Are you relying on voicemail for after-hour calls? You’re missing out. 80% of callers won’t leave a message if they get a voicemail. Nowadays, instant communication methods are necessary, especially with younger generations. Keep reading to find out how a business answering service can help you overcome communication issues to grow your business.
Business Answering Service Types
Before we look at the benefits of using an answering service, it’s helpful to know what kinds of services are out there. Almost all businesses can benefit from digital communication services. Beyond that, which ones to use will depend on the type of business or service you provide. The three main types are:
1) Live Answering Services
Need a real person to answer the calls that you can’t? You should opt for a live answering service. They can take messages for you or provide pre-approved standard information to callers. Answering services can also serve as a customer service department.
2) Automated Systems
Automated answering services are often used to provide pre-scripted phone options to callers. For example, checking account balances and inputting numerical data.
3) Digital Communication Services
These types of answering services involve digital communications via email, text, social media, and web chat. Real-time personal digital communication is becoming the 24/7 answering service of choice.
Why Use an Answering Service?
Your clients need to know that you’re always there for them, even when you aren’t physically able. This is where an answering service comes into play. Here are five reasons why you might need one.
1. After-Hour Calls: 24/7 Service
Let’s be honest: no one can be available for their customers all the time. Getting someone else to provide customer service during those times is like having a staff member on-call. There’s a good chance that an unanswered caller will try another business. A representative can field calls for you to lift some of the stress related to a busy practice. In emergencies, a real person can respond to the request and route it to you.
2. Save Labor Costs
to an answering service, you save on wages you’d have to pay an employee for the same tasks. Most times, charges are billed on a pay-per-call basis, eliminating the need to pay for idle-time.
3. Avoid Answering Common Questions
Businesses get calls all the time asking for their hours. What if you could avoid using valuable time answering the same familiar questions over and over? Time is money. Compare the time spent answering common questions like these to what you could make in billable hours with that same time.
4. Increase Customer Satisfaction
People hate waiting on hold, getting voicemail, and having to deal with a computer voice. Getting a real person to respond quickly to your customer’s needs will improve customer satisfaction.
5. Streamline Appointment Scheduling
If you run a busy practice of some sort, chances are that you don’t have a lot of extra time to schedule appointments. When you provide your answering service with your current schedule, they can take care of it for you.
What’s the Bottom Line?
Let a business answering service take over when you’re not able. They are more cost effective than hiring an employee to do the same. Your clients will appreciate the extra care and so will you. Missing calls and requests after hours? Ready to scale up your business? Check out our answering services; we’d love to help.
