You are good at selling, but your customers get a busy tone whenever a prospect rings.
Why?
Most likely, you don't have your phone with you all the time to answer it.
Or you might be busy with the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life, which makes it difficult to stay on top of your growing business.
Fortunately, you can increase your efficiency and effectiveness by outsourcing a call-handling service.
A call-handling service will allow you to respond to calls quickly and professionally, which can positively impact client satisfaction and loyalty.
This guide provides a quick guide on how to grow your business with a call-handling service. Learn about the benefits of having a call-handling service and the best practices to ensure a return on investment.
Table of Contents
What Is a Call Handling Service?
If you run a business, you know how important it is to have a reliable and efficient way to handle incoming calls.
This is where a call-handling service comes in.
A call-handling service allows businesses to outsource their call answering and management to a third party.
This service can benefit small businesses that may not have the resources or workforce to handle calls in-house.
It involves agents trained to answer customer questions, provide customer service, and respond to different customer issues.
Depending on your needs, a call handling service can provide call handling services for various situations.
You can use a call-handling service for:
- Inbound and outbound calls
- Order taking
- Sales support
- Customer service
- Appointment scheduling
- Call Handling Service Features
Call-handling services offer a range of features that can help you improve your customer service.
Here are some of the most popular features to consider when using a call-handling service:
1. Automated Attendants
Automated attendants are an ideal way to ensure that calls are answered quickly and professionally. They allow customers to choose an option or enter an extension number to reach the right department or person. This helps reduce wait times and ensures that calls are routed appropriately.
2. Voicemail
With voicemail, customers can leave messages for you, which will be stored in a secure database for you to review. This is especially helpful if you are away from the office or out of the country and unable to answer calls.
3. Call Recording
Call recording allows you to review customer conversations and use them as a learning tool to provide better customer service. It also allows you to monitor customer interactions and ensure they align with company policies.
4. Call Conferencing
Call conferencing allows you to set up meetings with customers and other stakeholders without leaving the office. This is especially useful for small businesses that may not have enough staff members to attend in-person meetings.
5. Call Routing
Call routing ensures that calls are handled efficiently and professionally. It allows customers to select an option from a menu or enter an extension number to reach the correct department or person. This feature also helps to reduce wait times, as customers don’t have to wait for their calls to be transferred.
6. Queue Management
Queue management allows you to manage incoming calls by prioritizing them according to importance. This ensures that important calls are answered first and customers don’t have to wait too long on hold.
7. Call Monitoring
You can listen in on conversations to ensure that customer service agents provide good service. This also allows you to identify any potential issues and address them promptly.
8. Customized Greetings
Customized greetings allow you to provide customers with a personalized experience. You can use pre-recorded messages that welcome customers in their native language or customize them to fit your brand voice.
9. Inbound and outbound call management
Inbound call management helps customers navigate the sales process and provides them with the necessary information. Outbound call management allows you to navigate sales by connecting with prospects.
10. Lead Generation
A call-handling service can help businesses generate leads by answering calls from potential customers and collecting their contact information.
11. After-Hours Support
A call-handling service can provide support outside regular business hours, ensuring that calls are still being answered even when the business is closed.
The Benefits of Call Handling Services
There are many reasons businesses are opting for call-handling services to grow and achieve tremendous success.
- Improved customer satisfaction: 80% of customers say their experience with a company is as vital as its service. Top-notch customer service is critical for driving repeat business and increasing customer loyalty.
- Increased productivity: A call-handling service helps you scale your business by siphoning off non-value-added tasks, like taking calls. This frees up your team to work on higher-value tasks.
- Reduced expenses: Investing in a call-handling service allows you to outsource the call-handling process, saving your business money.
- Personal presence: it allows businesses to have a professional presence, even if they don't have a dedicated receptionist. Imagine being able to answer every call that comes into your business, no matter how busy you are.
- Flexibility: For example, if you're a business owner and you're out of the office, a call-handling service can ensure that your calls are still being answered and that your customers are taken care of.
- Innovation: A call-handling service enables businesses to keep up with the latest trends and technology in customer service. By responding to customer inquiries quickly, companies can stay up-to-date on new features, offering their customers the best possible service experience. After all, 90% of customers expect an immediate response.
8 Call Handling Service Best Practices
When looking for a call-handling service provider, there are several best practices that you should consider:
1. Hire Trained and Professional Operators
A call-handling service provider must have trained operators to handle calls professionally and efficiently. This can help improve the customer experience and ensure that calls are managed effectively.
2. Look For a Range of Features
The best call-handling service providers offer a wide range of features, such as appointment scheduling, order taking, and customer service support. This can help businesses streamline their operations and improve the customer experience.
3. Use Advanced Call Routing and Forwarding Technology
A call-handling service provider should have advanced call routing and forwarding technology, allowing calls to be routed to the appropriate staff member or department and forwarded to a different number if necessary.
4. Multi-Language Support
For businesses that cater to a global market, a call-handling service provider with multi-language backing can be very useful. This allows companies to communicate with customers in their native language, improving the customer experience.
5. After-Hours Support
A call-handling service provider should offer support outside regular business hours, ensuring that calls are still being answered even when the business is closed.
6. Data Security
A call-handling service provider must have secure systems to protect customer data. This can help ensure compliance with data protection regulations. Remember, 96% of consumers say good customer service can help build trust.
7. Regular Updates and Reporting
An excellent call-handling service provider should provide regular updates and reports to businesses, allowing them to track the performance of the service and make any necessary adjustments.
8. Excellent Customer Support
The best call-handling service providers offer excellent customer support, helping businesses resolve any issues or concerns.
Wrapping Up: Growing Your Business with a Call Handling Service
Call-handling services are quickly becoming a must-have for all businesses that want to grow their customer base.
For small businesses, significantly, having a call-handling service in place will help ensure you don't miss out on valuable leads.
By outsourcing call answering services and management to a third party, businesses can improve their professional presence, streamline operations, and improve the customer experience.
From answering calls and providing basic customer service to offering advanced features such as appointment scheduling and order taking, a call-handling service can be an invaluable resource to grow your business.
