Providing good customer service to your clients and customers is essential to running a business. It means so much that 81% of people return to a company that provides good customer service and those companies have a profit margin 60% higher that those who ignore this. Customers are willing to pay 55% more for the same product if they receive good service.
If you own a business, you know that the person or people who answer the phone are the face of your company. andnbsp;As the saying goes, andldquo;You only have one chance to make a first impression.andrdquo; Having your own professional answering service helps give you that good first impression.
The benefits of a live receptionist answering service:
- They treat your calls with professionalism and efficiency. The worst thing to do is have nothing answer the phone. The next worse thing is voice mail. Most people who get voice mail when they call a business do not call back. Now that first contact on the phone with a live person can go a few ways; they will leave a message for the person who called, they will be charmed into becoming a customer or they will get the information they need and be happy. Customers say they consider the way they are treated on the phone to very important to how they view the company.andnbsp;
- You can be there for your customers and clients more of the time. No one expects to be able to reach the person they need to reach 24 hours a day and seven days a week but having a live receptionist answering service allows you to be in the office when you are not. Your effective operating hours are expanded and they can you have a more global reach, if that is what you want. The point is you can be there for your customers and clients longer.
- A live receptionist answering service can do more than answer the phone. A voicemail system can take a message but a person can make an appointment, give directions, answer questions about the company and make the person feel your company cares about meeting your expectations.andnbsp;
The services offered by professional answering services are very customizable to any small businesses budget and needs. Maybe you do not really need a 24 hour answering service, or maybe you do, but you do nit have to get that service if you do not want to. Some companies just need a live operator answering service during normal business hours to have customers and clients reach a real person rather than a voice mail system. Whatever your needs, you will get a quality answering service when you hire one of these companies.
You should do your due diligence in checking out any service you do hire. Get some numbers of businesses they represent and call them to see how you feel you are treated as a potential customer. Call and get references for the service and verify what they tell you about customer satisfaction. That way you will know you did all you could to make this a good thing for your company.
