Posted by Anita Posluszny on 4/15/11 11:33am
Msg #379903

Vacation

This is my first year so this will be my first vacation. I want to know how you won't lose future business from a signing company during this time. I am afraid if I tell them I am on vacation they will just go to the next person and maybe not come back to me later. Or same thing if I don't answer the phone, or tell them I am busy. I would appreciate some feed back. Thanks

Reply by 101livescan on 4/15/11 11:50am
Msg #379906

Just let people know the window of time you're not available in advance. They'll appreciate that! They won't foreget about you if you get a lot of work from them. This is a ballbuster job. You need a vacation every now and again. I've had two, one in 2003 and one in 2010. The last one was so much fun, I'm going again this year. YEEHAW. Snowmass, CO for three-day concert! ZBB and Michael Franti on one of the days.

Reply by James Dawson on 4/15/11 11:53am
Msg #379908

Re: Vacation Michael Franti

What a vacation......I see him at the Fillmore or wine country whenever!

Reply by 101livescan on 4/15/11 12:48pm
Msg #379926

Re: Vacation Michael Franti

ZBB in Santa Barbara May 13 too! We love them! Ardent fan club members!

Reply by Ilene C. Seidel on 4/15/11 12:29pm
Msg #379917

Have fun Cheryl, enjoy time with your hubby

Reply by JandB on 4/15/11 12:14pm
Msg #379911

We take 2 one week vacations every year. We let our regular clients know we are going and when we will be back. We also answer our phones and accept appointments for the following week. It hurts to turn down work while we are gone but, amazingly, life goes on.

Reply by Ilene C. Seidel on 4/15/11 12:33pm
Msg #379919

Unless I'm out of the country I answer the phone while on vacation. I do tell my regular clients they will still be able to reach me should I be needed upon my return. There's really nothing you can do unless you stay home. It never fails I get calls while I'm away and eat my heart out but that's life.

Reply by MW/VA on 4/15/11 7:52pm
Msg #380014

I was afraid to take time off at first, but it's necessary in this biz. I answer my phone when I'm away, explain that I'm out of town but will return as of such & such date. It's a guarantee that business picks up when you make other plans. Have a great vacation!

Reply by LKT/CA on 4/15/11 8:21pm
Msg #380017

My .02..........

<<<I want to know how you won't lose future business from a signing company during this time. I am afraid if I tell them I am on vacation.....>>>

The only way to not lose business is to stay home, glued to the phone. If you were home and received a call for a signing offer for Monday at 3pm............if you already had an appointment scheduled for Monday at 3pm, you'd lose that business. That's just the way it is. There's nothing you can do about losing out *sometimes*.

It's not wise to give any caller information about where you are or what you are doing - EVER - you do not know who is on the other end of the phone. When you get a notary service call while on vacation, it is no different than if you were at a dental or doctor's appointment (or any other appt) - your answer would be "My schedule is full at that time slot, let me refer you to a Notary friend who may be available, here's their number____________________". It's none of anyone's business if you're at an appointment. Nor is it their business that you're on vacation.

Besides, the call may be for an appointment day/time that you're back from vacation. Personally, I would not call any company to say I was on vacation. Just take each call as it comes.

I also think it is not wise to utilize an auto vacation response for email nor leave a vacation greeting on the answering machine. Someone wrote that someone they know left a vacation greeting on the answering machine and when they returned home, they had been robbed.

Answer your phone and take each call as it comes. Ask about the job, plus the day and time. If the signing offer is during your vacation, your answer is simply, "My calender if full on that day".........that's IT....nothing further need be said. JMHO

Reply by jba/fl on 4/15/11 8:48pm
Msg #380019

Finally - the MOST sensible answer. n/m

Reply by Claudine Osborne on 4/15/11 9:37pm
Msg #380028

Re: Finally - the MOST sensible answer.

I never tell my clients that I am on vacation. I answer the phone and let them know Im not available..Im not lying Im not available. We need to take time to recoup and regroup..and of course while we are away that phone will ring..and you end up kicking yourself for going on vacation..But it always works out..We do need to take a break..!

Reply by CT_Notary on 4/16/11 7:57am
Msg #380042

Re: Not an issue

Thanks to the economy, problem has taken care of itself for some time now!