When it comes to running a small business, you are the boss of everything. While this seems like it may have its perks, the truth is that it can be a lot to handle. Taking calls, scheduling appointments and following up with clients is a full-time job in itself. Never mind the fact that once all those administrative tasks are handled, you must perform the work to keep them happy.
Many small business owners try to make time in their busy schedule by hiring a receptionist to operate the phones, handle scheduling matters, and take care of client-related phone calls. The trouble with this is that most small businesses don’t have the budget to pay an additional employee that is not providing services.
4 Reasons Your Business Needs a Call Answering Service
Evaluation
Instead of hiring a receptionist, it may be time to evaluate whether or not you need a call answering service. Hiring a receptionist means paying an additional salary for something that your business needs, without being able to take on more service-related work that makes you money. Receptionists are a great option if your business is in a place to support one, but a call answering service could be a better and more cost-effective alternative.
Ability
Think about your business phone. Do you ever receive more than one call at a time? Does it seem like when you’re handling things with one customer, three others call and need your attention? Those patterns will not change with a receptionist; it will simply just put the responsibility of multiple phone calls onto a different person.
With a call answering service, your clients can call your business line all at the same time, and none of them will have to leave a message or wait on hold. The professionals used in a call answering service can handle your client’s questions and concerns, take care of scheduling, and work directly with your customer base on your behalf, with multiple hands on deck to take phone calls.
Cost-Effective Alternative
A call answering service is similar to hiring a receptionist, but instead, you get a team of professionals who know and represent your business to ensure every customer is taken care of. When you hire a receptionist, you pay an additional salary. When you enlist the help of a call answering service, you pay based on factors including time spent on the phone or number of calls taken in a day.
A receptionist might only be on the phone for a few hours out of the day, so why pay for a full day of work? A call answering service makes the cost of organization easy, leaving you time and money to hire an employee that you need.
Customer Service
Using a call answering service is one of the greatest ways you can ensure the highest satisfaction of customer service 24/7. Not all of your clients can call and inquire about service during regular business hours. Call answering services offer round-the-clock care to cater to every single customer specially.