Thinking Out of the Box with Answering Services

Resources and time. Two of the most important reasons why businesses shy away from having a full-time employee and doing the office work themselves. And usually it's the customers who suffer the most, both existing and potential customers. These days, it's not just enough that someone be present at the cash register to receive payments from the customers, you also have to entertain queries and other concerns. Being undermanned and pressed for time is definitely something that will contribute greatly to the burden of not being able to satisfy customers with their issues and concerns. When your business is boxed inside these hindrances, it's time to think out of the box.

Handling customers with their concerns cannot be just put aside or entertained only when your schedule permits it. Customers can no longer be considered as 'non-core' or 'non-essential' part of your business, which is why the BPO industry came up with an innovative solution for helping businesses.

Concerns with both resources and time are quickly addressed because, one, it's more practical than hiring a full-time staff, and two, it gives you more time to focus on running your business. Answering services call centers provide businesses small and large with a professional team dedicated to answering phone calls and taking down messages on your behalf. Agents are thoroughly trained to take down orders real-time, quickly and accurately, placing great emphasis on being precise when it comes to taking down messages or orders. Messages rely on accurate facts reaching the recipient in as much as order placements have to be accurate as well so as not to confuse the manufacturer with the delivery or payment processing. You have the choice and the freedom to customize these services according to your business needs including order taking services for service-oriented business that caters to customers with product order placement.

As businesses move forward along with technological advancement, so does the customers with their demands for excellent service for both products / services and human interaction. Customers have become demanding on businesses relying on their hard-earned money. T.V. Shows such as Oprah, Rachel Ray, etc, have made sure that the public become aware, if not well educated on their rights as consumers, and they demand more information on products and services they're about to purchase. That, for the most part, means you as a business owner should put more effort in addressing their concerns and having a professional answering service call center on your side guarantees that your manpower increases exponentially to satisfy your customers with their needs. And that is good for your business.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Answering Service Company

Getting an extra pair of hands to boost development is an attractive option for many companies right now. Answering service companies and live answering service are the two most practical options managers may consider. The most challenging question lies on whether and how you get the best out of the services. Getting the best option available in the market is a challenge, yet it is most rewarding when you finally get one you’re comfortable and satisfied with.

Saving cost is one of the most effective means to achieve success. The question however lies on the benefits that you can get out of hiring a company who can provide you a better service. So, how do you get the best services for the growth of your company? How do you ensure that your investment is well paved for?

Companies such as these can provide you with the live answering service most customers highly covet. Hiring new phone operators just to take care of calls wouldn't be a hassle for your company anymore. Training new employees, providing benefits for them, giving space for them is actually more expensive when you look at it closely.

Outsourcing the service provides an alternative that will have greater effect on your revenue. Customer's concerns are well taken care of; services are open around the clock. Your business can utilize the services since calls are being handled throughout the day. Some small and medium companies consider an answering service more cost effective compared to hiring a receptionist.

Some disadvantages on the other hand will cause frustration in your customer especially if you are working with an inefficient answering service company. When trying to get the most out of your answering service here are the things that you might want to consider:

Short hold time for your customers- make sure there is short hold time for your customers. There is nothing more frustrating than to spend long time over the phone. If you have plans to hire a service make sure that you don't miss out the calls of potential customers.


Communicate clearly- There are different methods on how answering service are being done, explain to the company how you want your calls to be answered, also inform them who are your favorite clients so they can prioritize these people.

Keep them up-to-date- always inform the company of the new products, or changes on your existing product. Changes on existing services and even developments as to how your messages should be sent.


Aside from the key points mentioned above you can also instruct the service providers how to best answer the phone, address complaints or schedule appointments suited to your preferences. Aside from the fact that there is a live interaction between your customer and the operators, this also creates a more personal approach in call handling.

Other companies can also consider voice mail to take care of their reception desk but it is not an effective method to capture messages. It is common knowledge that 70 % of callers hang up the moment they hear a voice mail. It is also considered cold and impersonal; they can invest in live phone answering service to gain more extra conveniences.

There are many answering service companies available in the market today. It is essential to take into account the options available and decide on the types of services that you think are right for your business. If you want to get the most out of your investment while getting a more personalize approach in handling calls, try outsourcing for the services that will take care of your reception desk.