Who's minding the store?

Through eighteen years of sales and marketing, I've had contact with countless small business owners...or at least with the people who answer the phone.

Today, I conducted an experiment...I made a few phone calls, to get a read on who it is who's answering business calls these days.

I made ten calls, here's what I got:

1 call went directly to a voice recording telling me my subject was out of the office, and would return July 20. That's good information...if today wasn't July 27.

3 calls were answered by people who barely spoke English. OK, I get it, we're a diverse society...I have no problem with that...but if you're doing business in Wisconsin, and the person receiving calls for you does not speak English...you have a major problem.

2 calls ended with me hanging up, because apparently there are no human beings there, only voicemail options. Forget it. If I need more information before I make a purchase...you'd better have an actual person in your building.

1 call went to an answering service. I took that as a good sign, until the person spoke. Please folks, if you're being paid to take business calls...try not to sound 15. "Um, ok, so, Mike should call you back, or you want to call him back, or what?"...just didn't move me in the direction I'm sure Mike would have preferred.

This leaves me with the Lonely Three. Three of my ten calls were handled by well-trained individuals who listened to my needs, asked appropriate questions, and directed me to the person best-suited to serve me.

I understand how small this sample was, but I have a feeling I'd have reached the same conclusion even if I'd made a thousand calls. Many, if not most, small and medium sized businesses are losing sales because the person answering their phone is not up to the task.

Honestly now, hasn't the economic downturn hurt you enough all by itself?

Is there any chance poor phone skills are costing you money?