If you missed a phone call, but they did not leave a message, would you call them back? (You can see their number because you have caller ID)
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Carolyn
Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.
Mark Twain
Missed phone calls
Posted on Wed, 03/17/2010 - 10:13pm
Like Morticia said, it has to be immediate.
I call and say "Hi, this is Kathy from College House B&B in Ashland. Someone there just called my number and I'm sorry I missed the call." We get a lot of wrong numbers for apartments in town.
I agree, people want immediate gratification. It's rare that I even miss the call as I forward the phones to my cell when I'm out, but sometimes I don't make it to the handset in time or some other fluke happens.
It's gotten me enough reservations to be worth the bother.
=)
Kk.
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The orig post said THEY DID NOT LEaVE A MESSG that means they COULD have. She didn't say if you were on the other line and didn't want to be rude and put your caller on hold.
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Kindness not only makes the coffee. Kindness says good morning.
That's the only scenario when I've called someone - If I've been on the line and didn't click over to pick up the other call. If they called and got the answering machine and didn't leave a message, I didn't call them back.
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"You can't blame gravity for falling in love." ~ Albert Einstein
The orig post said THEY DID NOT LEaVE A MESSG that means they COULD have. She didn't say if you were on the other line and didn't want to be rude and put your caller on hold.
I don't understand the difference. If I am on the phone and the call waiting beeps, the new person calling in gets our voice mail and has no idea I'm on the other line. They have chosen not to leave a message on the voice mail. Isn't that the same thing?
I do. I carry the phone on a clip on my belt so I rarely miss a call, but If I do, I will call them back even if they don't leave a message.
The thing that irks me is the folks who come to the door and wait 30 seconds and leave. Although i have a 'PLEASE RING BELL FOR INNKEEPER' brass plaque directly under the bell. They don't realize I have multiple buildings. I missed a couple who showed up on a motorcycle yesterday because I couldn't get to the door before they decided to leave. That was lost revenue for sure.
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Never approach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear or a fool from any direction.
I think people get antsy standing in a strange place waiting. I find that they're generally halfway to the car and I'm usually 20 steps from the door when they ring. A friend has a sign that reads, 'Innkeeper is in other building, please ring bell and hang on, I'll be right there!'
But that's kind of long to put on a plaque!
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Spare me the perky.
But they didn't ask you to call them back. I don't get why you call them if they didn't leave a message?
I was looking at some of those unique cards online and just to figure out s&h I had to put them in my cart, I then had an email asking me why I abandoned my cart?
Because I get reservations from it!! $$$$$$$
This is very different from your situation online. When online, we think we're anonymous and we're not trying to interact with live people.
People want instant gratification. I'm one of those people that would not leave a message if they didn't answer the phone when I called. When I do call back most of the time they are surprised and very happy. They know that I care that they called and I want their business. I only call back if it's a matter of minutes of missing their call.
Sometimes I will be on the phone making a reservation or speaking with a future guest when the call waiting beep happens. I will not put my guest on hold to answer the other line because I think it's rude. I finish up my call, then check my caller ID. If it's not a number I recognize, I'll call them back.
I call back because if it is not the number of a spammer then it is a guest who is not patient enough to wait for a callback. They are booking NOW, not booking online, wanting to talk to someone and I have a lot of competition and a lot of bills.
But, it has to be immediate. If they called an hour ago it's too late.
I often call back and I get business out of 50% of those call backs. I simply say, I see someone called from your number.
If it is meant to be a surprise, they usually leave a message to the effect. 
I do if it's right away.
Someone did that to me this week... I'd called to get a piano tuner, the lady who answered sounded unprofessional, and I'd just left a message for another piano tuner, and I thought I had another call, so I just hung up. The husband called back right away, came promptly to tune my piano (unlike the other guy who never called back), and was wonderful.
So yeah, I do, and I've gotten reservations that way.
=)
Kk.
