Set Business Hours

Set Business Hours
It will be very important for you to establish regular business hours. Credibility is hard to come by,
but especially if you work out of your home. Your customers will take you more seriously if they
see that you are operating on a schedule. If you are not available when they call, you will soon find
that they will be looking elsewhere for the same service or product.
When you are required to be away from your business during normal working hours, be sure that
you have provided for a way to take a message and return your customer's call. Invest in a good
answering machine and leave a new message telling when you will be back in your office and
assuring the customer that you will return the call.
I knew one business owner who continually left the message, "I am away from my office right now
and will return in two hours." The problem was that the caller never knew what time the message
was left or when the two hours would be up. A better message would have been, "I have an
appointment with a client and will be back in my office at 2 p.m." Also be sure to ask for a name
and phone number and offer to return the call.