If you own a small business and want to maintain a personal touch, you may have reservations about trusting an answering service to take care of your clients when you can’t. However, if you’re finding that your business is growing or you don’t seem to have the staff to handle all of the phone calls, a service can help you meet these demands. A service can answer the calls during peak business hours, after hours, and provide answers to basic questions that would otherwise distract your staff from other important tasks. Other reasons why using a service can be beneficial for small businesses include improved return on investment or ROI and better standardized service for clients.
Meeting Demands and Managing Growth
Part of owning a business means handling inquiries from current and potential customers. Yet, many small businesses are short-staffed or maintain a staff that has to juggle multiple roles. If you’re finding that your call volume is increasing or your staff is spending too much time handling requests for basic information, an answering service can help alleviate this burden. The service can answer overflow, calls that your staff is not able to pick up during business hours, screen calls, and answer calls after hours. This helps ensure that you don’t miss any important requests or alienate potential customers.
A growing business is also often stretched by increasing demands from customers. A service can fill the gaps while your business ramps up its staff. You won’t be distracted by wrong numbers or sales representatives while you’re trying to grow.
Increased ROI
As your business is growing, an answering service can focus on handling leads and increasing the ROI on your marketing efforts. Having a 24/7 service by your side can ensure you don’t miss out on any leads. Being able to reach a live person instead of a voicemail or automated message can increase conversion.
Provide Better Service
Small businesses that deliver a service, such as medical care or roofing repair, need to address clients using specific methods and processes. A service can ensure this happens, from the time the client is greeted over the phone to the moment the client’s information is dispatched or handed off to yourself or one of your staff members. Following processes for emergencies and scripts can be easily built into your contract with a service.
Although there are many benefits to using an answering service, small businesses can often benefit the most. A service can help fill critical gaps while your business is growing. It can also help better address and screen your clients’ needs, while helping to convert leads into new customers.
