Have You Called Your Office Lately? - Church Leader Insights

Here’s a great exercise… call your church office with a basic question like “what time are your services?” Or better yet, have a have friend do it. Then, sit back and see what happens.

Are you able to reach a live person? If so, is the greeting friendly? Do they know how to transfer a call? Does the person answering the phone know how to handle basic requests? Does the conversation start out on a friendly note but then seem rushed as the call is quickly transferred?

Does the answering machine or voice mail sound OK? Does it give you enough time to leave a message? If you leave a message, how long before someone returns the call?

I often do this exercise with my coaching networks. We take turns calling each others’ church offices and ask basic questions about service times, what to expect or even for a staff persons voice mail. Honestly, the results are usually horrifying!

Take a few minutes this week and have a conversation with your staff about phone standards. Make sure everyone is presenting the positive attitude you expect. I’ll be doing that with our staff, too.

Nelson

About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.