Telephone communication is often a customer’s first port of call when trying to contact a business. As such, it is essential that you make a great first impression through this. Telephone answering services provide this excellent first impression to customers, keeping them happy and effectively directing them to the right person. Our experts have suggested four key ways in which telephone answering services can help your business to grow.
1. You will never miss a call
Think of how many calls you have missed when you have been stuck in a meeting, or on the road. All of these missed calls may have been potential clients wanting to use your business. Even if they do leave a message requesting a call back, you have missed them at their most opportune moment, when they are all primed and ready to talk about business. A telephone answering service will always answer calls, meaning clients will be more receptive to working with you.
2. It increases the productivity of your staff (and yourself!)
Constantly interrupting your work to pick up the phone can be a significant distraction to staff, especially when at a critical point in a project. Constantly switching roles and focus to deal with new callers will hinder work that is being undertaken, and leads to a loss of productivity, as well as a potentially frustrated member of staff answering the phone. Using a telephone answering service means a virtual assistant can initially help callers and direct them through to the correct person who is able to help them most efficiently.
3. It allows you to have a Landline number
While most SMEs only operate through mobile numbers, having a landline makes your business look bigger and more professional. Studies have shown that clients are more likely to call a business on their landline because of this, meaning that you could increase your client base simply by choosing a telephone answering service that also includes a landline number.
4. It’s more personal than an answerphone
Robotic and mechanised voices on answering machines are the bane of customers’ lives. No one wants to talk to an answerphone, and many people will give up rather than complete their call when this type of voice appears on the line. Having a virtual assistant answer the phone instead offers a human touch which customers will respond much more warmly to. Remember, happy customers are more likely to engage with your business, spending more and wanting repeat orders.