What % of people call back? Global Poll

[TelesnaAg]

Is it just oz?? I believe ive seen some well warranted moaning on here as well from UK , is it a global thing in the western world now??

Pretty much now if they day they call back i keep on searching as it is very rare iget a call back...im only a small farmer in the scheme of things but i do spend a decent amount of dollars annualy.

Ant...

 

[Dry Rot]

It used to be accepted that a letter/inquiry was acknowledged within 10 days and replied to within 28 days. That was, of course, in the days of snail mail. That is gone. I recently emailed a company asking for an estimate for doing a small job complete with instructions and photographs. In days of old, that would have been answered and if they were too busy, possibly suggesting another business who might help. But it would at least be answered. Now? Nothing!

It seems I am to wait for an indefinite period to see if the company deigns to reply at all. That's another business that will go on my mental 'ignore' list as not worth bothering to contact because they won't bother to reply.... and just leave me waiting.

 

[had e nuff]

Once phoned a well known Claas dealer about a new tractor. By the time they got back to me I had a new valtra in the yard. I never phoned anyone twice to try and spend money with them.

 

[TelesnaAg]

Once phoned a well known Claas dealer about a new tractor. By the time they got back to me I had a new valtra in the yard. I never phoned anyone twice to try and spend money with them.

I do the same now unless screwed for options, just try else where, sometimes they call 3 weeks later and i day i bought else where they dont seem to care, if business owners new how much enquiry goes begging theyd be speechless.

Hence i would never own a business where staff field the calls.

Ant...

 

[steveR]

Once phoned a well known Claas dealer about a new tractor. By the time they got back to me I had a new valtra in the yard. I never phoned anyone twice to try and spend money with them.

There is a real pleasure in that phone call when you tell the first Co, they have lost the business...

 

[TelesnaAg]

There is a real pleasure in that phone call when you tell the first Co, they have lost the business...

It would be if they were devastated they dropped the ball but most as in 99% dont give a sh*t.

Ant...

 

[Deerefarmer]

I called because I needed info now, not tomorrow. I'd almost prefer not to be bothered again if you can't answer my first call

 

[Kidds]

I always assume they won't call back and rarely wrong.
If they say "They are on the other line can I get them to call you back" I just say I will call them again. If it is important to me I will do that every 10 minutes until they will speak to me.
Would like to say I will just go elsewhere but tbh they don't answer either.

 

[steveR]

Is it just oz?? I believe ive seen some well warranted moaning on here as well from UK , is it a global thing in the western world now??

Pretty much now if they day they call back i keep on searching as it is very rare iget a call back...im only a small farmer in the scheme of things but i do spend a decent amount of dollars annualy.

Ant...

Seems to be right across the Board, not just in sales.

Been waiting for 5 weeks to hear back from a Company desperate to do business with me....

 

[cows sh#t me to tears]

I do the same now unless screwed for options, just try else where, sometimes they call 3 weeks later and i day i bought else where they dont seem to care, if business owners new how much enquiry goes begging theyd be speechless.

Hence i would never own a business where staff field the calls.

Ant...

I tried ringing the grower services manager of a local grain trader to organize an outload. Probably 10 times over 3 weeks. NO reply. She has ONE JOB TO DO ...Working from home as well. Tried other staff. All said call her. In the end I rang the site manager and told him what was going on and how p짧Ed off with her I was getting. No more than half an hour later she magically rings. Some just don't seem to give a flying fùćķ these days.
Between then and the rude , condescending arrogant call I had with a Graincorp accounts department employee I had today, I've learnt a lot . It's mostly left me with no desire to switch to grain growing and if I did on the future I'd be storing and marketing myself.

 

[Deerefarmer]

We're running 2 separate businesses in the same location. Both businesses rely on someone answering their phone. A business/ person not answering or returning a call are saying 'they don't care/not hungry for business/ lazy...
Most agri related businesses here in the states are in a very competitive market. Not answering/ returning calls will get you a reputation and left behind pretty quickly

 

[TelesnaAg]

We're running 2 separate businesses in the same location. Both businesses rely on someone answering their phone. A business/ person not answering or returning a call are saying 'they don't care/not hungry for business/ lazy...
Most agri related businesses here in the states are in a very competitive market. Not answering/ returning calls will get you a reputation and left behind pretty quickly

I wish we had that here!!

Ant...

 

[cows sh#t me to tears]

I wish we had that here!!

Ant...

Especially when most use a mobile, and yet, despite being glued to it, won't answer, nor return voice-mail.

 

[Danllan]

Is it just oz?? I believe ive seen some well warranted moaning on here as well from UK , is it a global thing in the western world now??

Pretty much now if they day they call back i keep on searching as it is very rare iget a call back...im only a small farmer in the scheme of things but i do spend a decent amount of dollars annualy.

Ant...