I do if it's right away.
Someone did that to me this week... I'd called to get a piano tuner, the lady who answered sounded unprofessional, and I'd just left a message for another piano tuner, and I thought I had another call, so I just hung up. The husband called back right away, came promptly to tune my piano (unlike the other guy who never called back), and was wonderful.
So yeah, I do, and I've gotten reservations that way.
=)
Kk.
KK - what do you say when you call back?
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' not all those who wander are lost ... ' jrr tolkien
I also return the calls. I say "hi, this is Breakfast Diva from xyz b&b, I think I just missed your call?"
It has resulted in many reservations.
I didn't and don't.
Very irksome to me is when I'd have my hands full, someone would leave a message and I'd be able to hear them doing it. Could hear them saying they wanted to book a room for such and such a night. I'd finish up or stop what I was doing ... get my hands out of the bread batter and wash up or finish folding a monster size sheet and I'd call back within a few minutes and be told 'We booked someplace else rather than wait for you to call back.' Seriously? It would be like under 5 minutes and they'd already called another place and booked there?
I didn't and don't.
Very irksome to me is when I'd have my hands full, someone would leave a message and I'd be able to hear them doing it. Could hear them saying they wanted to book a room for such and such a night. I'd finish up or stop what I was doing ... get my hands out of the bread batter and wash up or finish folding a monster size sheet and I'd call back within a few minutes and be told 'We booked someplace else rather than wait for you to call back.' Seriously? It would be like under 5 minutes and they'd already called another place and booked there?
Around here? Yes. They had a list in front of them and went down the list until they got someone on the phone. For some reason, we don't seem to get our messages 'right away.' I'll pick up the phone 2 days after a message was left and the phone is beeping to indicate a message. I have called every one of them back just to let them know they weren't being ignored and most had booked somewhere else right after they left the message.
If they can't be bothered to leave a message, I don't call back ... unless it is a number I know (family friends ...).
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I had caller ID years ago and got so many out of area and unidentified that I dropped it. I was not getting what I was paying for. I do return missed calls on my cell phone whenever I get it because I may have been out of cell for as much as several hours. That is how I got the young lady who is going to be paying my real estate taxes - I returned her call. And we are both happy I did.
For a guest to pay our real estate taxes, they would have to stay here a very loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time! 
That is what I like about my State - the cost of living is reasonable. For most of you my real estate taxes would be a joke, for those living here, it is comparable to yours for your area. Also much of what is done or happens here is done by volunteers. Our Fire Department is volunteer, all our Boards (except Santitary Board which State mandates be paid) are volunteer. Until a couple years ago the City paid 100% of employee insurance but now employees contribute some, the Police get take-home cars that augments their salaries (distance limit in place).
I do get nicked with Personal Property Tax on everything used in the B & B and I get to pay the City Business & Occupation Tax @ 50 cents on every $100 gross revenue. But all in all, I will keep my taxes and let you folks keep yours.
You are indeed very fortunate about your taxes. But the flip side are the resources available in larger towns and cities.
I pay those same taxes here for a business but probably at a higher rate.
Most all of our Boards are also volunteer and we are a city of 200K. That is common in many places. Our City Councilors are paid a pittance.
I will if they call when I'm on the phone so it's an immediate callback. But only after I check the phone number to make sure it's not a telemarketer. Most people are happily surprised.
We didn't have caller id. No Message, no call back.
Never
I have an answering sevice get most of my calls(work outside the B&B also) then they screen them and pass on possible guest to my cell. It is $75.00 a month but worth it as I am not always home.Started their service in 2004 and when I retire to only the B&B I plan on keeping them...Mary in Bridgewater
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Mary in Virginia
No. Could be a surprise you wouldn't want to be the one to spoil.
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“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” Pericles
I only call back if it's a call to my cell. Sometimes I can't get it out in time. But I only call back within ten minutes of the call.
RIki
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Riki Goodell
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