Service Businesses: 24/7 Answering Service May be Just What You Need

Service Businesses: 24/7 Answering Service May be Just What You Need

If your business model is partly or wholly based on the quality of service you provide to 24/7 answering serviceyour clients, you need to read this.  Traditional  business models are being up-ended at an alarming rate.  It’s not just one industry or sector either; healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and professional trades are just a few of the industries where ‘out with the old and in with the new’ is happening 24/7 throughout the country.

Answering the Service Needs of Your Clients in a Better Way

So what is causing this upheaval with traditional business models?  Is it technology? Increased competition? Economics?  While each may be a minor contributing factor, the main reason is successful businesses are finding ways to create a customer experience far superior to that of their peer companies.  Whether it is dealing with the Doctor’s office, securing a contractor to work on your house, or getting funding for your business through the bank, there are organizations in each of these categories that just seem to make the experience so much easier and more rewarding compared to their peers.

Is It “A Lot Easier” to Do Business with You vs. Others?

Note the phrase ‘far superior’ above.  Whether in business or in their personal lives, people don’t like to change for the sake of change.  They need a really good reason.  After all, they have likely built relationships with their current providers and ‘change’ usually means more work, more hassle, and in many cases more cost.  A key strategy for today’s service businesses is to do something different from what most of their peers are already doing; something that, with a little effort, makes it a lot easier for prospects and clients to do business with them.

A 24/7 Approach to Customer Service

The challenge is how.  If you run a service business, chances are you spend a large majority of your time managing and performing those services.  This is where a quality 24/7 answering service can be a big help.  You likely already have a website, perhaps a referral network and a few other ways to help prospects find you.  But when a prospect or client actually takes the time to call you, does your company always answer with a live, friendly and helpful person?

Appear to Always Be There, Even When Your Not

When a prospect calls, he or she has probably already researched your company on the internet or was referred to you by a friend.  When a client or patient calls, the reason is likely more important than what can be addressed in a mere e-mail or web-form submission.  By having a live person, any time of day or night, help manage the callers’ expectations, you are now ‘much easier to do business with’ than many of your peers.  In most cases, the return on investment in a quality service is very high in regards to securing new clients as well as keeping existing clients happy over the long term.

An Answering Service is Good Strategy

There are obviously multiple ways to develop your customer experience efforts above and beyond that of your peers.  The interesting note is that many of them will get so wrapped up in the technology end that they often overlook the opportunity to integrate the powerful touch of live human interaction as part of their strategy.  If you have not seriously considered partnering with a 24/7 answering service that can customize a program specifically to the needs of your business, now may be the time to do so.

To learn more about Main Line TeleCommunications, please download our free guide:
Free: 10 Tips For Choosing a Telephone Answering Service

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Related Links:
Is Your Call Handling Service Growing Your Revenue?
Answering the Call: Provide the Best Service to Your Clients
24/7 Answering Services – A Sound Investment for Your Practice