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Stepping Up Your Call Answering

Oct 1

When was the last time you noticed a business' phone number in the Yellow Pages or on the street only to be disappointed by their contact information?

Business answering service is an innovative way for companies of all sizes to increase their exposure, capture more leads and create long-term relationships with customers.

What does BAS do that I can't?

Answering services fill in when your business is unavailable or unable to answer calls personally. This means there's always someone available during normal business hours, allowing companies to maximize marketing efforts without adding additional staff.

But what about cost? Isn't it expensive to hire another company to answer my calls?

Surprisingly, many companies find they actually save money hiring outside help. After taking into account staffing costs, office supplies, rent and other overhead expenses, many companies discover that outsourcing their calls is cheaper than hiring an in-house equivalent.

What kind of questions can a business answering service answer?

Businesses utilizing outside help to manage calls typically utilize the extra manpower for sales or customer service purposes. Answering services are able to handle any question or concern a customer might have about their product or service, including billing and payment issues. Outside professionals also use the opportunity to follow up on previous conversations and cross-sell additional products or services.

How do I get started with using a business answering service?

The first step is simply getting your phone number listed as an information number instead of a main business line. Call forwarding can be easy to set up, and there are a number of great choices for business answering service services. The sign-up process should only take just a few minutes, and will provide your company with an extra phone number that you can give out to people who call looking for more information about your business.

How do I know what kind of BAS is right for me?

Start by deciding exactly how you want to use the outside help for your calls. Many businesses like using their answering service as a way to gather customer feedback or sell additional products. Knowing this upfront ensures the conversations go smoothly and helps the company you hire provide better service. It's also important to think about what kinds of questions might be fielded during conversations. A business answering service can handle most anything, but it's helpful to have a few guidelines in place about what kinds of questions are okay and which should be directed to another person or resource within your company.

What else do I need to know about having a business answering service?

Since a business answering service is essentially a way for companies to outsource calls, many services offer additional features that help boost marketing efforts. For example, some services include direct interaction with social media profiles or websites from all incoming calls. This provides an opportunity to increase brand awareness while also handling customer concerns quickly and efficiently. In addition, the extra manpower allows companies to send their employees home on time without worrying about missing calls at night or while away on vacation. There are few things more frustrating than getting a busy signal when you're looking for customer support, so outsourcing can be a great alternative to adding more staff.

Answering services are a great way for companies of any size to improve their business outreach, boost customer satisfaction and work smarter by concentrating on their strengths. Even one or two additional people will help answer calls more professionally and provide guidelines for smoother conversations. A business answering service is a great way to attract and retain customers, and can be an excellent way to grow your company without breaking the bank.