Is 24/7 call answering necessary?

[sm1]

Hi all,

As part of the concierge service - which I don't seem to shut up about (sorry! ) we were looking at 24/7 call answering, so that the client could notify us of a task that needs completing. It would have been a basic message, who they are and what they need doing (briefly as we will follow up).

Do you think this is necessary or could we do with a VOIP voicemail and then have voicemail to email and then use that?

Cheers

 

[Real World Hypnotherapy]

If you have 24/7 answering then you need someone to answer the phone, not just leave a message.

I suggest using a company like alldaypa (they are on here) and they can answer the phones for you. It can work out costly though as it can be about £1 per call. You need to work out if it is worth it and will it actually increase value to your service.

Don't add services to things for the sake of it. Ask the people who use it if they actually want it.

Matt

 

[Cornish Steve]

It can work out costly though as it can be about £1 per call. You need to work out if it is worth it and will it actually increase value to your service.

£1 per call is peanuts compared with the cost of setting up your own call answering capability or losing business because of angry customers. There's usually a monthly minimum, though.

 

[Real World Hypnotherapy]

I agree that it is much cheaper then hiring staff etc, but does the service require it? That is all I am asking. As this cost will have to be passed onto the customers in some way.

Matt

 

[Cornish Steve]

I agree that it is much cheaper then hiring staff etc, but does the service require it? That is all I am asking. As this cost will have to be passed onto the customers in some way.

You're right. It depends completely on what Stefan promises his customers and hopes to achieve.

 

[Trish Barker Telecom]

We offer non geo numbers with a voicemail facility, it will give you the facility to put in multiple destination numbers and set up a voicemail on your number.
The voicemail will be emailed as a wav file. You also have the option of receiving missed call alerts, if the person calls but does not leave a message. Alternatively, you also have the option to specify a mobile number to receive text alerts for voicemails. The text will contain information about the call so that you can dial the administration line to listen to the message left for you. You will have an admistration line number with your own individual id and pin to access your voicemails anywhere and anytime. The administration line can be used to set up your own personal greeting, auto attendent can also be set up on this. I have just mentioned in another thread Asda and Ticket Master use this platform. The cost will purely be relating to your numbers depending on which type you opt for, whether it is funded by yourself or the customer calling. There are no cost relating to the services you get with your numbers and our rates are very competitive.

 

[An Oasis]

For this type of service I'd expect it to be factored in and it to be 24/7/365.

 

[murdoch]

As part of the concierge service - which I don't seem to shut up about (sorry! ) we were looking at 24/7 call answering, so that the client could notify us of a task that needs completing. It would have been a basic message, who they are and what they need doing (briefly as we will follow up).

Do you think this is necessary or could we do with a VOIP voicemail and then have voicemail to email and then use that?

yeah its a dilemna whether to bother to run a 24hr fully 'on call' service.
I would suggest don't bother initially, just accept sms or voicemail overnight, but keep answering the calls till either late at night eg 11pm, or start early eg 6.30 am. Unless you have a big team, it will wear you out and you will just have people call you late at night about minor questions etc.
It also depends on your target market and avaerage spend/client I guess.
Better to run it like this initially- and with your BEST/GOOD clients, you can always give them a 24 hr private emergency mobile number for them to call.

 

[oldeagleeye]

Stefan. You already have the answer to your question. You are planning to offer a concierge service to VIP's or successful business folk. That is a personal service and your customers will expect you to be on call 24/7.

I have a friend who provides VIP close protection to Arab Princes and wealthy middle east businessmen and it is an 18 hr day & night gig. Usually sightseeing and shopping during the day and clubbing at night.

As for the logistics. My pal works on a mobile phone and it has to be switched on answered every call. No voicemail or the like. What good is that if a customer feels hungry and wants a kosher sarnie at 4 am - let alone a massage from a long legged blonde lady and that is how personal these concierge or temp PA servcies get.

If your looking at a 9 -5 job then - forget it mate. These guys don't mind paying money for service - but they will expect a first rate service bar none. The rewards however can be high. You can expect £300-£500 a day when a successful businessman or woman is over her one a 3 day jaunt. Your also eat well in the best hotels but drinking booze whether on duty or on call is a no no. You have to wait till they are packed off to the airport.

Get in with the rich Arabs and Russians and don't be surprised to get a £5,000 Gold Rolex at the end of the stint too as a thank you. No style the Arabs however. Breitling is far smarter.

