Do you still use voicemail? Do you think there's a better alternative?

[willemmuller]

Hi Plumbers


I'm an app developer, exploring pain points around phone usage within the plumbing industry. Do you think voicemail is the optimal solution to a missed call?


Alternative solutions solutions I can think of...
- presenting caller with option to see your current location you are when you can't take the call
- an automated service that lets callers browse for gaps in your online calendar to schedule a viewing


Are you satisfied with the current solutions around voicemail and missed calls?


Regards
Willem

 

[Rickster123]

Bring back the pager

 

[gasmanrob]

Hi welcome to the forum. It's a great place you should stick around but prepare for both good and bad opinions. But please remember nothing's personal and a few of the lads can be highly strung by this time on a Friday.

Definitely not sending someone my location when they cannot get hold of me.

By far and large the worst idea of anyone ever.

You know the fella that gave Jimmy Savile access to restricted areas well he's currently at home reading this thinking to himself..."well at least I didn't come up with this idea"

Disgruntled customer cannot get hold of you on a Sunday afternoon and trust me they do try! Gets your location and decides to pop down to St.thomas's where you and the loved ones are enjoying midnight mass and starts a scene because you didn't answer the phone. Not to mention the Mrs don't even get me started!!

I'll be honest voicemail is simple and personal and for a small business it's ideal.

Perhaps some big companies might like it but with these divert to a call handler services that are available I can't see it taking off.

Others may disagree but that's my seat any how.

Good luck buddy

 

[hammers4spanner]

voice mail works fine for me so won't fix what's not broken.

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

No I don't want customers being able to locate me via an app - I lead a boring life but do like some freedom away from work! And REALLY what is their to gain from that knowledge except being stalked! SURPRISE!!!

No I don't want customers to be able to schedule themselves into my diary - I decide when and who gets my services not the customer!

I'll keep with voicemail thanks so when I don't want to speak to you leave a message and I may or may not get back to you.

 

[willemmuller]

Thanks gasmanrob for the welcome and the rest of the replies. And gotcha all on the location thing - that one's definitely not happening!

One enhancement I've had positive feedback on is receiving your voicemail in a text format - so you don't have to dial in and listen to long boring menus.

Regarding the booking thing - most people just pick up the phone and start calling local plumbers they find online. The first guy who picks up usually gets the job. If- instead of sending the caller to voicemail - you could give them an opportunity to find a gap in your schedule and make a booking over the phone, then you've potentially rescued that lost opportunity. This does of course mean you'll need to input your schedule into a system - but even a simple google calendar would suffice.

Do you feel the benefits of rescuing potential lost jobs outweighs hassle of entering your schedule? Ch4 plumbing isn't for over the phone scheduling and that's cool - but do the rest of you feel the same?

 

[Riley]

I think an improvement to voicemail would be good. If people don't leave a message or its from some unknown/blocked number then I don't care about it. A voicemail that actually sifts out the customers / valid callers from the ppi and dialling tone would be ace. I hate having to listen to every message to get to the newest too

 

[rpm]

Isn`t this already out there or is the other way round ie text to voicemail remember getting a message 2yrs back that had been converted, think the company trying to sell it was in Scotland.

 

[Masood]

I'm with CH4 on this - customers booking themselves into my diary is not viable - people can be very short-sighted and selfish at times.

One free hour close to lunchtime? No worries, I'll book in, stuff Masood's lunch.
Opposite side of London at 6:30 PM? I don't care how late he gets home, I'll grab that!
1 hour gap between two jobs in north London, and I live in south London? Sure, I'll book that, I'm sure he has a helicopter!
1/2 hour gap and I need a boiler repair? Sure I'll book that - how long can it take after all??

Get the picture?

 

[joni os]

I'd like an app. that allowed anyone on my contact list to call as normal and anyone else to get the message," Due to my last phone drowning in a bucket of water this phone remains in the van, text details."

 

[Paulplumb]

Yeah not for me. I like to speak to my customers before booking them in. If they sound like twonks then my diary becomes booked solid for months on end.

 

[BN9Pete]

Sounds complicated, I don't want customers knowing where I am.
I use voice mail all the time, can't answer the phone when I have my hands full.

 

[Roger Welton]

Letting custs book work in directly whilst good in principle isn't for all the reasons mentioned above.

Letting cust know your location definitely not good, its bad enough getting collared by a neighbour when getting tools form the van 'it won't take a second'

Voicemail to e mail would be good, but is already available form the likes of vonage and call central.

 

[Worcester]

Yep, voicemail essential for the personal touch - our customers buy us/me not what we're installing.

Have in the past sent the phone to these kinds of services:

https://www.ereceptionist.co.uk/virtual-receptionist
and
https://www.yourvirtualofficelondon.co.uk/call-answering-service-london/

Also used this for various incoming numbers:
https://www.switchboardfree.co.uk/ (and has an Iphone App to go with it)

 

[drip-dry]

Seems to me you are after removing as much personal contact as possible....maybe create an app that educates a customer to wait 1/2 hr for a call back before putting there lives and hard earned cash at steak by hitting the internet ect if not an instant response...for a plumber they know or have been recommended....

 

[plumben]

Personally I try to answer the phone when called, but if not ill ring back straight away or 5/10minutes later,

 

[willemmuller]

Wow folks, awesome response

Much appreciated. Sounds an automated booker won't go down too either well then!

How about a service that requires over the phone deposit payment for short notice jobs?

Voice2Email has been done by other companies - I'd be hoping to compete on cost.

I think I'll let this conversation rest - feel like I'm stirring the hornets nest

Have a good weekend all
Willem

 

[Worcester]

Willem, rather than proposing what you think people want, why not ask them the other way round and then deliver that

What is a pain in my business that could be solved with a good app ?

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Showing the caller your location - what if it's the wife and your 'playing away'?

Scrap that one.

 

[joni os]

Once, having acquired a personal itch, I asked missus if she'd been playing away. She got furious, "how could I accuse her of such things "etc.
Told her not to take it personal as I'd already asked her sister and her best friend.
We are now happily reunited.

 

[SimonG]

You can keep the wheel circular for me.