Using a Live Telephone Answering Service is the Smart Way to a Better Business

Have you ever called a business to get a question answered?  Maybe you have a question about your phone bill, for instance.  You are greeted by an automated menu, told to press a number, and then, likely, you are led to another automated menu where the process repeats itself.  You get someone’s desk finally, but it goes to voicemail.   When you finally get a live person, you may be transferred to another, having to explain your problem all over again.  By the time your question is answered, you’ve lost time, and you have certainly lost patience with that particular company.  An important question to ask yourself is if this is how your callers feel when they are trying to reach you.  If you don’t like the answer, then a live telephone answering service can help.

When we can email anyone for anything or use the internet to do most of our daily tasks, why are phone calls such a big deal?  And aren’t automated systems convenient for busy callers?  They can be great if you are checking an account balance or paying a bill, but if you want to ask a question of a real, live person, they are an enormous source of frustration.  Email can also be a great tool, but for people who are not familiar with your business, it can be impersonal.  Ideally, a phone call answers a question quickly and with minimal waiting, transfers, and explanations.  

Say you own a company which is beginning to take off.  You can no longer handle running the company while taking care of all of the administrative tasks it involves, like answering phones, scheduling appointments, tracking leads, placing orders, or processing work tickets.  What happens if you are busy and your phone rings?  Do you interrupt a meeting, another phone call, or an important project?  Or do you let it go to voicemail?  In the first case, you may alienate the person with whom you were working, and in the second, you turn off customers.  A would-be customer will become a customer of a business that answered their call.  Often, first time-callers will simply hang up rather than leave a message; you are losing potential business with each missed call.

Failing to answer calls, or even answering them yourself, can convey the impression that your company is not professional or polished, that perhaps you cannot handle the job or that you are easily overwhelmed.  It could convey the impression that you don’t care enough to answer phone calls or answer questions.  And it could lead customers, clients, or associates to believe you do not value their calls. You cannot afford these impressions.

Instead, provide your company with the best image possible.  A live phone answering service can handle calling and other tasks for you, helping you build and maintain a professional reputation.  The difference a real, live, knowledgeable, and friendly person makes cannot be overstated.  People connect with people, not with automated systems or voicemail, and when they connect with your receptionist, they are much more likely to call back again.

Grow Your Business with Less Overhead Using a Virtual Receptionist
Get Rid of Your Staffing Problems with a Reliable Virtual Answering Service
Too Busy to Field Calls? Lighten the Load with Remote Receptionists
Using a Live Answering Service is the Smart Way to a Better Business
Thousands Now Use a Live Phone Answering Service to Grow Their Business
See How Easily Productivity Is Increased with Virtual Receptionists
Virtual Answering Services: Make Sure You Get a Great Return-on-Investment
Virtual Telephone Answering Can Be a Lifesaver for Your Business
Can't Afford the Employee You Need? Virtual Assistance is Just a Click Away
Pros and Cons of Using Virtual Office Service - and Turning Cons into Pros