Oh. One other thing. Make sure that you know where to hire a Mercedes and driver or better still a Bentley by the hour. It is an essential part of the kit. (Actually my mate bungs a chaufeur from an embassy a few quid and gets the benefit of the CD plate too) Rob

*Kosher. Coudn't remember the Muslim word to fit.

 

[Rufford]

Hi all,

As part of the concierge service - which I don't seem to shut up about (sorry! ) we were looking at 24/7 call answering, so that the client could notify us of a task that needs completing. It would have been a basic message, who they are and what they need doing (briefly as we will follow up).

Do you think this is necessary or could we do with a VOIP voicemail and then have voicemail to email and then use that?

Cheers

Works for me.. http://www.armchairanswercall.com/

Cheap too

 

[An Oasis]

If you are asking questions about phones I suspect that you have not done enough research. Look at the top results in G

http://www.tenlifestyle.com/

And you list of services and contact network should include...
http://www.headconcierge.com/complete.html

 

[oldeagleeye]

Nice one Oasis. There is obviously a 'well of knowledge' in amongst those palm trees of yours too or should I say little grey cells.

I must admit my own was a bit outdated but the pricing wasn't far wrong @ £25 quid an hr - though I think that is at the cheap end. I also know a woman that provides professional hostess services at business functions and she charges £75 an hour of which the girls get £50 an hr. All above board of course. She sent some 10 hostesses/glorified waitresses along to a jolly up by senior police offices recently. That worked out over £3,000 quid which came out of OUR rates just so the top cops had pretty faces serving bloody drinks to them. I hate to think what the wine and lobster bill came to.

It's no wonder then that Sir Ian Blair can't see what all the fuss is about over his £400K goodbye handshake. Bloody big brown envelope in my view.

Stefan. Don't work cheap. Specialise on the language side and nip into a few West End hotels. You find quite a few professional ladies in the bars there to form your own nice little network.

Make sure they are blondes though. There ain't too many in the Asia and the East the businessmen love to have one on their arm when they go clubbing. The rest - your too young to know about.

 

[cjd]

I think your a bit muddled between a 24/7 message taking service and a 24/7 service.

If you need a message taking service, there's not much difference between using a human or a machine. Using a human gives you more options, possibly a better image and more flexibility - they can make some judgement calls and follow a script - but in the end they just take and/or forward a message.

I suspect what your customers will want though is a 24/7 service - they'll want to talk to the guy that can help them bribe the doorman to the London club at 4am - not some girl on night shift in a call centre unrelated to your business.

 

If your flogging world wide then communications must be 24/7.

Earl

 

[sm1]

Cheers guys It is a 24/7 call answering service I'm after. Thanks for that

 

[sm1]

Sorry for such a vague response after everyone's effort - I was typing on iPod Touch so it was a small issue!

I have researched this and so many concierge services only work 9-5 :O completely shocking as peoples lifestyles don't end at 5! We're looking at 8am til 11pm that we can carry out tasks. I was balancing up voicemail vs a call answering service 24/7. May go for the 24/7 call answering, the only problem is that some operators can be a little bored. We really need passion on the phone I think give the 99p a call people go, see if it goes horrendously wrong and then go from there!

Gives me something to think about

Cheers

 

[An Oasis]

If that gave you something to think about then I suggest that your competiton is either **** or has the market cornered.

For A SERVICE LIKE THIS IF YOU CAN'T DELIVER ON ALL THE BASICS YOU WILL DIE.

BTW how much can you bank roll this by? I got my calc out and hit £250,000 before I gave up due to the amount of variables.

 

[cjd]

We really need passion on the phone

And

I think give the 99p a call people go

You want to think that through and try again?

Sorry, it's late.

Look, a concierge service is personal - employ somebody to answer the phones 24/7 and provide the service (ie provide a 24/7 service) or use voicemail and don't pretend. All answering services do is pass on a message and confuse the caller.

What will happen is that your customer will ring your number asking for, I don't know - to find a taxi to Lands End to see the sunrise - and your 99p girl will say she can take a message.

The caller thinks he's talking to your company and there'll then be a row. The service supervisor will call you at 9am to complain that one of your customers has abused one of her operators. So you've lost the customer and the service.

Not the answer - do it properly or don't bother.

 

[oldeagleeye]

Stefan. You haven't taken on board what most of us have told you. Forget voicemail or call answering and you can forget 9-5 and 8am to 11 pm too. These guys want a personal service - ON DEMAND and 24/7.

You also seem to think that all these people will want when it comes to a personal or concierge service is someone to arrange a bit of sightseeing or pop down to Harrods to pick something up before the store closes. Forget it. They will be a hell of a lot more demanding than that. Let me spell it out again.

