How A Live Person Answering Your Phones Benefits Your Business

Making the decision to hire a professional answering service can be a difficult one. But the truth is, relying on an answering machine to answer your calls when you are not there is hurting your business. Don’t believe it? Statistics from Forbes magazine show that 80% of callers who are sent to voicemail or an answering machine choose not to leave a message because they think that it will be ignored. Additionally, 30% of voicemails don’t get listened to for at least three days, and 20% of people that have voicemail never listen to their messages, according to The New York Times. 

The bottom line, if you want to establish trust with your customers and get people to believe that your business is organised and in control, you need a live person answering the phone. In-person phone calls are the number one method customers turn to when they need to reach you fast. Prospects also rely on a live person answering the phone to make first contact. Relying on auto-attendants or IVR (Interactive Voice Response) to answer calls is not ideal and introduces a whole host of problems.

For example, when people call medical offices, they want to talk to a live person, not an auto-attendant as the below suggests. 

• People prefer to speak to a live person who can assist them quickly based on their medical needs.
• A large number of people who phone often hang up on an auto-attendant or IVR.
• There are usually too many options to choose from.
• Older people are not comfortable with pressing keys on cell phones.
• Auto-attendants or IVR’s are not updated regularly which can cause frustration and confusion as the caller is chased around.
• When a person is not feeling well it’s nice to have a live person answer their call and add a personal touch.

How a live person answering your phones benefits your business

People like talking to other people. But if your business lacks the workforce to handle all incoming calls, what can you do? Hire a professional answering service with live receptionists. Businesses that use these services benefit in a multitude of ways as the below explains.

Quick responses

When times are busy, voicemail messages can easily go unchecked for days. This can cause your response time to be significantly delayed and you may end up having a bunch of very unimpressed customers whose trust you will have a hard time rebuilding.

In contrast, when you have the help of a live person who is always available to answer calls, they can respond quickly and send you email messages that you can view and tend to whenever you have the time.

A sympathetic ear

A customer who might be struggling with a personal problem is less likely to talk to an answering machine or an auto-attendant about whatever it is they may be going through as opposed to a friendly human being. A cold and unfeeling machine is not what callers need in times of trouble. Connecting with a live person who can offer solutions, sympathy and possibly even provide comfort on the other hand is helpful and creates a much better impression of your business.

Direct answers

When customers call, they usually expect a quick solution to their problems. If they reach an auto-attendant, the experience can be frustrating, especially when the menu directs them in circles. When you hire the services of a live person, they can help customers quickly and easily with basic requests while at the same time, help to lighten your workload by answering frequently asked questions. 

A live person is also extremely helpful for callers who try to contact you in an emergency situation. They can give callers basic instructions and reassure them at the same time. 

Conclusion

When you consider all the above, it’s easy to see how a live person telephone answering service is a great investment and perhaps one of the best you can make to keep customers happy and easily win over new ones.