It’s the new year, and with it comes a refreshed attitude and plenty of opportunities. Last year’s affairs might not be completely sorted out, though…
Did you come back to work to find you missed a few phone calls over the holiday? You’re probably not the only one. Just because you’re taking a break doesn’t mean that someone didn’t try to get in contact with you. This applies to businesses of all industries. Emergency root canals or burst pipes don’t take vacations.
If someone tried to call your business while you were away and got a voicemail message in their time of need, it’s pretty likely they’ll call someone else before trying you again. This is one of the worst times to miss calls, as the holidays are a critical period for most businesses. According to one survey, 67 percent of respondents reported hanging up on a business after not being able to reach a live person. That’s a costly mistake— one that’s easily avoided with a 24/7 answering service. They’ll make sure everyone that calls your business reaches a real person who’s prepared to help them, even if you’re celebrating Christmas thousands of miles away. Here’s more of what you can expect from a professional 24/7 answering service like PATLive:
Whether it’s someone new interested in learning about your business or a long-time customer with an emergency, every call matters and answering all of them with a friendly greeting should be a priority, even during the holidays. A 24/7 phone answering service makes sure that you don’t miss any information from your callers even if you’re away. Professionally-trained receptionists take messages by following your business’s customized script to give your callers a stress-free phone experience while keeping track of all the information you need to stay on top of your business. Receptionists record all the details from each call for you to access from anywhere, so you’ll never miss an important message over the holidays, after hours, or any other time.
Answering services like PATLive are designed to act as an extension of your business, handling your calls 24/7 so you can focus on your business (or your holidays). Thanks to our proprietary scripting process, we look, sound, and behave exactly like a member of your team. As such, our receptionists can perform any function an in-house receptionist can perform, often at a fraction of the cost.
This includes managing appointments using any web-based scheduling software. It’s as easy as setting up your call script and giving our receptionists access to your online scheduler. Receptionists answer calls and set appointments according to your specifications, integrating with any programs you might have in place.
Someone calling their dentist in the middle of the night with excruciating pain from their wisdom teeth might not expect to get an answer, but PATLive can answer that call and set the caller up with an appointment in minutes—that’s the difference in service the right answering service can bring. Aside from the relief of knowing their issue will be dealt with, the fact that their call was answered in the middle of the night (or on a Sunday morning, or on Christmas Eve) will mean a lot.
This is only a snapshot of the full range of services a quality answering service can provide. In addition to what I’ve described here, PATLive can provide bilingual service, lead collection, order processing, and more for a low monthly cost totally free of contracts. As we think back on the holidays, though, I think it comes down to something simpler than any one feature. Here’s an anecdote about the impact of answering your business calls:
Three days ago, the Sunday before New Year’s Eve, my girlfriend and I were packed and ready to head home and ring in the new year. Then, her car, parked in my parent’s driveway since the night before, refused to start. Jumper cables didn’t help. The battery was less than a month old. New Year’s Eve was ruined. We knew most mechanics’ shops were closed for the holiday, and we couldn’t blame them for that. They were likely with their families just like we were. We called them anyway, getting voicemail message after voicemail message just as expected. The fourth mechanic we tried, however, answered after just a few rings. She might need a new starter after 200,000 miles, he said. That was all. The call lasted just under four minutes.
While he wasn’t able to help us directly, the fact that he answered our call and offered some advice on a Sunday afternoon made all the difference.. We bought the part the next morning and installed it with the help of a friend. Problem solved. We know who to call next time we need a mechanic.
It’s easy to forget that on the other end of every call is a real person who needs your services in one way or another. Reaching a real person who can listen to the caller rather than a voicemail goes a long way—it shows your dedication to your business and your customers. You cared enough to make sure their call was answered even if you couldn’t immediately help.
Your customers deserve the best service possible and providing it is easier than you might think. Getting started with a professional answering service like PATLive is simple and only takes a few minutes.
Publish Date: January 2, 2019 |
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