Thread: When the phone rings...

Once the phone rings we engage in shameless self-promotion and either get the gig or not.

When you are successful in getting the gig what system do you all use to record the time, date, location, fee, agents involved...?

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I'm very high tech, I have a state of the art date book I carry in my hip pocket. It is so high tech, the batteries never need to be recharged, it never has to be rebooted, and it is shock proof. It is not water proof though, the last time I washed one, I almost cried at the sight of the pieces left in the washing machine.
Jim

Yes, high tech. I write it on my clipboard if I'm actually inspecting. Then I transfer to a slip of paper in my office.

If I'm not out inspecting, I write it on some scrap of paper and then tape it to my wall next to the computer monitor.

IN the office, we have inspection order forms right next to the phone. ON it are all the little data points that I keep track of.

In the field, I use a little spiral notpad that fits in my shirt pocket.

When my wife (who does almost all of the office phone stuff) is away from the office she carries a small notebook that has the scheduled appointments noted, and keeps all the info in the notes until she gets back to the office.

We have been doing this for a while, so we both know what questions to ask, and can make little shorthand type notes to keep track of the info.

Pretty low tech, but it works!
JF

I have noticed that I book many more jobs when I personally answer the phone. That way I am in a position to ask and answer questions and book a time that works for the client right on the spot.

I also do well with the "request a quote" form page on my web site. Any visitor can ask for a quote by email by filling out a simple form. My email reply allows me to add information that helps me promote my services to the specific client based on their needs. The key is a quick response.

I’m with Jim though as far as how I track my calls and manage my appointments. I love high tech stuff as much as the next guy but nothing works like a good old pen and paper for me. Now, if I was running a multi inspector firm or was in the habit of trying to do more than one inspection a day then perhaps pen and paper would not be the answer.

I went real High Tech today! Yellow Wendy's napkin while sitting on a park bench having lunch with my wife!

I use a legal pad and just keep flipping the pages as it becomes full. After I have the information I just enter it into my computer. To keep track of the appointments and to keep from overbooking I use a PDA when I'm out of the office. Works very well for me. I must admit the Wendy's napkin was almost lost when I had to sneeze!

I answer the phone in person when I can, and that is most of the time. My office phone is transferred to my cell 24/7. This has worked well for me for about the past six or seven years.

I keep a spare order form in my wallet and always carry a pen with me. Simple but works.

I have written up an order form that makes me ask all the necessary info. I have always carried with me my Day Timer in which I have the blank forms and my pricing schedule so that I price it right. The Day Timer is low tech but it keeps all my apts. in order for both personal and business. The day timer is also a good way for me to keep track of all my mileage used for the business and contacts names and numbers. I have a Dell PDA but I have not worked that into my routine as of yet.
All my calls are answered by myself as my cell phone is my business number and I always carry it with me until bed time around 10. And then I have voice mail which I check often, and return calls as soon as possiable.

PDA for the win!
My penmanship is atrocious so writing anything down runs the risk of not understanding it later.

Same here Vince.

I use a HP Ipaq for keeping up with appointments.

The note pad feature lets me write it down in cursive, or I can use the keyboard to make an appointment setting.

The great part is that it has a recorder built in so I can just click on it while I'm talking and it records it as a note on the Ipaq.

Then there is days when I come home with a pocket full of those little post-its with phone numbers all written down.

I have all these ladies names and numbers on them (clients) and the wifes never questions it.

Rick,

I have all these ladies names and numbers on them (clients) and the wifes never questions it.

wifes??? you have more than one

I save those paper pads that are sent or left by real estate agents. That's my "rough" order form. When I am called in the middle of a job, I ask the C21 agent to hold while "I look for my Remax pen and Coldwell Banker pad of paper." Most of the time I get a chuckle.

I use a computer program that I wrote. It helps to know where the work is coming from and when. We can Email the Client and both agents etc. It helps.

Bruce

Jim,

I carry a steno pad in my truck. After years of doing this, I know what questions to ask and keep track of. At the office, we have order forms next to the phone. It's getting my wife to fill them out completely thats the hard part. Once we take the order, all info goes into 3D Office Managment software, where I can sync it to Outlook, my PDA, laptop, email software, etc. It works pretty well. It does have a bit of a learning curve though.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by Jim Walker

Once the phone rings we engage in shameless self-promotion and either get the gig or not.

When you are successful in getting the gig what system do you all use to record the time, date, location, fee, agents involved...?

I use a call sheet.
A regular 8 X 11 size that has all the info that I need.
Takes about 3-4 min. to fill out.
It has 13 lines of info (house profile).
It works very well for me.

T.Neyedli
www.alphahomeinspections.ca