Have you ever attempted to call a business to ask a question about a product you were interested in? What happened if you received a voicemail message? It is likely that you hung up. You might have tried to call again, but if you still did not get a live person, then you probably moved on to another company with a similar product. Customers do not give new businesses very much time. They expect their phone call to be answered on the first try. They expect their webpage to work on the first click. When these things do not happen, businesses lose customers.
It is also not realistic that a small business can be available every hour of the day, every day of the week. This is especially true for online shopping businesses or businesses that extend their services across state lines. A small business owner?s normal business hours may translate differently to another state or country that is on a different hour of the day. When businesses sell products to across country customers, it can be extremely difficult to be available to customers at all times.
An after hours telephone answering service can potentially solve this availability problem for many small to medium sized businesses. The after hours phone service works as a call center in a central location. They are often open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week to serve businesses from all over the world. When a customer attempts to reach a business after its hours, they will be transferred to the answering services company.
From there, it will seem just as if the customer had called an employee of the business. The numbers are routed to specific call center agents and the agents know which business the customer is calling about, before every answering the phone. Specific call center employees will be assigned to specific brands to better know and understand their products and services.
These after hours call service employees specifically cater their call methods around the desires of the business owner. Heavily scripted calls may not be the best approach, they can eliminate two elements essential to the customer service experience, empathy and emotion. However, the script or the non script is all decided by the small business owner. They may also set up standards and procedures for how specific issues are handled.
Phone communication is one of the most popular types of business interaction. Approximately 79% of consumers prefer to interact with companies by phone compared to other options. An after hours telephone answering services company ensures that they have this option. Customers want answers fast, and the phone communication method is the quickest route of information.
Although phone communication is the most desired method of communication, it is also important to offer additional methods. An after hours telephone answering services company will satisfy the phone customers, however it will leave others disappointed. After hours answering service can also be tasked to handle customer communication in a variety of other methods, including Email, text, and live chat. Many businesses have recently added in the life chat communication option for those who prefer not to be on the phone.
After hours telephone answering services increase customer satisfaction. When a customer is satisfied with their shopping experience, they are more likely to spend with the company and to be a repeat customer. They are also more likely to recommend the business to their family and friends. Two thirds of consumers would be willing to spend more with a particular company, 13% more, on average, following an excellent customer service experience.
In today?s technological world, exceptional customer service is extremely important. If a customer does not receive the assistance or service they expected, they will simply choose a different business next time. After hours telephone answering services allow small and medium sized businesses to offer around the clock customer service and assistance to their customers. The increase in availability often translates into higher customer ratings and increased spending among customers.