They will want - neh expect an amiable companion that knows his way around London and other sights of interest around the country. If it's a woman client she will want a charming excort for dinner. Whatever gender they want someone that can get them in the clubs and fancy restaraunts - and many will want the most personal of services afterwards and expect you to be able to pick up the phone and supply them - and if you can't it will be your ars- they will want - one way or another.

Put you toy Ipod away then mate. You are about to enter the grown-ups world of the Tower and Grovernor Hotels. Kings Cross and Soho where the action starts at 11 pm. If you think you can sign off at that time and rely on a 99p phone service your getting into the wrong business. Rob

 

[sm1]

Cheers all -

Firstly something to clarify (mainly for Rob I believe)... the service is a remote service, there is no contact with people. Sorry for not mentioning this before.

Rich - I see what you're saying, but what do you mean by the last bit?

Colin - Thanks for the points raised. I'll be asking clients what it is that they want. Services are to be determined by them at the end of the day.

Rob - Thanks for the points, I see what you're saying.

 

[cjd]

yeh, but you're going to go ahead in the way you fisrt thought of anyway aren't you? ;-)

 

[sm1]

Colin - It's something that I'm going to be thinking through. For a startup with no clients, it's a balance. A balance of providing a great service and at a cost. For our costs, we couldn't keep the business going 24/7 now. I think some don't realise that our business isn't going to be for the ELITE OF THE ELITE. Yes clients will expect a lot and it's a higher value service, but there are plenty that will just use it on an as and when basis. 24/7 is only an option with a large premium.

(sorry thought I'd posted this earlier!)

Cheers

 

[sm1]

Colin - It's something that I'm going to be thinking through. For a startup with no clients, it's a balance. A balance of providing a great service and at a cost. For our costs, we couldn't keep the business going 24/7 now. I think some don't realise that our business isn't going to be for the ELITE OF THE ELITE. Yes clients will expect a lot and it's a higher value service, but there are plenty that will just use it on an as and when basis. 24/7 is only an option with a large premium.

(sorry thought I'd posted this earlier!)

Cheers

 

[sm1]

Some info I should have shared

This is from some recent research from Carla (WYN Research)

10. What would be most important to you in a lifestyle management partner?


Someone that really understand me and my ongoing needs 76%
Excellent customer service 49%
Someone that is available 24 hours a day 4%
Someone that is available after standard working hours 39%
A company that can offer my discounts on products/services/events 35%

Something rather important I should have shared!

 

[oldeagleeye]

IT's A REMOTE SERVICE. Now he tells us. That's not a concierge service Stefan . That is a bog standard virtual p.a service and we have some in this forum offering to take call calls at 99p. Presumabely the same price for outbound too. Hardly going to attract any Russian millionaires is it. What's more our Officebird and her mates will beat the living daylights out of you if you set up shop next door to them.

I am afraid to say then that now we know your business model Stefan it is a no brainer because as with the mobile phones there is just too much competition out there driving down prices and in the end I doubt your earn enough to cover the cost of your ipod each month.

My advice now then would be invest in a big shovel. They say there is going to be a lot of snow this Xmas.

 

[sm1]

sorry for the confusion Rob - It's not a bog standard PA service as it focusses more on lifestyle rather than work life. Unfortunately it's an industry littered with corporate shodder... so everyone has different meanings.

Sara does mainly focus on B2B work although she does offer Lifestyle Management (just to clarify, nothing wrong with that - purely just discussing it). Where as we will mainly be on the lifestyle side than the secretarial and admin

There is part of the business model that I'm not writing about here, but it can add a twist.

Cheers

P.S. - Stop making it personal by bringing my iPod into this

 

[oldeagleeye]

Frankly Stefan you will earn more offering a walk the dog service in Mayfair than what you plan if that is all you mean by lifestyle.

Are you going to offer a butler of chef service for the day as well because that is the 'in' thing these days. It doesn't sound like it. How can you have any lifestyle service over the phone. Seems to me buddy that your not even going to offer a basic p.a service - so what's left.

A customer that wants a curry perhaps so he phones you. He then finds your phone is on divert and goes to a call centre in Manchester. Unfortunately the young lady there hasn't got a London yellow pages directory. Some concierge service and a complete waste of time.

Lifestyle Stefan is about hassle free services on demand and Gawd help you if you get a pregnant woman as a customer if you don't know where to buy gluten free - non fatterning ice cream at 3 am in the morning.

 

[sm1]

Rob, Lots of these services are offered virtually - just like a VA. The calls is all an idea, and obviously due to the feedback. I will be thinking this through.

