8 Great Reasons to Use A 24-Hour Answering Service for Small Businesses

A 24-hour answering service for small businesses is a customer support solution that provides professional telephone answering and message handling around the clock (24/7).

An answering service is particularly beneficial for small businesses that may not have the resources to staff their receptionists during off-hours or lack the infrastructure to handle a high volume of calls.

This means that even when your business is closed, there is always a trained representative available every hour to answer calls from your customers, take messages, address customer inquiries, and comments, and even schedule appointments in some cases.

For example, a small bakery decides to use a 24-hour answering service. A customer calls the bakery on a Sunday afternoon to inquire about placing an order for a birthday cake.

The answering service representative takes the customer’s information, including the desired cake design and delivery time, and forwards it to the bakery owner. The bakery owner can then contact the customer directly to confirm the order and arrange payment.

How does a 24-hour answering service work?

When a customer calls your business outside of regular hours, their call is automatically routed to the answering service’s trained professionals.

These receptionists will answer the call in a friendly and professional manner, just like your own staff would. They can then:

• Take detailed messages and forward them to you as soon as possible.

• Provide basic information about your business, such as your website address or operating hours.

• Schedule appointments for your customers, if you have authorized them to do so.

• Dispatch emergency services if the situation requires it.

Reasons to Use A 24-Hour Answering Service

As great customer service is an essential requirement for establishing a robust relationship with customers, a company needs to be on its toes to attract new clients. But in the process of attracting new customers, they have to be observant not to lose the existing ones to their competitors.

Here are a few primary reasons that highlight the value of a dedicated 24-hour answering service for small businesses today.

1. Top-notch customer service 

Satisfied customers are a primary factor in a successful business. This mantra is closely followed by any firm that is serious in its game.

According to research, nearly 70 percent of customers judge a company by how they treat them – do they answer and resolve their queries or leave them stranded?

Once you have lured a customer into investing in your product, it is beneficial for your steady growth to provide extended support to them. A 24-hour service is a testament to your reliability factor. Oracle CMS is the industry leader in Australia for 24-hour answering services. 

So, when satisfied customers are happy with your response, they will pass on the good reviews. It may come through word of mouth or excellent online reviews. 

2. Offers you accessibility 

When you are a small business or are just starting, sales calls play a vital role in establishing your business. Thus, if you are not making yourself accessible to your clients, you lose the trust factor even before your business can grow. 

3. Screen calls as per categories 

Though some clients prefer online conversations, there are still plenty of clients who would rather talk to an actual person to get their queries resolved.

And this is where the role of an answering service comes into play. They screen the calls as per the categories of questions they are dealing with and then forward them to the key person in charge to get things done.

4. Fewer delays in getting back to people in your business

In this age where no one likes to wait, it gets worse to listen to a ton of voicemails before you can speak to a live entity. This spoils the mood for the customer, and they may even vow never to come back.

The delay may be due to a shortage of employees to handle calls. An efficient 24-hour service solves this problem with ease and finesse. They don’t take forever to help the customers who require a quick response. 

5. You don’t need to go through every call

A 24-hour answering service employs a well-trained subset of people who can take calls, place orders, and answer questions. Only the calls that require specialization end up at your employees’ desks. So, you don’t have to go through every call because the not-so-important ones have been filtered out. 

It is economical as well as cost-effective. It also increases the productivity of the staff, who might focus on other perspectives of business growth.

6. Scheduling appointments 

Other benefits of the 24-hour answering service include additional services that it provides, like scheduling appointments. If you run a law firm or beauty salon or if you are an HVAC company, you understand the art and importance of scheduling appointments or services. 

For an HVAC company to register AC servicing, one needs to know the caller’s location, and which HVAC service is nearby that can lend hands. This is time-consuming, something that is better left for a 24-hour answering service to do. 

7. It adds a touch of professionalism

A 24-hour answering service is as vital for big flourishing companies like Amazon as it is for any startup or small business. Big companies have an extraordinary number of calls to take, owing to their massive number of clients. Thus, employing an answering service becomes essential. 

As for small businesses, though initially, the number of clients is low, having a dedicated answering service adds a touch of professionalism to their image value. The customers rely on their service better, and trust value develops between the two.

8. Never miss a call

Even if your business is closed or your staff is unavailable, a 24-hour answering service ensures that every call is answered promptly and professionally, preventing missed opportunities and fostering positive customer experiences.

Conclusion

A successful business needs to work efficiently. With new businesses springing up every second, one cannot take a chance on losing out customers.

It is essential to be competitive, alert, and sympathetic to your clients’ needs. Being available round the clock with a live answering service is the need of the hour for a successful business. 

By partnering with a reliable 24-hour answering service, your small business can gain a significant competitive edge. You’ll not only project a professional image and enhance customer satisfaction but also free up valuable resources to focus on what matters most – growing your business.

It doesn’t matter if you are a real estate company, or an e-commerce, a 24-hour answering service for small businesses will make your business thrive.

By investing in a 24-hour answering service, you’re making a smart decision that can positively impact your customer relationships, operational efficiency, and overall business growth.