Leave a Message at the Beep: Getting a Call Back from Voice Mail

When communicating by phone, do you find that your business calls, or those of your staff often go unreturned?  Are messages about appointment confirmations, or required  follow up activities ignored? Do your employees ever call a patient or supplier and hang up if they did not answer, because they assume they won't receive a return phone call? Wasted time, missed opportunities and poor PR are all results of note using business messaging appropriately. 

1)  Always leave a message.  With Caller ID technology, there are no anonymous calls!  Calling a customer, patient or client  hanging up is simply too risky. A hang-up call doesn't let them think the office is no longer trying to collect a bill, or that they are not due for some unpleasant follow-up procedure.  When professionals hang up thinking “if I don’t leave a message, they will never know we called.”, the caller is fooling themselves.  Of course the person knows you called!  Additionally, if you didn’t feel your call merited a message, why would your client, customer or colleague make an effort in calling back?  Ask yourself:  How many professional contacts are calling back after you hung up without leaving a message?

2)  Don't block your number.  Unless you are using a private cell phone, be sure the business number is not blocked, nor is the Caller ID listing some obscure legal entity name.  If you are calling from a business, make sure the name is accurately represented, so that you're not ignored as a telemarketer.

3)  Know what you are going to say.  If you or your staff are going to call a contact, be prepared to talk. Clearly state who you are and why you are calling.  Leave the phone number and direct extension, so the person can avoid your voice mail tree.  If there are HIPPA issues, make sure that discretion does not mean they have no idea who you are and what the message means.  In that instance create a standard message, or have patients sign a waiver allowing certain numbers approved for voice mail messages.

4)  If you never get call backs, re-evaluate the messages left. Change it  if it’s not working. Your customer is sending you a message.  Pay attention!  The reason most voice mail messages don’t generate call backs  (note: this rule does not apply to your teenage kids!).   Most messages are about your needs, not your client or patient.  Leaving voice mails that record your name, company name and the request to call you back simply does not motivate folks to call back.   Leaving messages with the above and talking about a bill due, a product, procedure or service will not get a call back either.

5)  Don’t avoid leaving messages because you've already called several times. If you don’t want to bother the other person, then don’t call in the first place. Assume they are not avoiding your call and leave a message!

6)  So how do you get folk to return calls?   Simply change your message  by putting an outcome or action  into the message.   Let them know the benefit the person will get from calling back.   "We are now offering this service in our clinic, you can get in 3 weeks earlier and save money over using the hospital.  Please call us this week to insure there is space on the schedule."   This will make a difference in the return rate.  You can even offer a discount if patients call back to settle up an outstanding bill by a certain date.  But, let them know that in the voice mail!

Bottom line, if you want your business voice mail messages returned, then give the colleague, client or patient a good enough reason to do so.

Note:  The thoughts and opinions on Training Wheels are my own, unless otherwise referenced, and are to be food for thought.  If contemplating business changes, these blog posts are not a substitute for consulting your lawyer or accountant. I"ll bet you already figured that out, didn't you?