Taking Messages for Salespeople

When a salesperson is on the phone or with a customer, they should not be disturbed with a communication like, “X, there is a Y on the phone for you.” What you SHOULD do if the salesperson is busy, is tell the person calling, “X is with a customer, this is Z, how can I help you?”

If it’s a customer calling, sometimes the customer is calling about a repair or some other matter and someone else can get the information for them. Sometimes it will be about a sales cycle in progress and only the salesperson can help them. Sometimes they are returning a call from the salesperson and only the salesperson knows why they called.

If the customer is returning a sales call, you should not try to “steal” that customer, but should take a FULL MESSAGE (first and last name, phone numbers, best time to call, what it is regarding if they are willing to say). If the message is for Lisa, immediately tape the note to her computer monitor, AND email her assistant. If the message is for Bianca, Logan, or Teri, email them AND their assistants.

Be sure to include the customer’s name and ALWAYS get the phone number even if they say we already have it!

If it is an important matter that can’t wait or a customer that won’t be available by phone later and no one else can help the customer, you can slip up to the salesperson and let them know who is on the phone.

Example:

Mrs. B: “Is Dave in?”

Wrong way: “Dave, I know you are in the middle of a $25,000 sale, but there is a Mrs. Gertrude Bonabutt on the phone.”

Right way: “Mrs. Butt, Dave is with a customer. This is Buford, how can I help you?”

Mrs. B: “Is my repair ready?”

Right way: “I’ll find out for you.”

Often you can help the customer without disturbing the salesperson. But ALWAYS, ALWAYS do this:

If what you do, say, or check on for the customer can IN ANY WAY affect a sale, you MUST info the salesperson involved with a COMPLETE email about everything that was said and done.

Whenever we are handling a customer on the phone, we must think in terms of GOOD, FAST SERVICE TO THE CUSTOMER. Don’t get pushy or insist that the customer tells you what it’s about if they are reluctant to say. Just help them if you can and take a complete message if you can’t, and then make sure that the salesperson gets back to them quickly.