This morning I received my first call from my phonebook ad which is good. the guy wanted a basic exterior wash/polish/wax and interior vacuuming for his 02 mini van I Gave him my price. He asked if I accepted credit cards. I told him that I did. He asked where in town I was located. I gave him directions to my shop. He asked me when I could fit him in I told him late afternoon during the week any day & saturday mornings. He said that he would drop his vehicle off would I be at my building this morning. I told him that I can't be there this A.M. due to being at work. He then asked do you have another job? I replied yes I need to work in order to support myself and my family until my business hopefully takes off. He said that he would call back. Do you thing that my having a full time job cost me this detail or was he a bozo just price shopping & how could I have possibly handled this situation differently? Please share your thoughts.
yellow page ad (first Call)
- Thread starter tooklean
- Start date
Brenton
aka PEI Detail
Perhaps it would be better to say that you are booked.
Or have a friend, spouse, etc. meet the client with a checklist.
My ad comes out in a month, and I'm counting the days.
Or have a friend, spouse, etc. meet the client with a checklist.
My ad comes out in a month, and I'm counting the days.
joyriide1113
There is no cure!
tooklean said:
I would have gone out to say that its a hobby of yours that needs to pay itself. That you do it for the perfectionist inside of you. That would have been telling the truth and selling at the same time.
Just my two pennies put together.
tooklean said:
I would say the guy was concerned with your employment status. If I was calling and the person on the other end of the phone told me he had another job, I dont think I would use him -My loss.
Handle it differently next time- remember your personal life has nothing to do with your business. In your situation, doing this part time, you need to control the customer better. Tell him you will pick up the car for him or ask him to leave it at your shop and put the keys in the mail slot because you will be out at that time servicing other clients.
tooklean said:
He won't be calling back. It's all about perception. If I call anyone to do a job, regardless of what the job is, I want to think that it's their profession, they do it every day, and they're good at it. So if I call someone and they tell me they can't fit me in at such-and-such a time because they'll be at their OTHER job... forget it, I'm going somewhere else.
Next time just say you can't accomodate them at that time and pick another that works for you both.
ajbarnes
New member
heffergm said:
Agreed. Image and perception determines a large percentage of success in this business.
CalgaryDetail
Mike
the impression i would have goten personlay si that hes not good enough to keep the shop going, instead he has to work (which definlty isnt true however) so i willl take it somewere that does better work. Like everyoe said next tmie just tell him your booked or havve some other commitment related oto work ( a meating with a supplier. but at least you knwo the yellow page add is working
C. Charles Hahn
CCH Auto Appearance, LLC
CalgaryDetail said:
Exactly. That's how I always handle customers -- if I'm not available because of class or my "normal" job, I just tell them I'm booked at that point.
Maxima Lover
New member
I'm not sure if just saying your "booked" is the best idea. The guy just wanted to drop the van off, he knew it couldn't be worked on until later. If someone told me I couldn't even drop the car off for service later that day, I would find somewhere else just as quick as if I found out they were busy with their other job. Telling him to drop the keys in the mail slot because your with a supplier or working a mobile job would probably be the best.