"Sorry, we don't give staff names out over the phone"

[Ashley_Price]

So, I was doing some cold calling yesterday, but I do research the businesses I'm calling and where possible I find out in advance the name of the person responsible for purchasing the office supplies.

Because I realise websites can sometimes be a little out of date, I double check that I have got the right person, so when I call I ask "Can I check, is Jane Smith, still the person responsible for buying the office supplies?" And I usually get a "yes" or occasionally a "no".

However, when I asked this of one firm yesterday, the receptionist said "I'm sorry, but for security reasons we don't give out staff names on the phone." (They were a firm of solicitors.)

So, they have all their staff listed on their website for the world to see, but they won't confirm them on the phone? Erm...

 

[AG Consult]

They probably get hammered with cold calls and the receptionist has just been told to give that as the objection.

I've heard a variation of objections over the years and they always make me laugh

 

[Emma Fryer]

Yep it's a cold call deterrent tactic!

 

[Scott@KarmaContent]

A company I worked for had a made up person they used to refer any cold callers to (You'll need to call back and speak to Sarah Johnson, she deals with that...). So gradually over time, you knew that anyone ringing up to speak to Sarah Johnson was a cold caller flogging SEO/stationery/recruitment/business utilities etc. It ended up being a very effective screening technique!

 

[Pish_Pash]

Did you get the receptionist's name?

 

[Paul Murray]

From http://www.winwithoutpitching.com/five-ways-into-a-new-account/

I was trying to get past a gatekeeper on an account I can no longer remember. I was having no luck and was getting frustrated. One day I tried again. “Who shall I say is calling?” came the usual first block from the assistant. A little exasperated, I found myself saying, “His mother.”

“I’m sorry?” She replied in disbelief to my male baritone voice.

“It’s his mother,” I replied as matter-of-factly as I could.

[the world’s longest pause]

“One minute, please.”

 

[Gecko001]

Frankly, I find it amazing that all the people the OP called did not refuse to give out information about their staff rather than just one. I have worked for a few firms before I started up on my own and giving out the names of staff to any cold-caller just because they asked, would have been treated very seriously by the management.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Frankly, I find it amazing that all the people the OP called did not refuse to give out information about their staff rather than just one.

I am only occasionally refused. I might get "We're perfectly happy with the suppliers we use now" or other responses, but I think most receptionists want to get the cold caller off the phone as quickly as possible and so just answer the question without thinking any more of it.

Looking at my recent call list, out of 50 calls, only four that I spoke to (as opposed to those who were engaged, went to voicemail etc.) did not give me the name of the person who was responsible for purchasing office supplies. This is a list that includes solicitors, accountants, architects, estate agents, dental practices, doctors surgeries and larger building firms.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Yep it's a cold call deterrent tactic!

Yes, I did think this, so next time I phone a firm I'm going to say "Can I just confirm your website is correct and that Jane Smith is responsible for purchasing the office supplies?"

 

[Emma Fryer]

Are there really companies out there that list staff responsibilities on their website?

 

[Ashley_Price]

Are there really companies out there that list staff responsibilities on their website?

Yes. Here is just ONE EXAMPLE (See the About Us page) - but of course there is also Linkedin. Often I can find the person on Linkedin and they list their day-to-day responsibilities there.

 

[Emma Fryer]

Good grief!

 

[Ashley_Price]

There are many firms that like to be more "personal" or "touchy feely" and they feel they can do this by letting you know more about the staff, their day-to-day responsibilities, even down to whether they are married, have children, what they do in their spare time... all sitting there on the website for the world and her dog to see.

 

[Gecko001]

I am only occasionally refused. I might get "We're perfectly happy with the suppliers we use now" or other responses, but I think most receptionists want to get the cold caller off the phone as quickly as possible and so just answer the question without thinking any more of it.

Looking at my recent call list, out of 50 calls, only four that I spoke to (as opposed to those who were engaged, went to voicemail etc.) did not give me the name of the person who was responsible for purchasing office supplies. This is a list that includes solicitors, accountants, architects, estate agents, dental practices, doctors surgeries and larger building firms.

You must have a telephone manner that is appealing and sounds trustful. I would not be too put off by responses like that solicitor's receptionist gave. Put it this way, if you knew that the solicitors' receptionist was free and easy with the information he/she was giving out to perfect strangers, would you be comfortable with being a client of theirs?

 

[Emma Fryer]

I wonder if the staff are all happy for this kind of stuff and their personal lives to be broadcast? I would NOT be.

 

[MBE1]

I'm amazed anyone cold calling finds this response unusual, it's a standard response. As mentioned if they gave the names out you would probably ring back a few hours later and try to talk to them direct, it's simply a barrier to help protect them from such calls.

