6 Things to look out for when choosing a call answering service

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Would you agree that there is nothing more frustrating to you as a business owner than losing customers because of missed calls?
Imagine after all the time, effort and money that you spend marketing your business. The phone finally rings but you can’t take the call…
You’re not the only one with this problem. Many business owners, particularly owners of small businesses have this problem every day.

So what’s the solution?

A Call Answering Service is a very effective way of having your business calls answered professionally and not having the overhead costs of needing to employ a full time receptionist or personal assistant.
When you decide you want to take advantage of a business call answering service, there are some things to look out for. Too many businesses choose an answering service blindly, assuming that they are all the same. However, there are some personal approaches that may be exactly what you need for your business.

Personalised call answering service

Consider how they handle your calls. For example, are they UK-based personal assistants or are the agents outsourced from another country? This must one of the top considerations because it will impact the level of customer service you are able to provide. Many people who call a UK-based company want to hear a British accent. It’s what they are comfortable with and it’s what they are accustomed to understanding.
If your company is UK-based, you want your answering service to be a natural fit and become an extension of you.

Response rate 

Identify the kind of response rate that you are going to get. One of the main reasons you may be looking for a business call answering service is to make you answer phones in a prompt manner. However, if it takes longer than four rings to answer, you aren’t getting the level of service you were hoping to provide.
In addition to the response rate, you also want to look at the company’s ability to handle a high volume of calls during a specific period. If a company is too small, they may not be able to answer all the calls or could keep potential customers on hold for too long.

Don’t be afraid to ask for this level of service and their track record with other customers, like yours.

Quality test

Be sure you review the sound quality whilst on the phone to the call answering service. There may be a significant amount of background noise because of the size of the call centre. You want to make sure that the answering service is utilising a high-quality noise cancellation system.
With background noise eliminated, your customer will be able to hear your assistant clearly and will feel comfortable in leaving a message for you.

Operating hours

You want to make sure that the answering service is available throughout your operating business hours. If your operating hours, differ from that of the answering service, it defeats the purpose.
If your business operates with international customers, on different time zones, ensure that your answering service is available during business hours in those countries.
Additionally, look out at whether there is a 24/7 option, even if you aren’t ready for it right away, it shows that they could be available to you, whenever you may need them.

Additional value

It’s important to review the other services that are on offer in addition to business call answering. For example, will they provide you with 0800 or 03 numbers? Can they provide you with call diverts, recording and call statistics? It’s important to consider all the services that you need. In order to provide the best level of service, across your operations, as well as to your customers.

 

Set-up speed

Finally, you want to work with a company who can get you set up quickly. In some instances, companies can take as long as one week or longer to get your account completely set up. Depending on what you have going on set-up speed may be critical to you.

You should work with a company who has the call handling services to enhance your overall customer experience.

Windsor Telecom offer a call answering service for businesses and provide a personalised unique approach that larger organisations do not. We only utilise UK-based personal assistants to answer your calls 24/7. Our agents are briefed about you and your business to offer your customers a personal touch when answering your call