| A telephone answering service is an excellent way | | | | the impression to callers that they are part of the |
| of managing telephone correspondence for small, | | | | company and in many cases can do much of |
| medium and even large businesses. By offering | | | | what a normal receptionist does be it booking |
| the assistance of live operators that are familiar | | | | appointments, giving directions, placing orders or |
| with the companies practices, products and | | | | simply transferring the call to the relevant |
| important clients, call answering services | | | | department or person. The key is that the caller |
| (sometimes referred to as "virtual offices") can | | | | feels they are able to speak to the business |
| offer great advances in customer satisfaction. In | | | | whenever they call, most of the time they don't |
| today's highly competitive business world | | | | even realize they've been speaking to an |
| companies need to take advantage of every | | | | outsourced receptionist. |
| source of business that comes along, however | | | | A good call answering service should not be seen |
| many may be missing opportunities or potential | | | | as a glorified answering machine and should |
| sales without even knowing it. It is thought that | | | | certainly not be compared for cost. Answering |
| around 80% of people hang up when they hear a | | | | machines only give the option for callers to leave |
| voicemail or otherwise recorded message. In | | | | a message, there is no human interaction and the |
| other words, if a business is unable to answer | | | | vast majority will go elsewhere. If a business is |
| their calls and leaves it to the mercy of an | | | | happy to spend a minimal amount on an |
| answering machine, out of every 10 possible | | | | answering machine then they should expect a |
| clients, 8 could well be sourcing their business | | | | minimal amount of business from it. |
| elsewhere with a competitor. | | | | Whilst many people may associate the use of a |
| By utilizing a good telephone answering service, | | | | call answering service with hours when a business |
| businesses can stay that one step ahead of their | | | | or organization is closed, the truth is that many |
| competitors. Customers want to be heard there | | | | companies use such a service specifically during |
| and then, not at a time convenient to the | | | | hours when they are open. This can be especially |
| business when they run through their voicemail | | | | helpful for organizations and businesses that |
| messages. Good virtual receptionists (as many | | | | experience a high degree of call volume. |
| operators refer to themselves) are able to give | | | | |