Here’s a really simple way to increase your call volume and offer great customer service before clients even contact you:  provide a phone number!  The other day we needed to contact the paint store and had to dig for their telephone number.  It wasn’t on any bills, it wasn’t on any receipts, it wasn’t part of their email signature.  It was on their website, but not on the main page.  Bottom line – getting in touch with this store was hard.  Everything that has your company name on it should also have a phone number.  It will make you and your company easily accessible.  And customers will appreciate that your number is easy to find when they need to contact you.
Email:  Format your email signature to include your company name and telephone number.  Not only does this make it easy for clients to get in touch with you, it makes you look professional.
Mobile advertising:  If your company name is on the side of your work truck, your phone number should be there too.  Potential customers can use their phones to snap a picture of the side of your truck and quickly record your name and number.  They will be less likely to look up your phone number if it isn’t there.  If you provide logo shirts to your crews or yard signs at locations where you’re working, those shirts and signs should also be mobile advertising.
eBids, Proposals, Contracts, and Invoices via PEP Cloud:  Configure your company information so that your phone number appears on all the documents you send out through PEP Cloud.  Just go to “Misc Settings” to edit the company information that will appear.
Once clients – new and established – do call you (on your easily accessed phone number), consider what they hear.  It’s a good idea to answer the phone with your company’s name and your name so they know they’ve reached the right person.  If you can’t answer the phone, configure your voicemail message to include your name, your company’s name, and instructions for the caller so they can get a call back.  Here’s an example:
“Hi, you’ve reached Larry with Awesome Painting.  Sorry I can’t get to the phone; I’m probably on a ladder at the moment.  Please leave your name and telephone number and I’ll get back to you soon.  I usually return calls after 5 pm.  Have a good one!”
Alternately, consider using a live answering service so that customers will always talk to a person.