SSWT Internet Marketing Forum

I have had to discontinue use of a business phone, and I don't give my home phone to clients.

I don't give it out because they tend to try to reach me at odd hours

Seriously - I came to the realization that what I do for clients doesn't necessitate 24 hour availability, for the most part.

I do have a couple of clients with "critical" ecommerce sites that have my home phone. But they also know that as soon as they dial it, after-hours rates apply. They don't call very often.

I had to do this because of two clients -- who both thought I should have a 24/7 help line and they thoroughly abused the privilege of having my phone number.

With my past experience in network marketing, the phone was always a necessity, but also a tax writeoff. Since I haven't been doing that for a couple years, I kept the extra phone line to participate in conference calls & as a backup fax. Since I no longer participate in teleconferences, I just decided to cancel the 2nd land line because I prefer not having to use the phone...

I will make my cell phone my contact phone number and that's always with me if someone needs to be in touch, but I hope to handle customer service and client contacts in online ways, email, webinar, skype, IM, Twitter. There are just so many ways to communicate online, that a phone seems unnecessary.

I personally love Chat Customer Service. Most recently, Comcast Online Chat solved an issue for me in minutes while I was on hold for the same amount of time by phone!

Now, our Chimney Biz runs on phone contact, so we have an exclusive separate biz line.

best,
Mary

I like that idea too Stefani. That way you're available, but you're not available... makes it harder for them to take advantage of having phone access.

I also have a voicemail through GrandCentral at http://www.grandcentral.com/

Google recently bought them. It's free and it has a lot of cool features.