Tips on getting the most out of your smart receptionist
Here are a few tips on making the most from your receptionist:
On the go updates - Simply call or text your receptionist from your registered mobile phone to give instructions about any aspects of your business. This can be information you want them to remember and pass on to certain clients or all clients. They will note the instructions down and use it when responding to your callers. Here are a few examples on how you can instruct your receptionist by calling or texting them.
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“Hey there, I am going to be away next week so please let callers know that I cannot take any booking for next week.”
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“Can you make a note that if John Smith calls about his kitchen repair, let him know that it is scheduled for next Wednesday at 10am.”
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“Please make a note that if Mel calls about her cab reservation, tell her that it is confirmed for this Saturday, 9am.”
Remember to provide clear instructions so your receptionist can understand them. Your receptionist may clarify certain details and also ask you until when the information is relevant. This helps the receptionist to maintain the most up-to-date information and discard information that is not relevant any longer. They will repeat your instructions and ask you to confirm (yes or no). It is important that you confirm by saying (or texting) yes. This ensures the receptionist has noted down the request and will follow them.
Call forwarding rules - This is applicable if you are using mode of operation - option 1 (using the service number as the primary business line). In this mode of operation, you can setup call forwarding rules during the on-boarding process (or from the customer dashboard) that tells your receptionist when to escalate a call to a human. There are three distinct call forwarding rules:
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Forward all calls if user asks - if the receptionist cannot handle the query or if the caller requests to speak with you, the receptionist will initiate a call transfer.
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Only forward urgent calls - the receptionist will only transfer a call if it is an urgent matter. All other calls will be handled by the receptionist. Your receptionist will decide if the matter is urgent based on the situation. Usually, if the caller is calling about an issue that cannot wait to be resolved, it is considered as an urgent matter.
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Do not forward any calls - the receptionist will not transfer any calls to you. They will try to resolve the caller's query and if not, they will take detailed notes and inform the caller that you will get back to them shortly.
During the on-boarding process or from the customer portal you can setup your call forwarding settings based on your schedule. For example, you can select “Forward urgent calls” during 9am to 4pm from Mon - Fri, and then select “Do not forward any calls” for the rest of the time. You can have up to 3 different rules configured for your account at any one time. For more details see the “Member dashboard” documentation.
Once you have setup the call forwarding rules, your receptionist will follow them and forward calls to your mobile accordingly. If you are unsure which call forwarding rule is active at a given time, you can simply ask your receptionist by calling or texting them:
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“Hey, can you tell me what call forwarding rule is active at the moment.”
Your receptionist will tell you the current call forwarding rule that is active that that time.
You can make temporary changes to your call forwarding rule simply by calling or texting your receptionist. Temporary overrides allow you to make changes for a short time period. For example, if you are called into a meeting and do not wish to receive any calls during that time, you can ask your receptionist to not forward any calls for the next hour (or two). This gives you the flexibility to make changes to the call forward settings on the go depending on your current situation and not make any permanent changes to the rules. Here are some examples of how you can request a temporary override to the call forward settings by calling or texting your receptionist:
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“Hey there, I am stuck in a client meeting, can you not forward any calls to me for the next 2 hours”.
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“Hey mate, my job this afternoon got cancelled, so feel free to forward any calls to me this afternoon”.
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“Hey, I have to take care of some family matters today, please don’t forward any calls to me for the rest of today”.
When you request a temporary change to your call forwarding settings, your receptionist will clarify any details such as the start and end time for the changes to take effect if required and repeat the change that you have requested and ask you to confirm it. Only when you confirm, they will update the settings.
Questions about Tradie Pal - Your receptionist can also answer any questions that you may have about how to use Tradie Pal. If you are unsure about any feature or how to use certain functionality, you can always check with your receptionist. They are trained to answer any questions related to Tradie Pal and how it works. Some examples of the type of information that you can ask your receptionist:
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“Hey there, how do I change my registered mobile number.”
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“Hey, can you tell me how to change my plan from Silver to Gold.”
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“Hey, what happens if I exceed my calls?”
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“Hey there, if I cancel my service and then reinstate it, can I get the same service number as before?”
It is important that you call or text your Tradie Pal receptionist from your registered mobile phone. This allows them to verify your identity and then respond to your questions.