Forum

Replies

• PRO

  Darren Walters August 12, 2014 at 4:40pm

  Could you change your voicemail to say that you will return calls later on, and then call them back the next day? Don't answer the phone to any numbers you don't recognise on an evening. My voicemail just says we can't hear the phone and we will call back later that day.
  
  I used to get quite a few calls on Sundays but that was because I had rang customers on a Sunday so naturally they thought it was ok to call me. If they call on a Sunday now and don't leave a message, I just call them on Monday.
• PRO

  Daniel Lampard August 12, 2014 at 6:05pm

  I have that on my voicemail but find only half the people that phone actually leave a voicemail. I've had people who have phoned, I've called them back the next day and they have said 'oh we have got someone else'
• PRO

  James McKay August 12, 2014 at 7:19pm

  I think you need a separate work mobile. Makes it easier to separate business and personal life. You can store business-only contacts in it, answer it in a professional manner, you know anybody ringing it is work related, you can turn it off or leave it at home when on holiday and record a specific work-related answer message.

  My work set-up is I have a 'virtual' landline number which diverts through to a business only mobile so I know anything and everything that is business related comes through that one mobile phone. Both land line and mob number are advertised. It's a good old fashioned Nokia so I don't need to charge it every day and I find it much more reliable than more modern i-phones or similar. £20 from Tesco!
• 

  Ben Marshall August 12, 2014 at 7:34pm

  I found it depends where im advertising. If i ever put an ad on Gumtree, it was as if the all the lunatics in Manchester wanted to speak to me at all hours! Now i only advertise via proper internet directories, the late night calls have almost completely stopped. So my advice is ask the late night callers where they got your number from and pull the ad!
• PRO

  Daniel Lampard August 12, 2014 at 7:38pm

  Hi Ben
  
  I get a lot of work from gum tree, I know the late night callers are from there but most calls actually turn out to be work for me, including the late ones!
• 

  mark harris August 12, 2014 at 9:19pm

  i have had mobile since 93, same number my only fone, never had any issue with work or pleasure calls, no answer fone turned on ever, i answer 98% of calls as work is work never knowing what that call will bring. some people are self employed 8-5 and dont want work after that,i hire mini diggers as well as groundwork so i need every call for hire work, some people are different to me i guess
• 

  James Brett August 13, 2014 at 12:25pm

  I answer my phone anytime I am up. I do lots of paperwork out of hours. I also do odd jobs for my clients, especially the block management companies. So answering a call especially out of hours is a great earner for me. Often for something simple like reset a water pump on a development. Also being a key holder for some of the block management companies kind of dictates that your on call 24/7
  
  I have one mobile number no a virtual landline no that goes straight through to my mobile. Generally if I don't answer they leave a message or text me.
• 

  Paul McNulty September 23, 2014 at 9:25pm

  Personal and home phones should be separate for tax reasons alone?

  I never give my home number to clients: I'm a business and they should respect business hours.

  Same with the mobile. When I'm not working it's going to answerphone: I will reply to urgent messages, but let's be honest here? If you need to talk to your gardener you shouldn't ecxpect 24-hour coverage?

  James' case is unusual, as he offers 24-hour accounts for other services.

  Switch the phone off and unwind in the evenings? Deal with the messages when it suits you...
• 

  James Brett September 23, 2014 at 9:41pm

  If I was just gardening it would be once I'm home phone goes away until next morning. Most people don't expect the gardener to answer his phone all the time due to the nature of the job. As long as you have a nice voicemail message and call people back when you need to it should be cool!!
• 

  Jason Conway September 23, 2014 at 11:01pm

  2 phones
  1 for personal the other business. My work phone goes onto silent at 9pm and back on again about 8am and off all weekend. I call back anyone that phones if it leaves a number whether they leave a message or not. I started off with just 1 number and found it interferred with my homelife too much. Just told clients my number had changed.