How accessable should a dealer be?
 

Those that know me know I am reachable all the time,home phone is listed,cell phone posted everywhere. If your boat broke on Sunday,would you call me at home at 7:30 Sunday nite,or would you wait till Mon morning?Having friends over tonite,customer with a 3 year old boat calls me at home,has a starter problem.I cannot fix his starter over the phone Sun nite,but our tech guys can fix it Mon at the shop. My Chevy dealer is a close friend,but if my new truck broke today,I would not call him at home,I would call his service dept Mon.I have never had an unlisted #,maybe it's time.Sorry to vent,but I guess I need opinions. How accessable should I be?I need some free time away from business, just like anyone.

According to you, you've had your numbers available for years......that doesn't mean you HAVE to answer the phone!!!!...get caller ID if needed.

I agree, I would not call someone on a Sunday night when a Monday call wouldn't change a thing....I have tried calling a shop an hour or 2 after hours hoping to get through but I'm refering to business lines, not cell phones or home phones. Quietly remove those numbers and only post a main number you plan to take those phone calls on..

Amen !!!!!

MagicFloat ,

I feel your pain .... I am a dealer as well (car) and I know exactly what you are talking about.
A good analogy is "McDonalds doesn't serve breakfast past 11am","guess what it's past 11am ......"
You are absolutely with in your right to vent on this ......

I have never had to call on you for your expertise but ..... anyone on here knows you are the man ...... so try and take it as a compliment when someone calls you but remind them SHOP IS CLOSED until tomorrow.

Good luck .....

Jeff

Being in a customer service business as well, if you give them the ability to call you on your time they will and they will not feel bad about it.
If your business is closed for service on Sunday or other times then it is best to let the message machine explain your business hrs and the customer can leave a message. You can call back if you want to if you are looking to exceed your customers expectations after your posted service hrs. But when you do it once then it becomes expected from there on.
You know, you just cannot please everyone even when you try. Just my $02

I have two cell numbers one for work and one for the weekend.Friday at 5:00 work one gets shut off and doesn't come back on intill Monday.Only family and friends have the weekend number.

Robert, I feel your pain, friends/family have no qualms about calling me at all hours of the day or night, weekends, holidays because their vehicle broke,,,and peoples toys seem worse because they want them NOW when they want to play. I have all of my emergency #'s posted on the door of my shop and I've had customers call me at 9:00 pm on friday night wanting me to come down and open up so they can pick up or leave their vehicle,,,,,maybe I'm wrong but to me that's not an emergency just because the can't be inconvienced to make it during normal business hours. I agree with Expensive Date, get a second phone, and when your done taking business calls,,,turn the work phone off.

I agree with everyone else. Business is closed, then it's closed. Personally, I'm on call frequently on weekends and week nights, but, I work at a nuclear power plant. I'm on call for emergency situations. Someone's broken boat is certainly not an emergency.

I can see giving your personal number to friends you've sold boats to especially good customers but, as was stated above, that will also eventually get around and every goof with a fouled spark plug will be calling on Sunday at 5pm.

So, if our moral support means anything, you have it. Depost your number.

Robert, I agree with the above. I'd be available during normal business hours.

Robert,

Being a business owner myself, I understand what you are feeling. Unfortunately, you too are only human and deserve the same"OFF TIME" as your customers do. If anyone gets their panties bunched up because you don't answer on a Sunday, they will likely be over it by Monday when you are open.

My clients are advised that I list my office phone and cell phone numbers on my card for them to reach me. My home number is listed in the phone book and if they have an EMERGENCY they can reach me there as well.

In 11 years I've only had 1 call at home because a loved one had passed away and they thought I should know about it. I wasn't upset about the phone call, but was about the death. That, I considered an emergency. If I receive a call "after hours" that can wait, I just tell them I am away from my resources and cannot help them at the moment. Please call my office and leave a message, and I will get back to them as soon as I can, period....We all deserve some time off.

Unlist your home phone and turn off the cell!!

Dave