How to Set Up An Effective Call Screening System for Your Business
Most companies receive a lot of phone traffic, but not all of those calls are from your current or potential clients. There are also scam phone calls and offers of business services that you may not want or need. It is always annoying and distracting but especially so now, during the pandemic when your time is the most valuable. Here is how you can set up call screening to weed out the junk and how a professional answering service can help.
What is Call Screening?
Call Screening is a process of separating legitimate calls from a group of solicitation calls, prank calls, wrong number calls, etc. When a call comes into your office, someone needs to take it to determine the reason for it before passing it along. The person answering the phone must have the time and skills necessary to separate these two groups throughout the day.
How to Set Up a Call Screening System for Your Business
Whoever answers your phones, such as an in-house receptionist, you will need to give them some instructions on how to screen your company’s calls effectively. This might require two lists: one – of people and business you want to speak with; the other – a list of nos. You can also provide categories of calls that you may or not be interested in, such as business loans (“no”) and prospective clients (“yes”).
Why You May Want to Delegate Your Call Screening
Answer all your business calls for a short period, and you’ll quickly figure out that the job is tedious and time-consuming. It is one of the tasks that many companies decide to outsource, and for a good reason. Even if you continue to handle some calls in-house, you can have a call answering service screen your calls first. The benefits of doing this include:
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Fewer work interruptions.
You will quickly find that the absence of a constantly ringing telephone will allow you to get more work done in a shorter period. You can also stop dealing with persistent telemarketers who don’t know how to take “no” for an answer.
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Speak with motivated customers first.
A call screening service will give you detailed information about potential clients so that you can call back the most motivated customers first.
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Prioritize your time.
A call answering service will not only screen your calls but also prioritize them according to urgency. If you use an emergency dispatch service, you will be immediately notified about matters that require your attention quickly.
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Better employee morale.
Your employees will be thrilled when the phone stops ringing with frivolous calls that waste their time. They will be more productive and satisfied in their positions when you delegate these tasks.
At the time you started your business, a constantly ringing telephone may have been a dream. But with unwanted calls, it could turn into a nightmare for your productivity. A professional answering service can help solve this issue and provide other valuable options such as 24/7 availability and appointment scheduling services. Contact Answering365 now to have a free consultation and find out firsthand how our call answering service can benefit your business.