What does it take to create an amazing call center? Many businesses have tried answering services and been turned off for reasons ranging from they don’t understand my business to pricing issues to rude operators. But, the reality is, small business owners need a break from their business. Finding an efficient live operator answering service to answer calls is a priceless commodity. Throughout this article, I will highlight a few necessities business owners should look into before committing to a service. First, and most important, test out the answering service before you commit to any contracts. Many services offer a free trial period…one word – “priceless". The only way to know if a service will work for you is to test them out. Watch out for services that offer a trial then have long contracts you must sign. This is reminiscent of a “bait & switch tactic". Services will answer your phones amazingly during the trial, get you to sign a long contract, and then drop the ball. Bad news is, you’re locked in to a horrible call center.
This brings up the second point, watch out for long contracts. Many answering services are known to switch owners often and hire grossly incompetent operators which result in a serious disruption of quality services. The ideal answering service contract is on a month-to-month term. This forces the call center to be in the hot seat every month. If you have a problem, leave them without penalty.
Thirdly, ask for references. Make sure you get at least 3 references and make sure those references vary by industry. This will prove if the answering service is able to adequately manage calls for many industries. Don’t be shy to ask these references the questions most important to you, for instance, 1) how are their hold times, 2) how is their customer service, 3) Are there hidden charges, 4) how long have you been a customer, etc. Also, make sure you call these references after hours so you can see how they manage calls first hand for other businesses.
Fourth, price is NOT paramount. More often than not, the cheaper the answering service, the worse the service is. Imagine if you have a $15.00 an hour employee compared to a $6.00 an hour employee. Who do you think will care about your calls more? Which employee is more dedicated to their job? Which employee is “job" oriented, and which one is “career" oriented? Along the same vein, it is not a bad idea to ask what the average operator gets paid. If you are looking at a few answering services and the price is right for one but the service is more impressive with the other, go for the more expensive service. Remember, main goal of using a call center is to expand your business. If you have an unreliable service, regardless of how much money you believe they are saving you in the short run, they are ultimately costing you thousands of dollars in lost revenue.
Running a home business can be one of the most rewarding experiences of ones life. In my case, doing so has allowed me to be my own boss, spend more time with my family, and gain real financial independence. When I look at how much my business has grown over the past few years, I am filled with an immense sense of achievement and satisfaction, which are things I never felt while working 9-5 for someone else.
Nevertheless, having my own business is not without its challenges. I quite often have to deal with problems that hardly ever crop up in larger companies. Even something seemingly as basic as making sure my customer service phone line gets answered used to be a logistical nightmare for me -- until I started using a live answering service.
Signing up with a live answering service was one of the best business decisions I ever made. By doing so, I immediately gained several real advantages over my competitors. For example, my customers can call the phone number listed on my website and reach a human operator (rather than just a recorded message) at any time of the day or night. The operator has access to a file containing basic information about my products and company policies, so he or she can answer some of the more straightforward questions that my customers have, right on the spot.
By using a live answering service, I am essentially getting extra employees that help spread the word about my company.
Another advantage of using a live answering service is that it makes my whole operation appear more professional. Many people are still wary of purchasing products from websites that don't have a nationally-recognized name because there are unfortunately a lot of sites that sell sub-par products, never follow through with shipments, or just suddenly disappear with no warning and no refund of unprocessed orders.
The first thing cautious shoppers look for on unfamiliar websites is the company's contact information. Because I use a live answering service, I can be sure that my customers will always get through to someone when they call in to place an order or ask questions.
This distinguishes my company as more legitimate and trustworthy than places that only have voicemail available, and serves to reassure first-time customers that they're dealing with professionals. This has in turn led to an increase in sales as well as to a great online reputation, which is definitely hard to come by.
Because a live answering service can do so much more for you than just take messages, choosing which company to work with is a critical decision. Most live answering services are available nationwide and have their own websites where you can check out their specific packages and prices.
Before you enter into a contract with any of these companies, be sure to read the fine print concerning the package you wish to purchase. It's very common for a live answering service to assess extra fees if you go over your allotted number of calls for the month or break any of the other terms of your contract, so it would be in your best interest to read everything thoroughly.
It takes a lot of time and energy to run a successful business, which is why it makes sense to outsource tasks whenever it is financially feasible to do so. Signing up with a live answering service is a cost-effective way to provide your customers with phone support and to make your business more reputable.
So compare some live answering services now and sign up with the company that best suits your needs.
Both Todd Cardin & Tyson J Stevenson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Todd Cardin has sinced written about articles on various topics from Small Business, Work From Home and Management. Todd Cardin is the regional sales manager for Specialty Answering Service's Philadelphia office,. Todd has been with. Todd Cardin's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.
Tyson J Stevenson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Jewelry, Acid Reflux and Medical Malpractice Lawyers. Tyson J Stevenson creates useful articles & reviews on a wide variety of everyday subjects. Expect to see his name often. View further samples of his work at or at. Tyson J Stevenson's top article generates over 90500 views. to your Favourites.