We know you’re busy. How to answer the phone may be the last thing on your list of things to ponder. Day in and day out, you never know who’s going to be calling. It could be a team member, current client, potential lead, or your kid reminding you they need more money on their school account for Taco Tuesday.
And you may think the phone ringing feels like an interruption because it is an interruption.
But you don’t want the client or associate on the other end to have an inkling of that. That’s where professionalism comes into play. To make sure you always represent your brand and business well, here is how to answer the phone as a general contractor.
First Impressions Count
Other than possibly checking out your website or social media accounts, a potential customer is getting their first impression of your company based on how you pick up the phone. And it’s possible that they are feeling some anxiety on their end.
Usually, for the everyday person, a simple “Hello?” is a perfectly polite greeting, but not for a contractor and business owner. In fact, it can actually make things feel a little awkward for your caller.
It puts them in the position of making sure they reached the contractor they were trying to call. Do your callers often sound like, “Um, hi. I was trying to reach Dave’s Remodeling?” You can avoid that — and put callers at ease — by switching up how you answer the phone. You need to be on the offense, not waiting for your client to do all the work.
Say This Instead When You Answer the Phone
Here’s a useful formula for anytime you answer your work phone. You can customize this “script” so it still sounds like you, but here is a basic formula that works for pretty much every business owner.
- Choose a Greeting: “Hello?” (Or “Good morning.” “Hi, thanks for calling.” Something along those lines.)
- State your company name: “Dave’s Remodeling.”
- Tell them who they are speaking to: “This is Dave.”
- Prompt the next step: “Can/May I help you?” (Or “Are you calling to schedule a consultation?” or “Are you calling for an estimate?” could work, too.)
So, when you put it all together, it might sound something like this, “Good Morning! Dave’s Remodeling. This is Dave. How may I help you?”
Here’s another variance. “Hi, thanks for calling Dave’s Remodeling. This is Dave. Are you calling to schedule a consultation?”
It’s okay to change things up to make your greeting personal and work for your business. But, if you stick with something similar to that four-step script, you can know that how you answer the phone will always create a great impression. There’s no confusion about who needs to say what next. And your potential clients will know exactly what to do.
Remember to Offer Financing from HFS Financial
Once you’ve mastered the art of answering the phone, you’ll open yourself up to the potential of a full conversation where you can get a feel for your client’s needs and turn that potential client into an actual one.
Make sure you’re prepared to sell yourself as the awesome general contractor you are. Remember to remind them that you offer contractor financing for any number of their home improvement projects, from pole barn financing to swimming pool loans through HFS Financial.
Sometimes being the contractor who offers contractor financing will set you apart from the competition. So you never know when the next time you answer the phone will be your next job.
Looking for more tips to grow your contracting business? Learn how to offer financing through your home improvement business, and remember you can let HFS Financial work for YOU! “You Dream It, We Finance It.”