I am sure this won't fail... I've got plenty of ideas of how it can work

 

[cjd]

I am sure this won't fail... I've got plenty of ideas of how it can work

I admire your ambition but this all seems terribly 'metoo' and 5 years too late - again. Can you say what it is that makes you different?

Take it as read that you have a deep passion for it and are determined to make it work come hell and high water and all that dragon's den bullsh1t - what is the bottom line, sh1t or bust, balls in your hand idea?

Don't worry about spilling the beans, everybody here with half a chance of implementing your idea is far too busy trying to make their own work to worry about nicking yours.

 

[sm1]

Cheers Colin, I realise that the answer I provided above in response to Rob was rather **** and weak... I hold my hands up and can honestly say I wrote complete toot

As it has been discussed before, I haven't worked as a PA. What I do have though, is the ability to employ (on a freelance basis) those who have worked, in some good positions as PA's (I will be checking references). We are going to be 'harnessing' some good talent. We hope to put it to good use in the services we offer.

I agree - at the moment the service isn't going to be revolutionary. We're going to offer a great level of service and differ in the approach etc. Whether it's enough only time will tell.

Hope this provides some more info... sorry for being so vague

 

[cjd]

Oh well, I can only wish you luck with it but, as they, say, I'm out

 

[sm1]

No worries - thanks for the constructive criticism I am finding it hard to say what I need to say which is why my responses are weak (no excuse I know)...

 

[oldeagleeye]

"As it has been discussed before, I haven't worked as a PA. What I do have though, is the ability to employ (on a freelance basis) those who have worked, in some good positions as PA's (I will be checking references). We are going to be 'harnessing' some good talent. We hope to put it to good use in the services we offer.

I agree - at the moment the service isn't going to be revolutionary. We're going to offer a great level of service and differ in the approach etc. Whether it's enough only time will tell."

Stefan. You have just described the perfect recipe for failure. You haven't worked as a PA yourself. So how do you know if anyone is good ?.

You have the ability to employ freelance PA's. Where are the ability skills there. You mean you will try to recruit self-employed PA's because you don't have any money to employ them.

You are going to be 'harnessing' some good talent. Why would any remotely competent PA or VA want to come and work for you let alone a good one on a commission only basis. They might just as well set up shop on their own and cut you out of the loop.

And what at the end of the day. Just another mediocre phone service and one that is not even going to offer basic VA services let alone those of a concierge. Words like 'higher value' service then are meaningless.

Your reference to that survey is meaningless. I quote the number one requirement. " Someone that really understand me and my ongoing needs 76%.".

Have you ever spoken to a concierge Stefan to ascertain what those needs might be ???. I doubt it but the demands that will be expected are in the answer anyway. The word 'me' means me personally or the customer anyway.

How can you understand anyone's personal needs at the other end of a phone. I am not going to go through what clients expect when it comes to 'personal' needs again because I have already told you what just a few of those might be - and that is not just the elite of the elite that will expect them..

It could be just a business woman down from Leeds who would like to visit a certain restaurant and needs an escort to have dinner with. It could be a working mother that needs someone to take the kids to school for a few days because the usual arrangement feel through.

These are not ideas Stefan. They are basic requirements for a personal concierge service and you can be sure of one thing. If you are thinking that you have any fresh ideas for a remote service - forget it. There are others that have over 5 years experience on you.

As Colin said. Passion and taking the do and die attitude is one thing and you might fancy diving into the freezing cold waters of the Thames come January - but walk on water mate you can not even if it looks frozen. In fact I think that this whole business plan is so thin that you must have written it on a Rizla and a small one at that.

Time to look at the fundamentals again Stefan and for any small business to stand any chance of success today they are these. Find a niche market and see where you can provide genuine and real added value over competitors. Be better than anyone else and to lead a team that means being better than your own staff too because if you don't understand the market and how to exploit it - don't expect them to. Make sure that your overall business plan makes it all worthwhile.

If - and I repeat if you have at least those fundamentals in place - only then can you choose to ignore sensible advice and mine is look at the numbers again too because they simply don't add up if you intend living off the back of employing staff be it commission ot otherwise.

That and please stop thanking everyone. It is making my posts look like I am some nice gentleman from Virginia Waters instead of the man with the gruesome old eagle eye and grusesome it is. In fact it is almost as scary as Lings laugh.

 

[sm1]

Rob -

Firstly, I thank anyone who makes a valid contribution to one of my threads. It's the minimum I can do to show I appreciate your constructive contribution.

