Automated systems and voicemails have made customer service impersonal and frustrating for customers. Fortunately, companies who have an actual person answering the phone are both distinguished and preferred. Customers are far more likely to connect with and feel loyal to a company who has a live person to talk to when they call. Most companies do not have time to answer the phone, nor can they always catch every call, which is why a message taking service can be of benefit. Message taking services ensure that your company always answers the phone, giving the appearance that you are there for your customers. Ultimately, a messaging service provides many benefits.
Quality Customer Service
The greatest predictor of whether a customer will continue doing business with you is how satisfied they are with the level of customer service provided. Think about your own experience calling companies. Note the difference in how it feels when a company answers the phone versus when they use an automated service or voicemail. Being able to talk to someone makes a huge difference and reduces the amount of time spent on the phone, especially compared to automated systems.
Message taking services can provide high-quality customer service on your company’s behalf, increasing the chance of continued business, enquiries, and sales. Simply by having a live person answer the phone, customers immediately feel appreciated and valued. They feel that their time is respected and that their questions are valid. Message taking companies also have some information about your business to help answer quick questions. This is particularly important for first impressions. Within a few seconds, customers can determine whether they want to continue doing business with you, simply based off of a phone call. As such, a message taking service can ensure that a live person answers the phone for all calls, including initial enquiries, where first impressions make a difference.
Another note is that many people do not like leaving voicemail messages, especially on business voicemails. They may have personal information that they do not want to divulge or they simply are not comfortable relaying information in that way. If your company relies on voicemail, you could be missing valuable phone calls from customers who do not leave voicemails. Luckily, a message taking service can catch the calls that you may have otherwise missed. Adding another layer of convenience for your customers will improve their level of satisfaction with your customer service.
Increased Consistency And Reliability
Message taking services provide reliability and consistency. Most companies do not have the resources to hire someone internally that will solely answer the phone. Typically, phone duty is distributed across various staff members or calls are sent to voicemail or an automated system. For companies that do have a designated staff member to answer calls, the staff is typically still required to complete other tasks in the office, which could easily lead to missed calls. Answering phones can be a hassle for companies because other operations take precedence. Fortunately, a message taking service can ensure that the phones get answered quickly and consistently.
Reliability is a priority. Missing just one phone call can lead to a lost sale. Having a designated service there to answer your calls can save you both time and money. You no longer have to worry about who will answer the calls when calls are holding or what to do if the entire staff is busy. Message taking services can offer the reliability needed to address customer needs and concerns.
Another benefit of a message taking service is consistency. Not only is it important to answer the phone every time, but it’s also important to convey a consistent attitude of helpfulness and kindness. The reality is that answering the phone is not on the top of most people’s priority lists. Such an attitude may accidentally get conveyed to the customer on the other end of the line. A message taking service can prevent that from happening because their sole job is to answer the phone. They will ensure that they communicate an attitude of kindness and willingness to help, every time. Consistency helps with branding and building a professional image.
Better Able To Screen Calls
Voicemails were originally designed to take messages when you are not available, but they also serve to also screen calls if needed. Unfortunately, voicemails are not the best method to screen calls because it’s difficult to immediately detect whether there’s an emergency situation or not. A message taking service can properly screen your calls and promptly inform you. This is particularly helpful for industries in which emergencies are common, including services like electric and plumbing.
Call screening is also helpful when it comes to audits and messages from important contacts. A message taking service can properly relay messages related to auditing to help companies be more adequately prepared. Furthermore, message taking companies identify calls that are coming from important contacts who have more urgent concerns.
Different Levels Of Service
Message taking companies offer different levels of service based on your company’s needs. For example, they can provide lower level services, in which they only answer calls when staff is busy, or they can provide a full level of service where they handle most to all of your calls. Each company has different needs and there is a service at each level. Most message taking companies are available around the clock, ensuring that you never miss a call.
Peace Of Mind
Message taking services provide peace of mind because your phone will always be answered, and the messages will be delivered to you in the manner that is most convenient for you. Message taking services can deliver messages to you by text messages, phone, email, or fax. Instead of worrying about whether phone calls will be answered, you can focus your precious time and energy on other important business operations.
Overall, message taking services based in the UK are affordable and convenient. They can transform your company’s image by upgrading the level of customer service and reliability you offer. Moreover, they can help take the monotony out of your day by answering calls whilst you focus on other tasks. Deciding to go with a message taking service may be the solution you need to boost your business.