If it’s your first time working with a telephone answering service, then you must have a lot of questions to ask. Business is picking up and because of that, you or your staff really don’t have the time to be answering calls and should be doing, what they are really employed for. Trying to balance your time between trying to run your company, and coming up with new ideas and still having to answer the phone, is an impossible task. We must, therefore, look for alternatives to this and a telephone answering service provides just that.
Ask Questions
It’s best to know what to expect and the only way you can know this is to ask questions. You need to ask about how long they have been in business, because you don’t want to sign up with a company that won’t be here next month or next year. They need to have strong foundations and a strong customer base, while also providing exceptional customer services. If you are searching for a reputable company, then you should be looking in the direction of a Reception HQ telephone answering service. This is a company who has been in business for 15 years and are incredibly reliable.
One Call Service
You also need to ask about how many people they will make available for your individual answering service. This is an important question because while many make promises that all calls will be answered within three rings, some put customers on hold until they can talk to them, which indicates you do not have enough staff. You need what is called a ‘one call’ service provider, who will stay on the call with the customer until the customer is happy. The only time the customer should be on hold is when the call is being transferred through to the relevant department.
Costs
When working with a telephone answering service, you need to know what it is going to cost you. They may offer a really low monthly price, but that is not always a good thing. A low-cost plan may mean extra costs for public holidays, bilingual services and patching, so make sure these items are provided for free before you commit. You may be billed by the minute or by an individual call, and you need to know, which one you are committing to. Remember, there may be wrong numbers that are not looking for your product or services, and these can mount up to a sizeable bill.
Notice Periods
When working with a telephone answering service, you might have to sign up to monthly agreements. Depending on the company, you may be able to commit to just one month at a time or even a full year. They may also insist on a notice period if you want to quit using their services like thirty days, but a good telephone answering service should be happy to earn your business each month, and not try to tie you down to an unreasonable cut off period.
Hopefully, this article has helped you to understand what to expect when using a telephone answering service. Remember an answering service is also your partner in helping to expand your business, so choose wisely.
