The calls you miss with a loaded roller
Cutting in a ceiling, hanging paper or halfway through a coat of gloss: that is when the phone rings, and you cannot stop without spoiling the finish. Someone looking for a decorator often rings two or three names and books whoever calls back first. Tilly answers every call in your business name, day and night, and sends you the job while you keep painting.
What she asks about the job
- Which rooms or areas: walls, ceilings, woodwork, wallpapering, or outside work such as windows, fascias and render.
- Whether it is a home or a business.
- The address, or at least the town and postcode.
- When they would like the work done, and any date it must be finished by, such as a house sale or a new tenancy.
- Their name and the best number to call back on, read back to check.
Every message is emailed to you with a short summary, ready for you to ring back and arrange a look. Urgent messages are texted to you on Pro and Business.
Quotes and prices
Most decorating work is priced after a look. She never quotes a price you have not listed: she says you will confirm a price once you have seen the job. If you do publish prices, such as a day rate or a price per room, add them and she quotes them in your words.
Busy seasons and full diaries
Spring and the weeks before Christmas fill up fast. Tell her in plain English how far ahead you are booked, and she passes it on, so nobody is promised a start date you cannot keep. When you are away, a holiday closure message tells callers when you are back, and she still takes every message.
Covering your area
When a caller gives a postcode, she checks where it is and how far it is from your base, and answers from the areas you cover. If she is not sure, she says you will confirm and takes the details.
Put the same on your Google Business Profile: the areas you cover, and every job you do with a line on what it involves. Here is how to add services to your Google Business Profile.
Built on our trades set-up
Painters and decorators start from the same set-up as our receptionist for trades and home services: the questions, the safety rules and the urgent words. When you sign up, choose "Trades and home services" as your industry, then add your services, your areas and how far ahead you are booked.