7 Benefits of a Small Business Answering Service
Customer service today is about far more than simply answering questions; today’s customers want to feel empowered and know that they really matter to your business. Automated queues with recorded messages cannot provide the kind of personal connection that will keep customers coming back. A small business answering service can provide all of this and more.
What Is an Answering Service?
An answering service connects your customers with real, live operators every time they call. Not only that, but the operators who answer the phone can empathize with your customers. This means that the live receptionists handling your calls can help your customers in a meaningful way that they won’t soon forget. Beyond the instant upgrade to your customer service offering, answering services can also help capture more leads to help you grow your business.
How Live Operators Benefit Your Business
Businesses that choose a live answering service can realize many advantages, including cost savings, increased efficiency, and seamless integration.
- Cost Savings
The operators of a live answering service are employed by another company. This means you aren’t paying their salary. Instead, you only pay for the time they actually spend handling yoru calls. Beyond that, there’s no need to pay for sick time, vacations, benefits, office supplies, which adds up to huge amount of money saved while still making sure the job gets done effectively. You can also choose from a number of different contract lengths for maximum savings.
- No Missed Calls, Ever
A customer who has to wait in a queue or has to deal with a ringing phone that’s never answered is an unhappy customer. However, with a live answering service, they are always connected to a live person who can really help, without having to wait. This equates to great first impressions of your company as well as increased customer retention.
- Increased Staff Efficiency
Another important benefit of live answering services is that the operators, and not your existing staff, answer every call. This means that your staff can continue to concentrate on the task at hand without having to break their concentration, which can take a lot of time to regain. Your business has a far greater chance of thriving when you and your employees are able to focus on what you do best.
- Seamless Integration
The operators of a live answering service are outsourced, but so is the technology. Because of this, an answering service can be seamlessly integrated with your business, regardless of the technology you are using. They’ve invested in all the equipment and software so that all you have to do is forward your phone line whenever you want your team of live receptionists to take over.
- Grows with You
You may only need a basic suite of services now, but what about the future when your business has grown and more customers are calling than ever? Live answering services can grow and scale with you. Just relay your growing requirements to your account rep and they can help customize the perfect plan for you whenever you choose.
- Specialists on Every Call
A great thing about live operators is that they’ve been professionally trained to provide helpful, compassionate, and respectful service every time a customer calls. This level of consistency can elevate your business to new levels. These experts already have experience with your industry, so they can quickly learn about your business and go about answering calls just like you would.
- More Than Just “Hello”
An answering service does far more for a business than answering the phone. They can also schedule appointments, take orders, send messages, direct customer calls, and provide callers with the answers they’re looking for. They are your virtual receptionists, available when your customers need them, no matter when they call.
Now that you know some of the many benefits of live answering services, you’ll want to make sure you choose the best one for your business. AnswerMTI offers a complete range of live answering services for small businesses of all kinds. Call 1-800-673-2000 to learn more.
