Our company's S.O.P. is to take the call, collect the callers name, number and email address.  Most real interested buyers will offer this information if asked in such a manner it is to their benefit to share the details.  We explain to the caller we like to forward Personalized, Formal Written Quotes on Company Quotes for their future purchasing consideration.  When presented this way it is typically very easy for the caller to provide us the information we want.  If they balk at providing the information explain to them you need the information so it will be forwarded to the correct sales agent for their area and each agent has the ability to write quotes with their own discounting schedule as they see fit.

Also, consider taking there number down off of caller I.D. and looking it up online...

A. Now we have their name

B. Now we have their number - if suspicious, reverse look up the number on Google

C. Now we have their email address - same , reverse look up the email on Google or any other email search providers

I feel as a business owner, managing sales agents, it is their 100% responsibility to follow up to inquires, and they have the necessary information to do so.  If you have the best price, the prospect will return, but we always like to follow up twice to determine their interest level.  In this day and age between online pricing, competition it is becoming more of a price issue.

In addition, now you can add their email address to your "MailChimp" or "Constant Contact" for future advertisements - this would be after you have vetted that the caller was a real prospect and not one of your competitors.

Hope this helps.

James Vollbracht

www.overstockme.com