do have a reliable cell phone but I cannot get to these calls is my issue.  I've researched further into answering service or equivalent and it all comes back to virtual reception providers or virtual office or the like.
 
 Has anyone got any first hand experience with Virtual Reception or companies that provide this service. What about a Virtual Office, any good or bad?
 
 
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| rayj00 Member
 
 Joined: 23 Jul 2009
 Posts: 7
 
 | # Posted: 23 Jul 2009 21:22 Reply
 
 So I'm confused. If they go to voicemail, don't you give them a callback? Or do they hangup when VM kicks in?
 
 Ray
 
 
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| pcwork Member
 
 Joined: 12 Aug 2006
 Posts: 1614
 
 | # Posted: 30 Nov 2009 08:10 Reply
 
 Forward the call to your cell phone
 
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| Jim Gillum Member
 
 Joined: 19 Nov 2009
 Posts: 24
 
 | # Posted: 9 Dec 2009 22:48 Reply
 
 Have your message explain that you are on a shoot and will call back asap
 
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| chewyojn Member
 
 Joined: 8 Dec 2009
 Posts: 7
 
 | # Posted: 10 Dec 2009 18:29 Reply
 
 Try an answering serivce, or hire someone to work from home for you and have your calls sent there or forward them to your cell phone.
 
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