Having a reliable phone answering service is essential for any business. It’s a great way to ensure that calls are answered promptly and professionally, without having to deal with the hassle of managing an in-house receptionist.
A phone answering service can provide an array of benefits, such as improved customer service, increased efficiency, and cost savings. With an experienced team of call agents, businesses can ensure that their customers are always greeted with a friendly and professional voice.
Additionally, having a phone answering service can help businesses improve their efficiency, as calls are answered quickly and routed to the appropriate department in a timely manner.
Finally, a phone answering service can help businesses save money by eliminating the need for an in-house receptionist and other staffing costs. Overall, the benefits of having a phone answering service far outweigh the costs, making it an invaluable asset for any business. Here is a deeper look at why your business should hire an answering service immediately.
What is a Phone Answering Service?
A phone answering service is a third-party business that receives calls on behalf of its clients. These call centers have highly trained agents who manage incoming calls, route calls to the appropriate department, and record call details. Therefore, clients don’t have to manage their own in-house receptionist or hire an individual to take calls.
Instead, calls are routed to an experienced team of call agents who are trained to answer questions and deal with customer inquiries. Phone answering services are beneficial for several reasons, including the fact that they offer round-the-clock customer service. Businesses can rest assured that their customers will be greeted with a prompt response whenever they call.
Improved Customer Service
Businesses can improve their customer service by having a phone answering service. This helps ensure that calls are answered promptly and that customers receive the assistance they need in a timely manner.
A phone answering service can be set up to transfer calls to different departments based on the nature of the call. For example, calls can be routed to accounts payable if a customer is attempting to pay a bill.
In addition to transferring calls, a phone answering service can also be programmed to send callers directly to voicemail if the call is outside of business hours. By having a phone answering service, businesses can rest assured that their customers will always be greeted with a friendly and professional voice, whether they need assistance before or after normal business hours.
This can be especially beneficial for businesses that have extended hours, such as medical offices.
Increased Efficiency
A phone answering service can help businesses increase their efficiency by answering calls promptly and routing calls to the appropriate department in a timely manner. This ensures that no call goes unanswered and that customers receive the assistance they need in a timely manner. In many cases, phone answering services are available 24/7, making them an excellent option for businesses with extended hours or a large customer base.
Additionally, phone answering services can be programmed to send callers directly to voicemail if they call outside of regular business hours. This can be a great option for businesses that want to save on costs by eliminating the need for an in-house receptionist.
Cost Savings
Hiring an outside phone answering service can help businesses save money by eliminating the need for an in-house receptionist. This can help businesses save on payroll costs since an outside phone answering service typically charges a flat rate per month.
In many cases, outside phone answering services are available at a lower monthly rate than the cost of hiring a full-time employee. In addition to saving on payroll costs, businesses can also save on other expenses by using a phone answering service, such as computers, printers, and office furniture.
A phone answering service can help businesses save money by routing calls to the appropriate department. For example, route a call that requires the attention of finance to accounts payable. This can help businesses save money by avoiding the need to hire someone to answer calls and route them to the appropriate department.
Experienced Call Agents
Phone answering services typically employ experienced call agents who can answer any questions a customer may have. This is especially beneficial for businesses that deal with complex products or services. In many cases, phone answering services employ experienced call agents who specialize in a particular industry, such as healthcare or technology. This can be helpful for businesses that want to ensure their callers are always receiving the assistance they need.
A phone answering service can also be programmed to record calls. This is beneficial for businesses that need to save call details. This can be especially helpful for businesses that deal with sensitive information, such as legal or medical offices. By recording calls, businesses can access details about previous calls and record any changes to the information.
Quick Call Routing
A phone answering service can help businesses route calls to the appropriate department in a timely manner. This ensures that customers receive assistance as quickly as possible. Businesses that need to route a high volume of calls quickly, such as medical offices that need to direct calls to a certain doctor, have the resources to ensure that customers get where they need to go fast.
You can route calls directly to voicemail if they call outside of business hours. This is especially helpful for businesses that need to save on costs by eliminating the need for an in-house receptionist.
24/7 Customer Service
A phone answering service is available 24/7, making it an excellent option for businesses with extended hours. This can be helpful for businesses that need extended hours, such as medical offices or law firms.
When it is crucial that your customers speak to someone every time they call, an answering service makes that possible. It also puts callers in touch with a person on the other end of the line that can judge the situation and respond accordingly.
For example, a patient calling a medical care provider may be having an emergency. The operator can assess the situation and provide service as needed to get help fast.
In such cases, speaking directly to a person takes a lot of the stress and anxiety out of situations. Since most people experience some level of anxiety around making phone calls, any effort to reduce that anxiety improves the overall experience.
How to Find the Right Phone Answering Service
When choosing a phone answering service, it is important to select a company that offers excellent customer service. This can be helpful for businesses that want to ensure their customers receive prompt assistance.
Before signing a contract, it is a good idea to research different phone answering services. Find the right one, not the first one you interview. You will need to collect performance data on each company to make an effective comparison. Fortunately, most answering services track performance and can provide you with accurate performance stats if you ask for them.
When considering the price, consider what you are getting for that price. You want to make sure that choosing a lower-cost option doesn’t stop you from getting the service that you need. A service costs more. However, it is worth the investment to ensure that your customers feel cared for.
What to Look for in a Phone Answering Service
When selecting a phone answering service, it is important to find a company that provides excellent customer service. Look for specific training in a variety of call and customer service methods. That way, your operators can respond effectively to your customers. Remember, they are a reflection of your business when they answer the phone, so make sure that the service you choose accurately represents your company.
Another thing to look for is answer rates. Some companies may experience such a high volume of calls that an answering service may not be able to cover all of them on the first try. You want to see if the company that you want to choose can meet your call demand as much as possible.
To do this, many companies can expand the pool of operators for your company as needed to cover surges in demand.
Finally, see what their policies are on call quality reporting and problem resolution. You want to work with a company that not only implements call quality standards, but also is responsive to constructive feedback to help you get the service that you need.
Hire an Answering Service
Your business can see a major improvement in many areas if you hire an answering service. Take the time to research your options. Remember, you can always change services if the one that you choose is not working out.
If you’re ready to get started with a professional answering service, we’re here to help. Contact Answer Aide by calling (866) 427-3500 or by filling out our online form. We’re happy to partner with you to support your business while it grows.
I like how you mentioned that a phone answering service could be accessible around-the-clock, which would be fantastic for companies with long hours. When you work in places like medical offices or law firms, it makes sense to have someone contact the caller and reply appropriately. The other day, my cousin asked me about phone answering services, so I decided to learn as much as I could to help her out. She may want to share this with her coworkers because she works at a medical clinic, so I’ll make sure to let her know about it.
It’s interesting that phone answering services can improve customer service by making sure calls are promptly answered and assistance is given in a timely manner. My sister-in-law wants to improve the customer service of the company she started last year. I’ll recommend that she look into hiring a live answering service in the next few weeks.