The Value of Making Phone Service a Priority

By Jimmy Conner
Owner, Westminster CO Towing Service

telephoneRunning a 24-hour towing company is not easy. When I started Westminster Towing Service with a buddy from high school 12 years ago, it was just us. We answered every call – or, at least, tried to – and took on every job we could on our own.

Eventually our company grew to a point, where we could add employees, equipment and trucks. My buddy and I now only work about 10 hours most days.

We know we’re lucky. There are many more 1- and 2-man towing companies out there than those with a handful of employees or more.

When we were first starting off, our office phone forwarded to our cell phones when we were out and about. No matter what we were doing or what time it was, we made it a goal to answer as many calls as we could.

We felt we needed to do that to survive. We knew we had to do it to grow our business.

Being responsive 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, we felt separated us from our competitors who also claimed to be 24/7, but didn’t prioritize answering every call like we did.

Being responsive every day of every week, of every month of every year remains one of our company’s keystones.

A handful of years ago, we used an answering service that picked up calls when we couldn’t and spoke to customers. That worked well for us and for many towing companies across the country.

But we felt strongly about employing our own dispatchers around the clock. People who were familiar with the geography of our area. People in our community. People who were naturally friendly and helpful, who we could train in our own way.

That’s how much our first point of contact with customers means to us. It is well worth the investment.

When a customer calls for service, our dispatchers provide the following information every time:

  • Our expected arrival time
  • Estimated cost of service
  • Types of payment accepted
  • Cell phone number for tow truck operator

Needing towing service is often a stressful and frustrating time. That’s why we train our dispatchers to be calming and to offer tips to remain safe and calm.

Customers often tell us how they appreciate that line of communication from first contact. It is a hallmark of our service, and it has served us quite well.