5 benefits of using a telephone answering service

Did you know unanswered or missed calls cost money and reduce overall customer satisfaction? In fact, research suggests that roughly 1 in 3 business calls are missed. That’s a third of your current and potential customers’ calls going unanswered, which can damage your company’s image, brand, and revenue.

That’s what makes a telephone answering service, which receives incoming calls on your behalf, an essential asset to optimize your communications, streamline your workflow, and increase your profitability.

A telephone answering service provides you with a dedicated receptionist who will get to know your business on a personal level, and function seamlessly as part of your team. Businesses of all sizes who use our virtual receptionist and phone answering service are reaping the benefits of this new way of working. So, here are the top 5 reasons you might want to consider using a phone answering service:

Partnering with a telephone answering service means you’ll never miss a call. Anyone in business knows that just one call can be enough to seal the deal you’ve been waiting for, or delight a returning customer who might just become your biggest advocate.If somebody tries to call your business and nobody answers, it doesn’t look good for your brand, potentially suggesting your company doesn't value their custom. However, in contrast, if a call is answered by a highly professional, competent receptionist, with years of experience and relevant industry knowledge, this says great things about your business.You can work safe in the knowledge that a dedicated receptionist is in place to take your calls, and you’ll never have to worry about disappointing a customer or missing a crucial message again, with every opportunity captured.Every call is an opportunity to give great customer service and increase revenue; but answering the phone can sometimes be an inconvenient distraction you simply don’t have time for. And for a small business owner or a solopreneur, interruptions can be a major issue, especially when you're in the middle of a meeting or working on a big project.Research suggests that not only does it take people around 25 minutes to re-focus following an interruption, but the rate of work errors increase too. One study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology reveals that when college students are interrupted for 2.8 seconds, they make twice as many mistakes compared to those who aren’t interrupted at all.And students in the study who were interrupted for 4.4 seconds had error rates that were three times that of the control group!A call answering service both filters and prioritizes calls in line with your business needs – taking messages when you’re unavailable, blocking unwanted sales calls, and connecting VIPs only when needed, so you and your team can focus on the important things while still meeting your customer and client demands.Excellent customer service is a must for any company and key for business growth. Not only that, but good customer service can give you a powerful competitive edge. SuperOffice recently carried out a study that found customer experience is the number one priority for business professionals, and that great customer experience can influence on the spot impulse purchases. An additional report from Walkerinfo.com in 2020 concluded that customer experience would eventually overtake price and product as a key brand differentiator.A 24/7 telephone service gives you a dedicated team of receptionists who know you and your business inside and out, facilitating that personal touch that consumers value so highly. New customers will feel welcome and existing customers will feel valued.In addition to great customer service, a telephone answering service can be used to answer calls 24/7, providing space for call overflow support or out-of-hours cover.Being available beyond regular office hours is also a huge advantage to your customers. While the trend of working shifts increases, those who don’t work regular hours often find it more convenient to contact a business in the evenings or at the weekends.Additionally, 24/7 telephone service is a must if you serve an international market. If you’re communicating with different clients in different time zones, it can be vital to provide a 24/7 point of contact. It all depends on your business needs.As clients become ever-more demanding in this instant-access world, it’s crucial that you get on top of your business 24/7. Having a real person ready to take care of your clients, even when the physical office is closed, will only enhance your competitive advantage.Hiring an in-house team to look after your calls can be expensive and time-consuming. You’ll need to find a new workspace, hire new people, and buy an appropriate phone system, not to mention all the other HR and business headaches that come with setting up a new team.Even if you’re in a position to pay their salaries, hiring full-time staff to prevent missed calls or reduced service quality during peak times can be really frustrating during the hours, or even days, when they're not needed.According to Glassdoor.com, the average salary for a full-time receptionist is approximately $30,000 in the US. Phone answering services cost a fraction of this.A call answering service comes with the flexibility to increase or reduce your telephone usage in line with changing business needs, giving you complete adaptability.Whether you are a fledgling start-up or an established business, a telephone answering service reinforces strong client relationships and maintains a high-quality professional image.Your relationship with your customer begins as soon as you answer the call, so having a professional receptionist who’s always available will make all the difference when it comes to first impressions.

Introducing Moneypenny

Moneypenny helps businesses earn new and retain existing customers by offering a customized suite of inbound phone answering, live chat and customer contact services. From a state-of-the-art facility in Charleston S.C and our office in the UK, Moneypenny manages more than 15 million calls, chats, text messages, and emails for more than 13,000 clients annually.