Nottingham Course's.

[farmer]

greenpesto said:

evening apts
« Reply #24 on Today at 8:12am »

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royt said:
any1 rekon that evening apts are better than daytime apts, I have up'd my availability for more evening apts and think they are no better than daytime slots, maybe i'm on a bad run but about half of my customers are retired so time of apt is not a prob.
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royt!!!

You only have to look at comments posted throughout this site to realise that Evening & Weekend leads are poorer than daytime leads. This is an argument I've been having with Management for years.
As I have posted before .... Hillarys should be pushing customers into daytime slots first long before they concede into offering other times.
It appears that since pushing for 'Prime time' slots Hillarys have suffered poorer conversions, lower order values & have needed to price drop & under value our products & the Hillarys name.
How many of us now call into houses where the customer is on low income, living in an undesirable area & you come out of the house having had your years intake of 'passive smoking'?
This is once again an example of decision makers not knowing what 'Selling' is all about or WHO/WHAT is a Hillarys customer.
Lower/Middle & upper management are clueless with nothing changing until they move on.
LONG LIVE THAT DAY!!!!!!!

My response to this is,.............
Having been asked by my previous f.s.m. to open up my diary for more evenings and weekends, (i was allready doing 3 nights and a saturday) I have monitored not all, but most of my appointments in those slots.

I totally agree that the "proffessional" man/woman, probably needs those slots, but certainly nowhere near the 45% that i was quoted.

I simply ask the customer if they were offered a slot or given one.

Usual response is they were given one.

Now why give a slot to a disabled pensioner who never goes out of the house, and then have a professional couple waiting for days.

this is not a criticism, just a point that is now "hopefully being addressed", thanks to the forum meetings.

If they can get this sorted, would our f.s.m's keep telling us our lead to diary or whatever they call it are way over the 4 day target.

This is just one of many things that are not working well.
its a case of "cant see the wood for the Trees"

it is now my intention to do Less weekends and evenings, because if they are setting on new advisors, let them cut their teeth on those slots, like I have had to do.

[Blind Scout]

I do 3 evenings a week, and no open diary on Saturdays, Sundays are taboo. I keep Saturdays for some larger fits usually for new houses or conservatories, where the customers don't get home M-F until after 7pm, as we are now a dormatory town for Edinburgh. But at my discretion, I will go to a sales appointment. When the new centralised diary system came in I was told that if they can't find a suitable appointment for the customer, they would contact me to see if I could help, so far I haven't received one call.

[russell]

with regards to 1and half hour slots for awnings and conservatory leads do as i do up your availability by 2 slots in each segmant eg 1 do 12 slots in 9til12 now i do 14 which still gives me 3 calls if the awning or conservatory sale overruns so what thats good if not youve not lost another slot as leaving it as it is would only give me two sales if i had a specialist sale booked in

[Blind Scout]

I'm not a conservatory roof specialist, so for me, roof blinds can be estimated very quickly, once the customer has chosen the fabric. Of course we now estimate for 20mm system with all the bells and whistles, that is the new way. So for me 1 hour is normally enough.

Sides only can vary from a simple lean-to with only 1 blind, to a structure involving more than 12 internal and external corners. It can sometimes take over an hour to agree with the custmer the style of blind, and then have to measure accuratly. Sometimes when we go to a call, we don't even know it is for a conservatory, although this is to be addressed with the new call centre procedures. Some customers consider their add on extension a conservatory, and it can be anything from a lean-to shed, a greenhouse (with curved roof panels), to a sun-room style extension with a tiled roof to a pukka wood or pvc gold-fish bowl. I can't see them getting it any better. Some will win some will loose on the time allocated. Just as at the moment. The 1 hour slot can be anything from a small toilet venetian, to a full house with over 20 windows. We just do our best.

[desmorse]

I do sales only Saturday and Sundays, it suits me perfectly, and I do find a better conversion rate and higher order value. People seem more relaxed and receptive, especially on Sundays. I fully understand that doesn't suit everyone though.
I find weekday evenings call less productive, people seem more hassled, hubby in from work after a bad day, kids homework, mum getting stuff ready for next day.
The one thing absolutely guaranteed to wind me up is the customer who books an evening call then says "I can't decide tonight, I need to see colours in daylight". Well why book a bl00dy evening appointment then??? Are you too stupid to realise it gets dark EVERY evening

[samsnake]

Absolutely right, GVM.
Had one this week for an awning, almost pitch black outside, couldn't read a tape measure.
Then says need to see the colours in daylight!!!!!
OK if they work all hours but this was a housewife with nothing else to do.
You would think the appointment bookers would ask enough questions to stop this happening.

[Blind Scout]

One conservatory call in the evening, (didn't know it was a conservatory until I visited) had no lighting installed and not fully finished although sills and floor was installed. I now carry an LED head-torch in the car. Has proved useful on several occasions since as it keps the hands free for measuring. But it would be much easier if info on the completition state could be assertained on the original call.

[*Star*man*]

A typical call from a prospective customer to Hillary's call centre.


Cust) Hello do you supply Elecrically operarated Vertical blinds for conservatories! Mine is being build soon and i'd like some info?

CLG) Thats great Mrs Customer , Can i have your details , address and phone number?

Cust) Sure , My Address is xxxxxx and phone no, xxxxxx , i am at home most days!

CLG) We have an advisor available tomorrow evening between 6 - 9pm is that ok?

Cust) I just want info !

CLG) Mr Agent will call tomorrow then , Thanks for your enquiry - goodbye!


We get called out to Un-qualified Sales Calls , that can only make our conversion figures look bad - But hey who's worried , according to the CLG its a Sales booking and one more feather in thier cap.

Excellent all 'round then!

isabella said:

One conservatory call in the evening, (didn't know it was a conservatory until I visited) had no lighting installed and not fully finished although sills and floor was installed. I now carry an LED head-torch in the car. Has proved useful on several occasions since as it keps the hands free for measuring. But it would be much easier if info on the completition state could be assertained on the original call.