Get Your Calls Returned
A post from Credit Today on this very topic struck a cord with us. They mentioned a book by Robert Shook and Eric Yaverbaum titled, I’ll Get Back to You, which offers 156 ways to get your phone calls returned. (It’s out of print, however, used copies are available on Amazon.)
Credit professionals know this challenge all too well and are known for trying anything and everything to get a returned call. Collection calls are simply not the ones that get returned … they are the ones that get avoided.
Among the suggestions in the Credit Today article is to leave a message that mentions a competitor’s name. Something like, “Please give me a call back. I have a call into [competitors name] but would really like to speak with you first.”
Another clever approach outlined in the book is to call the CEO’s office and ask the assistant for the name of the best person to contact about the issue. The next phone call can then include, “I was given your name by the CEO’s office.” This carries clout and often opens the doors for voice-to-voice communication.
For a thorough approach that works well, consider crafting and sending an email outlining the purpose of your call. When you leave a voicemail, give them a heads up to look for the email. For some, feeling unprepared is the thing that keeps them from calling back. If you give them advanced knowledge of what you’re calling about, they can prepare and therefore, feel comfortable enough to return the call.