Answering the Phone
So here we are, Monday morning it again. As I sip my very hot (new cup and the heat is unexpected) cup of Darjeeling, the office phone has been ringing. No, no new clients yet, but solicitors (non-profits in the throws of fund-raising). It would be one thing if they were soliciting for causes near and dear to my heart, but they are for things that seem odd to me. Buying circus tickets for children (not even under-privileged), buying advertising so the local cheerleaders can go to France (I do not have children and I did not go to school here), or one that I think is particularly good, but am appalled that it is not state funded - bullet-proof vest for the local police officers. Needless to say out the three, I would be most apt to support the last. But business wise, I choose my charities carefully. I feel bad saying ‘no’ (I suspect I am supposed to) but really, I really do not understand how seeing a circus can truly help some or why can’t those cheerleaders parent come up with the funds. I did not fund-raise for travel when I was a student or expect others to fund my fun
So, here is the real thing, I am at a point of not answering my business phone. I decided against hiring a receptionist long ago, but this is getting annoying. I do not answer the phone when I am in session and people leave messages. Why would this not work all the time? My partner says he believes many people will not leave messages because it would be awkward to have a hypnotist return a call. Perhaps they do not want other people to know they are thinking about seeing a hypnotist. Now I wonder if I do lose clients when they get the answering machine. I thought we had transformed into a “talk to the machine” society anyway. Did I miss something?