I used to get the same when asking at reception in person, so I changed my line to "I'm here to see your shipping manager , Mr xxxxx" Very often the receptionist would reply I did not have an appointment and Mr yyyyy was there shipping manager, I would explain she had misunderstood, Mr xxxx was my name, and I was there to see Mr yyyyy, it worked 80% of the time.

 

[Ashley_Price]

To give one more example, I've done a quick search and in less than 10 minutes have found this firm of accountants, website and this lady in particular would be the one I'd try to contact.

SEE HERE

 

[Ashley_Price]

I'm amazed anyone cold calling finds this response unusual, it's a standard response.

I found it unusual because it was the first time I'd heard it - and from a firm that lists all its staff on the website.

So, not only did I know who I needed to speak to, I could have told the receptionist that the lady in question was married, had one child and played the violin (again all this was on the site).

 

[Emma Fryer]

So. if you had the information you needed why did you call and ask?

 

[Ashley_Price]

So. if you had the information you needed why did you call and ask?

As I said in my OP:

Because I realise websites can sometimes be a little out of date, I double check that I have got the right person,

 

[AG Consult]

One thing I have found pretty successful for getting through to the person I need to in the past, is that if I know the name of the person I need to speak to (Mr Smith for example), when the call is answered I simply just say 'Mr Smith, please'...... No 'hello', or 'can I speak to' etc

You will be surprised how many gatekeepers will just put you straight through

 

[Gecko001]

I wonder if the staff are all happy for this kind of stuff and their personal lives to be broadcast? I would NOT be.

Yes it is all a bit weird but there is a whole generation out there who expect that they will be named on their employer's website and will be disappointed if they are not. I suppose it can work for both the employee and the employer. The employer gives the employee a feeling that they are important (usually with the help of a very long and very faltering job title after their name) and the employer gets the opportunity to portray the firm as a group of real people that the customers can identify with. Personally I think it can all be a bit creepy sometimes.

 

[Ashley_Price]

I simply just say 'Mr Smith, please'...... No 'hello', or 'can I speak to' etc

Then they are pretty poor. I think @Emma Fryer would agree with me, and certainly when I owned a call answering service, we would still have asked who was calling and why.

However, I will agree that even if I am asking for the name of the relevant person (I've not been able to get it from their website) occasionally I've just been put through to the person.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Yes it is all a bit weird...

When I had the call answering service, we had a very basic website and I had been told by a couple of clients that it would be good if I had staff profiles up of the telephonists. When I checked with the telephonists, not one wanted any of their details up - not even their name.

Like you both, I assume the staff must be asked, especially with the amount of information some businesses put on their site.

 

[Gecko001]

One thing I have found pretty successful for getting through to the person I need to in the past, is that if I know the name of the person I need to speak to (Mr Smith for example), when the call is answered I simply just say 'Mr Smith, please'...... No 'hello', or 'can I speak to' etc

You will be surprised how many gatekeepers will just put you straight through

I hear that the last remaining member of the Hatton Garden gang is on the lookout for someone with your talents!

 

[Ashley_Price]

You must have a telephone manner that is appealing and sounds trustful.

I certainly try to be. I am polite, I announce who I am, and I have a smile on my face. Generally speaking in the first instance I am asking:

"Good morning. My name is Ashley. I am calling from Pavilion Office Products. Could I check if Jane Smith is still the person responsible for ordering the office supplies?"

or, if I haven't got the relevant person's name:

"Good morning. My name is Ashley. I am calling from Pavilion Office Products. I was just wondering if I could have the name of the person responsible for ordering the office supplies?"

I make sure I pronounce the business name a fraction slower than I would normally speak, just so they hear it clearly.

And as I've said above, most of the time this works.

Of course, it's a different matter if I then ask to be put through to the person, then my success rate drops down to about 40-50%.

But at all times I keep myself polite, respectful and sound positive.

 

[Emma Fryer]

One thing I have found pretty successful for getting through to the person I need to in the past, is that if I know the name of the person I need to speak to (Mr Smith for example), when the call is answered I simply just say 'Mr Smith, please'...... No 'hello', or 'can I speak to' etc

You will be surprised how many gatekeepers will just put you straight through

You might be surprised how many just think you are incredibly rude!

 

[AG Consult]

You might be surprised how many just think you are incredibly rude!

I don't need to worry about that though

 

[ls0709]

I don't do any cold calling so I'm not qualified to give advice but when I did have to do it for some work and had a company director (who smashed cold calls) watch me he told me never to say:

"I'm just calling" "I was just wondering" etc. His thoughts were if you're 'just' doing that then you are only interested in 'just' doing something for yourself and not the client you're hoping to win.

