They deserve my full attention
I'd hate for my customers to feel like they're second place, because they're not. However, if I make them feel that way, they're less likely to refer me to others. To illustrate this, let's say you recently hired a painter. He was always late, didn't finish on time, and didn't give you his full attention. Even though he was an excellent painter, are you likely to refer him to friends or family?
It's important that my customers feel comfortable referring me to others. Let's not forget that the caller deserves my undivided attention as well, so I should make sure I'm in a place where I can give it.
I'll forget to call back
Let's say I answer the phone and explain, "I'm in a meeting right now. Can I call you back?" I then continue with my meeting and after a few hours, I've completely forgotten about the call. I don't remember until the next day, when they call me again. I now learn that the caller simply wanted to give me 30 seconds of information that could have been left on a voice mail, but I didn't give them the opportunity. Also, had I let the call go to voice mail, I would have been reminded to call back the next time I looked at my phone (which is very frequently).
Text messaging
Even if customers are walking through a house ahead of me, I don't want to preoccupy my mind with another project. It's very difficult for me to text and carry a conversation. It's important for me to listen, take notes, and be fully present. Isn't that what I want when I'm the customer?
