How to Choose a Professional Answering Service for Your Business

Posted January 12, 2015 in 24/7 answering service, professional answering service by admin

If you run your own business, you know that one of the keys to success is excellent customer service. Unfortunately, in the age of digital communication, more and more businesses are struggling to provide adequate customer service on a regular basis. According to Forbes Magazine, a 2011 survey showed that 71% of customers who ended a business relationship did so because of a poor customer service experience. Additional research shows that customers are begging for conversations with real people now more than ever.

More and more businesses are beginning to understand that their automated communications processes are often frustrating their clients and can create unnecessary incidents of poor customer service. Many organizations that take the time to review and understand these issues are turning to professional answering services to help them better serve their customer base. A reputable telephone answering service can have a huge impact on a business by promoting better efficiency and greater customer service. Unfortunately, choosing the wrong answering service can have the opposite effect. Here are some tips to help you choose the right answering service for your business:

Look for companies that have experience serving companies like yours

Before signing on with a telephone answering service, look through their website to see which markets they currently serve. If you can’t find this information on their website, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask them directly. Find out which industries they serve and the types of businesses they serve, such as small businesses, large corporations, medical offices, etc.

Experience goes a long way when it comes to executing effective customer service. If the answering service you’re looking into has experience serving businesses like yours, you’ll be able to take advantage of best practices and suggestions from their years of experience serving businesses in your industry. It also means you won’t need to bring them up to speed on basic things they’ll need to do when handling your calls.

Beware of companies offering same day activation

You wouldn’t hire a new employee and let them start working with less than a day’s training, right? The same should hold true for the answering service you select. An answering service will be the first person someone speaks to when they contact your business, and it’s critical to make a great first impression. Seek providers that have a thorough on-boarding process, ask lots of questions and truly customize their services to fit your specific business needs. The entire on-boarding process for a new telephone answering service can range from a couple days to a week or more depending on the size and complexity of your organization. Beware of companies that want to do it in less than a day. This typically means they don’t offer the levels of customer service and customization that most companies require.

Ask about staffing and training

When researching telephone answering services, learn about staffing and training. How do they ensure that there’s enough staff members available to minimize hold times? Are they able to use remote operators to cover peak hours? When an answering service is adequately staffed, ring times and hold times are always kept at a minimum. Also, don’t be afraid to ask how long the average ring and hold times are.

When it comes to training, don’t be afraid to ask about how their staff is trained. Does the answering service staff receive regular training? Are they tested for competency by a recognized trade organization? Learning about the types of training the answering service staff goes through will help you feel more at ease about your decision.

There are many different factors to consider when choosing a telephone answering service for your business. There’s no single company that will be perfect for every business, and finding the perfect fit will take some time and research. However, partnering with a professional telephone answering service may be one of the best business decisions you can make.

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