I've a small share in a pretty esoteric engineering firm. It's a decent size with a few dozen employees now, so not small but not massive either; good turnover, lots of orders placed well in advance by clients.

One of the founding partners made an office rule when they started, late 90s, that all calls and post enquiring about business would be put on a board on the wall and given a number, only to be removed when it had been marked replied to and either resulted in nothing or an order placed - which saw it entered on another board.

After a few years, as the business grew, this was replaced by a system like in the old-fashioned air-traffic control towers; this involves mini strips of baton going in a rack with the enquiry details written on them. Again, only to be removed if nothing happens or if moved, this time to another rack.

Over twenty years later they have still got that same system, despite nearly all comm's now being electronic. There is a rack for an initial contact, the next for a reply, the next for if an order is going to happen, then more racks for the various stages until completion.

I guess there are half a dozen full time office staff, plus others from the shop or management in and out too; point is, all can immediately see the progress of every contact from first to last. And, since the responsibility for most steps is pretty clearly divided up, everyone can see others are doing their jobs well and know that the same can be said of them.

It may seem odd nowadays that such a system is still extant, but it works, so why not?

 

[Deerefarmer]

I've a small share in a pretty esoteric engineering firm. It's a decent size with a few dozen employees now, so not small but not massive either; good turnover, lots of orders placed well in advance by clients.

One of the founding partners made an office rule when they started, late 90s, that all calls and post enquiring about business would be put on a board on the wall and given a number, only to be removed when it had been marked replied to and either resulted in nothing or an order placed - which saw it entered on another board.

After a few years, as the business grew, this was replaced by a system like in the old-fashioned air-traffic control towers; this involves mini strips of baton going in a rack with the enquiry details written on them. Again, only to be removed if nothing happens or if moved, this time to another rack.

Over twenty years later they have still got that same system, despite nearly all comm's now being electronic. There is a rack for an initial contact, the next for a reply, the next for if an order is going to happen, then more racks for the various stages until completion.

I guess there are half a dozen full time office staff, plus others from the shop or management in and out too; point is, all can immediately see the progress of every contact from first to last. And, since the responsibility for most steps is pretty clearly divided up, everyone can see others are doing their jobs well and know that the same can be said of them.

It may seem odd nowadays that such a system is still extant, but it works, so why not?

Sounds like a good system.

We use group chat feature on whatsapp, anyone who takes a call posts the details/ nature of the job/when customer would like said job completed etc. When job is scheduled it is posted for all of us to see and when it is completed its noted again on group chat. Very simple and straightforward. Everyone always looking at their phones so no excuses. It's right there in your face.

 

[Deerefarmer]

I tried ringing the grower services manager of a local grain trader to organize an outload. Probably 10 times over 3 weeks. NO reply. She has ONE JOB TO DO ...Working from home as well. Tried other staff. All said call her. In the end I rang the site manager and told him what was going on and how p짧Ed off with her I was getting. No more than half an hour later she magically rings. Some just don't seem to give a flying fùćķ these days.
Between then and the rude , condescending arrogant call I had with a Graincorp accounts department employee I had today, I've learnt a lot . It's mostly left me with no desire to switch to grain growing and if I did on the future I'd be storing and marketing myself.

Mining Boom came to mind when reading your post

 

[Derrick Hughes]

One thing I would say is that if you do phone please leave a message or a text , so many scam calls to sort through

 

[Johnnyboxer]

I always respond to email/voicemail enquiries within the hour (or often 15 mins) to ascertain the nature of their call and how I can help, ‘live’ phone calls are immediate

Once that has been ascertained, a mutual action plan for follow up information or quote is agreed for the same day and to fit in with their work schedule (not mine) as they are the customer

If it’s a quote for something and I am in the offices, I usually get back to them in 5-10 minutes to satisfy their enquiry and then text/email them the confirmation details so they have it both verbally/written

I interrupt my day for new enquiries and stop what I am doing to deal with their requests

That’s the way it should be

Customer service is key to any business-however in agriculture there are some firms with shocking customer service attributes and attitudes

 

[Paddington]

My boss always told us to touch base with any new clients, determine their ground play and see if we could get their flag flying within a day,
I just used to answer the phone.

 

[Dry Rot]

These problems are all well and good so long as the CEO knows about them and rectifies the problem My father always used to advocate complaining -- to a named individual as high up the ladder as possible, (he wasn't a very popular but did get things done! ). He'd say that the boss may be totally unaware that things are going wrong. I think he was right, but there are right ways and wrong ways to complain.

Have you noticed how difficult some businesses make it to complain? An automated list of complaints where you tick a box -- and there is never a box which applies to your particular grumble! Auto renewals are my latest bug bear. Where is the button to cancel?

Maybe we should start another thread about complaining? What percentage complain? Does it work? Any notable successes? Which complaints worked for you?