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    Tony @SM July 24, 2017 at 6:41pm

    I do this too, John. I just crack on with what I'm doing and only look at the phone/make calls etc.when it suits me. I find this is more efficient from my point of view.
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  Jay smith August 15, 2017 at 4:10pm

  As lovely as the posts above are, I don't believe they answer your question.

  If you're a sole trader, especially if you're a new sole trader, you're in a position where you need to get as much business as possible. I think this is a very good idea and one you should stick with. What is your specific line of work?
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    Graeme Brown > Jay smith August 15, 2017 at 11:00pm

    I am a sole trader been working for 6 years and cut grass 90% of the time, but with some subcontractors for landscaping jobs which I don't enjoy.<br/>
    I have found that when I used to get back to the van and had six calls I would rush to the next job instead of answering the calls. Now I can answer immediately and I find it less stressful.
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  Ben Jakes August 19, 2017 at 11:08am

  My tip would be don't pay for a fancy Peltor  bluetooth ear defender set when basic aux in ear defenders and a cheapy Bluetooth dongle do the same thing.
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    PAUL > Ben Jakes August 21, 2017 at 10:07pm

    thats my set up aswell. Works very well and battery power exceeds 12hours in use for music/calls etc.
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  Graham Taylor August 19, 2017 at 11:25am

  Its also worth bearing in  mind that a customer can get a bit impatient if you keep breaking off from your work to talk on the phone + do you  really want to be wearing ear defenders all the time?.............. I just leave a message on an answerphone apologising that I'm unable to answer their call at the  moment but will contact them when I return to my office after 5pm. Works fine with me and you can do all the calls together with your diary in front you which seems a lot more efficient.
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  PAUL August 21, 2017 at 10:16pm

  I only do lawns, i want as many quality customers as i can manage and i only want to travel a maximum of 5 miles from home ... therefore If i get a call, i want to answer it ... having worked in various sales environments in my past, i am aware how important this is. I also do my best to get to any potential new customer on the same day to quote and i try and do a first cut there and then (assuming i want the job). It cements a relationship and has worked well in continuing  to expand a specific type of customer i want
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  Dan Frazer Gardening August 21, 2017 at 10:40pm

  It's hard to organise calls if you're out in a garden...writing down addresses, checking the diary to see when you can visit to quote. Surely this means you'll have to stop and go back to the van,<br/>
  
  I tend to reply to people in the evening and don't like to be seen as the guy that runs when you snap your fingers. I've not had an unwanted gap in the diary since my first winter 8 years ago.
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    Robbie > Dan Frazer Gardening August 21, 2017 at 11:42pm

    On that note 99 times out of 100, if a new client phones me up and I go see them right away I don't get the work.
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      PAUL > Robbie August 22, 2017 at 12:23am

      I normally pop in to any new customer on the way home .... never lost a job for being on the ball. I have lost a few because i left it a few days though, its how i learnt this lesson. Must be an area thing.