The business world is evolving at a rapid rate; with so many businesses offering similar products and services, companies must do whatever it takes to put themselves ahead of the pack in order to survive. A business transaction is not a one-and-done kind of deal, it is a working relationship with customers — many businesses fail to acknowledge this when it comes to customer service. Up to 79% of consumers prefer to directly interact with a company via phone, yet 80% of these people will hang up on a business if they hear a voicemail. Since most U.S. consumers have their mobile device within reach 24/7, that same availability is expected from many businesses.
The Secret to Effective Customer Service
It is estimated that American brands are losing $41 billion in business every year due to poor customer service. While telephone customer service enjoys the highest satisfaction rating at 69% according to Forrester, there are some key rules that businesses ought to follow. Heavily scripted calls can be ill-received, as they are typically devoid of empathy and emotion; businesses need to be able to connect with their customers on a personal level, otherwise customers will just feel like another sale to be made. If the incentive is not already clear, two-thirds of consumers stated that would be willing to spend more with a particular company for an improved customer service experience.
How Telephone Answering Services Help Businesses
Many businesses risk losing customers by slacking on their telephone customer service. A professional answering service can help businesses provide excellent customer service without needing to devote additional assets from the business to do so. Not only do these services put consumers in-touch with live, professional human beings, many offer after hour answering service to address customer questions and concerns at all hours of the day or night. After hour answering services help negate the losses that businesses face with shoddy and limited telephone customer service, increasing sales potential and customer retention rates. Placing customers first is just one of the many steps businesses must take in order to stay competitive in the ever-changing sales world.
