You started a new business, what’s next?
Spring is here, the pandemic is coming to an end, optimism for the future is in the air, and you get a winning idea and plan to start, say, a bakery. You also realize you can’t do everything you have to by yourself no matter how optimistic you feel. One of the main issues of every start-up is catching and retaining new leads. You might be ready to bake the most delicious bread in town but you need suppliers, customers, a cleaning crew. Somebody has to take phone orders, answer question, call vendors. One of the easy and cost-effective solutions is partnering with a call answering service. Here is some information about using these services and leveraging their benefits.
Automated Answering Service
One of your choices is to use some form of automated answering service. You might have a PBX phone system, which stands for private branch exchange. This system allows the users such as an office or a store to share a single phone line and have their own extensions.
There are several limitations to PBX systems. First, they are costly to purchase and maintain. Second, these systems are a bit antiquated and no longer well suited for a modern business. Callers seldom respond well to old systems that ask them to input extension numbers, navigate a phone tree, or leave a voicemail message.
This brings us to the interactive voice response (IVR) system, another automated system that allows callers to speak their choices instead of hitting buttons. Again, these are not very customer-friendly, and callers are likely to hang up before reaching their desired destination.
Semi-Automated Answering Service
You can go one step better than an automated system and choose a semi-automated one. When you select this option, a live person might answer your phone, but their function will be limited. They might also be untrained in customer service. They will get calls through to an automated system, but the caller will still have to push buttons or shout commands.
Live Call Answering Service
Your next and probably best option is a live call answering service. In this scenario, a live call operator will answer each of your company’s phone calls; they will be trained in understanding your business and its goals.
The services that you receive through a professional answering service will depend on your particular needs. For example, you can choose virtual receptionist services where a call operator will remotely answer your company’s phones and handle some administrative tasks customized by you. A call answering service can schedule appointments on your behalf, give callers basic information about your business, and even manage dispatching calls of an urgent nature.
No matter how big or small your company is, it will still have a phone line. For the sake of legitimacy and professionalism, you shouldn’t be using your cell phone. Customers and business partners value communication, so it makes sense to partner with a call answering service to build and grow your business.
If you would like to learn more about how an answering service can help you achieve its goals, contact Answering365 for more information or set up a free consultation. Feel free to give us a call at 888-588-9800.
