Call handling service

Despite rapid increases in online marketing and sales, about three out of every four Americans report that they have abandoned a purchase due to poor customer service. Delays in answering customer questions, customer service representatives who are not sufficiently knowledgeable about products or services, or just having to negotiate a computerized answering service may all make customers reconsider purchases.

In response, many businesses are switching to virtual receptionist services with the intention of improving customer experiences with their brands. At any time of day or night, a live phone answering service can take customer messages and should be able to address certain complaints or customer needs. At the very least, these answering services relay the messages in a timely fashion to the relevant company employees.

A live phone answering service may be located geographically close to the company that is contracting for services, or it may be located in another state. There are over 1,000 businesses across the United States that offer after hours answering services: a medical telephone answering service should be able to contact doctors after hours if a patient has an emergency.

Customer satisfaction may seem difficult to measure, but the frequency of repeat business and percentage of customer referrals are two metrics that many businesses find meaningful. About four out of five customers report that they will return to purchase products or services from a business more than once if they have had an outstanding customer service experience.

Small improvements in customer service can lead to large financial gains for businesses of any size: experts say that an increase in repeat business that is as small as 5% can generate up to a 125% increase in overall profits. In a competitive economy, seemingly small fixes in a customer’s experience with the company can give businesses a competitive edge. In order to enhance their customer service, many businesses are looking into contracting with a live telephone answering service.