Rob, when people employ people, they have not necessarily worked in every role that they're employing people into. We're employing people on a freelance basis for a simple reason - we're not going to have enough clients to justify full time workers. It's just highly inefficient to employ resources full time.

Why does anyone work for other companies? Why doesn't everyone cut corporates out of the loop and offer their services on a self employed basis? It's the way people work. Maybe they want the security of working for others? Maybe they need it to be flexible from our side?

Understanding someones needs can be done over the phone or internet. It's getting to understand them, which can be done by voice... it doesn't have to be face to face.

Cheers

 

[Hogrill]

Understanding someones needs can be done over the phone or internet. It's getting to understand them, which can be done by voice... it doesn't have to be face to face.

Cheers

The only point id make is that understanding the customers needs is possibly the easiest part in this set up.

Being able to then satisfy those needs is what will make the difference between success and failure.

To do this you are going to need a lot of contacts to make sure you achieve this. If you haven't then customers will not be hanging round and will be difficult to get back.

Not knocking you and hope it works out.

 

[sm1]

Thanks Hogrill - as mentioned the people we hope to use will be bringing contacts, and we will be developing them

 

[Hogrill]

I saw a programme a few weeks backs and it was looking at the impact of the credit crunch.

They went to a company in London who organise things for their clients and I couldnt believe the example they gave.

They had organised for a premiership footballer to go round the house of a client and have a kick about in the back garden with their young son.

They wouldn't say how much they charged or which player it was but just shows the things that people will pay for.

 

[Sphinx]

. It could be a working mother that needs someone to take the kids to school for a few days because the usual arrangement feel through.

These are not ideas Stefan. They are basic requirements for a personal concierge service and you can be sure of one thing. .

So full CRB checks would be needed all round.

 

[sm1]

Hogrill - Anything is possible! I've been lucky enough to stay in some top hotels. This year I was in Cannes, South of France... the hotel provide these books about the hotel and in it they shared some of the requests they've had such as sourcing a certain type of milk from an obscure corner of the world for a guest and all of the weird and wonderful things they can do! It's proof anything is possible.

Sphinx - No we won't be working directly with children, but I am CRB'd if we need to

Cheers

 

[oldeagleeye]

Rob -

Firstly, I thank anyone who makes a valid contribution to one of my threads. It's the minimum I can do to show I appreciate your constructive contribution.
It was a JOKE Stefan

Rob, when people employ people, they have not necessarily worked in every role that they're employing people into. We're employing people on a freelance basis for a simple reason - we're not going to have enough clients to justify full time workers. It's just highly inefficient to employ resources full time.
Getting quality staff is tough enough if you pay them £50K a year. Where do you expect these wonderful talented people to come from. Could it be that you met a few young ladies in Cannes ???. Bye the way. As the BOss or team leader you DO have to know how to do every job - even sweeping up because staff will always let you down and they do get ill - or pregant.

Why does anyone work for other companies? Why doesn't everyone cut corporates out of the loop and offer their services on a self employed basis? It's the way people work. Maybe they want the security of working for others? Maybe they need it to be flexible from our side?
Pray tell me. What SECURITY is there in working commission only for a start-up with no money or at least very limited funds. As for flexible. It is the customer that rules. You can be a flexible as you like Stefan - it make no difference if the phone rings when you have all gone home.

Understanding someones needs can be done over the phone or internet. It's getting to understand them, which can be done by voice... it doesn't have to be face to face.
It seems that you have learned nothing from this forum mate. Get the semantics even slightly wrong and the handbags come out. Why are all those smileys on here - because it can be difficult to get any messgae acrosss without body language. In any event I suggest you rent one of the 2 Ronnies Videos which has the ' 4 andles ' sketch. Not everyone speaks perfect English.

Cheers

And to you buddy and I hope I don't appear to be negative but constructive but don't get too carried away with what that top class hotel in the South of France can do. It takes 20 years to become a time served concierge and even then they work on a wink and a discreet tip slipped into those nice white gloves and that is the sort of personal service you can't get on a phone.

Hope you prove me wrong though. Then you can write a book about your success. If so may I suggest the title of ' One young man and an iphone '. Not bad eh. I started my busines career at school with a 'cricket bag full of oranges' because the so called regular supplier failed to turn up on sports days. I actually earned a lot of money but as a title for a book it doesn't have the same ring to it somehow. Rob

You can teach a plumber how to become a pilot and fly an airplane but you can't teach anyone how to become an entrepreneur. It's in the blood and boy don't we give it sometimes. Welcome to the Club Stefan.