Did you know that 80% of callers hang up when they reach voicemail, potentially costing your business valuable leads and sales? But with the demands of running a business or a busy office, it’s nearly impossible to answer every call personally. Even if your office is staffed with a full-time receptionist, a day in the office means juggling different tasks, attending in-person meetings, and more. So the goal of answering every call, particularly after hours, or on weekends, is not a realistic one. When you partner with a professional answering service, a trained answering agent, also known as a virtual receptionist, is always available. Answering services specialize in answering phones for businesses, acting as a seamless extension of your in-house staff. Since virtual receptionists don’t need to worry about greeting visitors in your office, or other in-office tasks, they attend to the needs of your callers with unwavering focus. With today’s advanced technology, callers can barely tell the difference between when a call is answered by you, your staff, or your virtual receptionist. And, because answering services continuously train their agents on etiquette and industry-specific terms, such as medical terminology, your callers will enjoy a positive interaction every time they call.
Here are 5 reasons why every business, from individual contractors to multinational law firms, should be using a professional answering service:
- 24/7 Coverage: answering calls during business hours is hard enough without worrying about what happens when a call comes in after hours, when you are at lunch, at a meeting, or during the holidays. Most businesses rely on voicemail or automated attendants, but studies show that 67% of callers hang up out of frustration when they can’t speak to a real person. With 24/7 live answering service by your side, you can rest easy knowing that every call is answered. Your answering service will send a report, so you know exactly when a call was placed and what the caller needed. If it’s a lead or an urgent request, the virtual receptionist can forward the call to your cell phone, or notify you by business or text.
- Bilingual support: Our world is becoming more diverse, and depending on your location and industry, you may be servicing a population that does not speak English as their first language. Across the US, 13% of households speak Spanish at home. This percentage is much higher in states such as Texas, California, New York, or Florida. A bilingual answering service can interact with your callers in Spanish or English – whatever language they feel most comfortable in. This is a fantastic benefit for businesses that not only eases the experience for non-English speakers, but also allows your business to serve a greater customer base.
- Appointment Scheduling: When a caller needs to make an appointment, there is no reason to wait until your business opens or your receptionist returns from a lunch meeting. With today’s technology, your appointment calendar can easily be shared with a virtual receptionist who is available to schedule appointments 24/7. Imagine starting your day with a calendar full of appointments from potential clients who are eager to do business with you. This is the reality for many business owners, from plumbing and HVAC to medical and legal, who engage a professional answering service. This is a huge improvement in operations, as compared to business owners who come in to a full voicemail box and spend the first few hours of the day returning calls and playing phone tag with callers. And let’s not forget that some callers may never leave a message, choosing to call a competitor where the phones are answered by a human being. Hands down, a virtual receptionist is the most effective and efficient solution to scheduling more appointments.
- Better Caller Experience: When it comes to caller experience, every detail matters. From how quickly the call is answered, to how callers are greeted, to being placed on hold, to the level of empathy and patience, the caller experience can make or break your business reputation. Let’s say you are in the construction business, and answer incoming calls from your cell phone. You could be at a busy and noisy construction site, or meeting with another client when a valuable potential client calls. You may or may not have cellular reception while on the road. Which caller experience is likely to be more positive: speaking to you with construction noise in the background, or speaking with a professional answering service that answered the call on the 2nd or 3rd ring? No question about it, the answering service option is preferable. The caller will be greeted professionally, understood, and reassured. And, if the answering agent determines that the caller needs to speak with you or someone else on your team immediately, the call can be routed according to your instructions.
- Cost Savings: Hiring a full-time receptionist can greatly increase your overhead, when you factor in the salary, benefits and other administrative costs. And, while a full-time receptionist can serve as the face of your business for in-person client interactions, they can’t always answer every phone call. An answering service is available 24/7 for a fraction of the cost of hiring additional staff. With the value-added services such as appointment scheduling, lead intake, call routing, and bilingual support, outsourcing call management to an answering service is a no-brainer. Some answering services start at as little as $29/month, and even with additional features or higher call volume, it is still an investment that pays for itself many times over.
Answering services have come a long way from only providing after-hours support. Thanks to advanced technology and operations, your answering service can take messages, route calls, schedule appointments, provide reminders and more. For medical offices, a HIPAA-compliant answering service ensures regulatory compliance and patient confidentiality, while providing faster service and answers. For property management companies, answering services can answer emergency calls, lockouts, and maintenance requests, improving tenant satisfaction. These are just some of the examples of the added value provided by professional answering services. Stop missing calls and business opportunities. Hire an answering service today, and say hello to more leads, better customer experience, and more time for yourself.