 

[Ashley_Price]

"I'm just calling" "I was just wondering" etc.

Or, as I see it, by saying this you are just doing something so you can let the person get on with their day as quickly as possible and not taking up their time.

 

[Gecko001]

I certainly try to be. I am polite, I announce who I am, and I have a smile on my face. Generally speaking in the first instance I am asking:

"Good morning. My name is Ashley. I am calling from Pavilion Office Products. Could I check if Jane Smith is still the person responsible for ordering the office supplies?"

or, if I haven't got the relevant person's name:

"Good morning. My name is Ashley. I am calling from Pavilion Office Products. I was just wondering if I could have the name of the person responsible for ordering the office supplies?"

I make sure I pronounce the business name a fraction slower than I would normally speak, just so they hear it clearly.

And as I've said above, most of the time this works.

Of course, it's a different matter if I then ask to be put through to the person, then my success rate drops down to about 40-50%.

But at all times I keep myself polite, respectful and sound positive.

You are being polite but you are still asking as a stranger if you could "check" something to do with their staff. I am surprised that it works to be honest. Are you sure you used the word "check" and that the staff knows that you have not had dealings with your firm before?

 

[David Griffiths]

You might be surprised how many just think you are incredibly rude!

Why is that? It's not a rare thing for firms not to screen calls with a gatekeeper. If you phone our office and ask for me, you'll be put straight through without being given the third degree about who you are and what the call is about.

I know of a lot of firms that do that - it's all part of removing barriers between the business and its customers. OK, I get all of the cold calls (who don't bother about the TPS) but I've been around long enough to deal with those, politely to start off with.

We've been doing it for well over 15 years.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Are you sure you used the word "check" and that the staff knows that you have not had dealings with your firm before?

Yes, I am sure I use the word "check"! Why would you not believe what I have typed?

And, people can take the word "check" in all sorts of different ways. If I am asked about it, I will say I got the information from their website. But at least I am being polite and making sure that I am going to be contacting the right person at some point. So by "checking" I don't waste the wrong person's time.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Why is that? It's not a rare thing for firms not to screen calls with a gatekeeper. If you phone our office and ask for me, you'll be put straight through without being given the third degree about who you are and what the call is about.

As someone who does call businesses a lot, I can say that it is only occasionally I am put through without being at least asked who I am, if not also why I am calling.

But then I admit I am calling solicitors, accountants, etc., so they obviously don't want their staff's time taken up with a cold caller, when they could be spending it working for their clients.

I know of a lot of firms that do that - it's all part of removing barriers between the business and its customers.

I don't think there is anything wrong with at least checking the name of the caller. If they are a customer, you have time to prepare for them before the receptionist puts the call through to you (or avoid them if they're a troublesome client!).

 

[David Griffiths]

I don't think there is anything wrong with at least checking the name of the caller. If they are a customer, you have time to prepare for them before the receptionist puts the call through to you (or avoid them if they're a troublesome client!).

I don't see how knowing the name helps you to prepare - how long do you have, just a couple of seconds basically?

And what is the point avoidng a troublesome client? Most people know when they have been fobbed off. At least if you tell somebody that the partner is unavailable before they give their name, they know that it's not personal to them.

It works well for us, and is still sufficiently unusual to be a good differentiator. Judging by your comment it's rarer that I thought.

 

[Ashley_Price]

I don't see how knowing the name helps you to prepare - how long do you have, just a couple of seconds basically?

Well, just from the point of view of when they are put through you're not thinking "Jane who?"

Of course, it does depend on how big your customer base is.

But I'm not saying you're doing anything wrong, @David Griffiths, if that's what works for you then that's great.

 

[TLMartin]

On a training course I went on... I heard a great way to get past gatekeepers

Make sure you have a PhD so you are Dr xxxxxx, so when they ask who is calling and you say Dr xxxxxx they just pass you straight through thinking it medical lol

 

[David Griffiths]

Make sure you have a PhD so you are Dr xxxxxx, so when they ask who is calling and you say Dr xxxxxx they just pass you straight through thinking it medical lol

I wonder how many people in the cold calling business have PhDs.

 

[patientlady]

On a training course I went on... I heard a great way to get past gatekeepers

Make sure you have a PhD so you are Dr xxxxxx, so when they ask who is calling and you say Dr xxxxxx they just pass you straight through thinking it medical lol

Just occurring to me one could just say Mr or Mrs instead of first name. I will try it next time I am cold calling

 

[Ian J]

A company I worked for had a made up person they used to refer any cold callers to

My sister and her husband run their own company and often get callers for Mr Zubliere all of whom insist that he is expecting their call. Mr Zubliere is her dog