Eliminate transfers when possible. Tame the voice-mail beast . What was once meant to be a productivity enhancement is now being used either intentionally or unintentionally to shield business people from their customers. It's time to put voice mail in its place. It was meant to help businesses be productive, work smarter and be more accessible to those who count.
Customers certainly fit that category.
Use voice mail if you must, but change the message daily, check it hourly and return calls promptly. Always allow callers access to a live operator. If nothing else, be responsive . Reply to email within 24-hours. Interestingly, large corporations, with email access for customer inquiries, are hard-pressed to get a response back in under a week's time.