As a consumer, you probably know that the worst thing is getting stuck on hold or having to go through fifteen minutes of an automated telephone answering service. But as a business owner, you might be only thinking of what’s practical for your company. As a small business owner, it can be tough to figure out where you should be allocating your funds, but good customer service should always be a priority! Studies show that even a five percent increase in keeping customers can lead to around 125% in profits! Incredible! One way you can better your customer service is by looking at a small business telephone answering service — it allows you to give your customers a personalized touch in an increasingly digital world and can have good results for your profit margins.
How Does a Small Business Telephone Answering Service Work?
You’ll probably want to go with a live answering service that can field your calls or direct them to the appropriate employee for better customer service satisfaction. Talking to a person on the phone instead of a machine often lets customers feel more understood and appreciated, and lets them know that their concerns are being taken seriously. Your answering service will help you deal with customer complaints, any questions they may have, or any issues they’re facing. In some cases, the answering service may be able to solve those quickly (if they’re asking about hours or who to contact, for example), while in other cases, the person operating the phone may forward a call to a voicemail or to you directly. It gives clients access to answers whenever they need them, not just when your office is in session.
How Would A Small Business Telephone Answering Service Benefit My Company?
- Expanded Customer Base
- Profits
Think about it. You get a reputation for having great customer service. People will refer their friends or family to your business. More clients! Almost 60% of Americans would take a chance on a company or brand they don’t ordinarily use if it meant getting better customer service. Snag those customers out of the big companies’ hands with better and more personalized customer service! Even if your prices go up slightly to accommodate the answering service, over half of Americans say they would pay a little extra for a quality customer service experience.
This stands to reason. More customers, more revenue. Over 80% of customers say they would go back and buy again from a company after having an excellent customer service experience. They know their needs or concerns will be addressed in a timely and respectful fashion and it makes them feel more secure about purchasing services or goods from your company. Moreover, it’s been shown that businesses who make their customer service a real priority see profits that are 60% higher than that of their competitors who don’t invest in customer service.
Don’t let your customers talk into thin air. Use a live phone answering service. A live telephone answering service can help you achieve better results for everyone.