A Live Operator Answering Service vs. Automated Voice-mail

A Live Operator Answering Service vs. Automated Voice-mail

We are big believers in automation.  I know that may sound counter-intuitive coming live operator answering servicefrom a provider of live operator answering services  where the alternative might be an automated voice-mail system; but automation is actually helping our business grow.  The real key is in automating the ‘right parts’ of the communication process, while at the same time maximizing the value of the human connection that can only be extended through interaction with a live person.

Understanding When & When Not to Rely on Voice-mail

A large majority of businesses utilize some form of voice-mail.  It makes sense: voice-mail is typically a cheap way to supplement the communication process when you and your staff are not available to receive the call.  This may be fine for business models that are not heavily focused on customer service or do not rely much on person-to-person interaction.  However, for those that do, voice-mail has several limitations; and for many organizations it is actually costing them a lot more revenue than they realize.  To help you understand if a live operator answering service might be a fit for your business, walk through the following questions in regards to your specific operations:

Missed Revenue Opportunities?

  • When the phone rings at our offices, does it usually have a direct or indirect impact on our revenue and/or our customer satisfaction ratings?  (i.e. are a good percentage of our calls clients/prospects and those associates helping us to keep those clients/prospects happy?)
  • How many client or prospect calls go to voice-mail each week?
  • How many calls do we miss per week (including after-hours and weekends) where the caller doesn’t bother to leave a message?

 

Potential Time Savings

  • How much time do my staff and I spend each week listening to and responding to voice-mails? 
  • Could we benefit from enhanced message routing where messages always go to the proper contact within the organization, and those messages are provided in a format which makes them much easier to scan and prioritize vs. dialing into voice-mail? 
  • If we were able to save XX hours each week, what would we do with that time to improve the business, and what would that be worth to us? 
  • Do we have good escalation procedures if an important call comes in after-hours? 
  • Could an answering service free up the office manager role for other duties? Or act as a reduced cost replacement for a full-time or part time secretarial role?

 

Being Honest With Your Business

The above questions are just a starting point; the challenge is being honest enough with your answers to help you determine if you really are missing revenue and losing time due to an inefficient communications plan.  We purposely did not touch on other forms of communication (i.e. e-mail, text, social media, web live-chat, etc.) because these days the phone is most often the last resort.  In general, if your client, patient or prospect bypasses all other options of electronic communications, chances are they WANT to speak to a live person.  If they are not given that option, they will experience some level of frustration, or seek elsewhere for their needs.

Back to the “Automation” Part

As I mentioned at the beginning, we are fans of automation.  With all of the different methods of communication available today, there is no longer a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach.  Yes, we are a live operator answering service, but our primary strength is in gaining an understanding of the businesses we engage so that we can help them build or supplement the communications plan that works best for them.  Figuring out the right mix of live operator interaction along with the back-end automation to streamline processes for a client’s specific needs is the ‘fun’ part for us!

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

Or visit our  Contact Us  page.

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What is Your Time Worth? Secrets of Using a 24/7 Answering Service