By If you’re considering using an answering service to answer your phones, there are many different aspects to consider before making a final decision. These factors include cost, flexibility, and knowledgeable receptionists. Below, we’ve outlined some of the main criteria to consider when selecting a receptionist. After reading these criteria, you’ll be well on your way to finding a receptionist that is perfect for your company’s needs.
Customer service
Answering services offer more than just telephone answering. Their professional receptionists can provide customer service and after-hours assistance. They can help businesses with marketing strategies, referral programs, and 24/7 customer support. With this type of service, businesses can focus on running their core business functions. Customers can be assured that their messages will be delivered to the right person in a timely manner.
In addition to providing customer service, an answering service can help businesses save time. It will take over the burden of answering phone calls when the business owner is unavailable. The answering service will also take messages from customers when they can’t reach the business’s representatives. Using an answering service can improve the customer experience and improve customer lifetime value.
Cost
When deciding on the cost of answering services, there are a number of factors to consider. For instance, some services are much more expensive than others, while some offer a range of pricing plans. Also, keep in mind that the rates charged by answering services are often based on per minute billing. Therefore, if your company makes a lot of calls, you should expect to pay more per minute than a small business.
Another factor to consider is the cost of hiring a receptionist. The answering service after hours average front desk receptionist earns around $30k per year, but that figure doesn’t factor in ancillary costs, such as training and benefits. While these additional expenses can add up, the monthly bill for an answering service is a fraction of the cost of an in-house employee.
Flexibility
Among the most important features of an answering service is its flexibility. Some services offer a month-to-month subscription, while others require you to sign a contract or pay a minimum amount. It’s important to carefully read the cancellation policy and terms before signing up. In addition, check if the service rounds up per-minute usage, as this can make a big difference in your monthly bill.
If your company’s phone calls increase from time to time, you may want to consider a service that handles overflow calls. These services can help your business by processing orders and gathering information from your website. They can also provide valuable customer service, such as upselling or cross-selling your products. Another advantage of using an answering service is that it can set up appointments for you and notify you of new calls and emails.
Knowledgeable receptionists
Knowledgeable receptionists are critical to the success of any answering service. Callers want to know who they are talking to and whether they can help. They can get frustrated if they can’t hear you clearly, so they need information as soon as possible. A competent receptionist is trained to answer calls in a professional manner. They should be able to use custom answering scripts to respond to customers’ inquiries and concerns.
When hiring an answering service, it is important to make sure that they have a good record of customer service. Some answering services conduct internal performance management reviews based on objective performance scorecard metrics. These reviews are conducted annually or semi-annually, and call recordings are often used to measure performance. Ask the answering service to provide call recordings as evidence of how the receptionist handled a call.
Intercon Messaging Inc.
6226 50 Ave
Drayton Valley, AB
T7A 1R7
Canada
