Do you need help with answering the phones at your business? You'll likely need some help by hiring a business answering service. This allows all of your unanswered calls to go to a call center facility, where real people will answer your customers' calls and make it seem like you're there for them at any time of day. Here are some tips for setting up an answering service for your business.
Decide When You Want Calls To Transfer
A business answering service can answer calls at any time of day, but you may be deciding if you really need this type of service. After all, you will be paying for each call that is taken by the call center, so you do not want to spend money on calls from customers that you cannot help at the moment. Consider if you need 24/7 service or if you only need help during the hours that you are open. For example, if you are an emergency dentist, you may want the answering service to take calls at any time of the day so that you can receive messages from patients.
Write A Detailed Script
Part of using a business answering service will be telling a receptionist what to say when they answer the phone. It's a good idea to put some thought into what they will be saying so that any potential questions can be asked at the time of the call. For example, if you prefer to get back with customers through email, you'll want the receptionist to take down an email address. You could also have the receptionist ask for call-back hours so that you are not disturbing a customer at a bad time. It will take some trial and error, but you'll eventually come up with a great script that will deal with almost any situation.
Write A List Of Frequently Asked Questions
You're likely familiar with the kind of questions people ask when they call. It can range from simply asking for the store hours to inquiring about specific types of services. You'll want to make a list of those frequently asked questions so that the receptionist can answer them. Just make sure to keep things basic. The answering service is not a salesperson, and they are not going to try to sell services for your business.
Not sure how else to prep for using a business answering service? Be sure to ask what you need to do to get going with their services.
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