5 Features Of A Top Notch Telephone Answering Service

For the very first time, small businesses can compete with established companies by using telephone answering services, and this allows the business owner to do what needs to be done without worrying about answering calls. Obviously, the ideal situation is to have a qualified receptionist manning your phone lines, yet until the emergence of the answering service, this would be a very significant cost and one that a small business simply could not afford. We all know the potential losses that unanswered calls carry, and without an answering service in your corner, your business is likely to suffer. If you feel you might be losing out in this area, and would like to remedy the situation, here are just some of the features you can expect to enjoy from a top quality answering service provider.

1. Flexible Service – Every business is unique, and so are its needs, and the beauty of the answering service industry is that you can tailor the service to suit your requirements. You might, for example, only require the service during the seasonal surge, or you already have a receptionist and would like to have a call overflow service which only kicks in when incoming calls are more than you can handle. The modern telephone answering service is designed to ensure that all incoming calls are answered promptly, and with a courteous and professional approach, your customers will always be impressed with the service they receive.

2. Scripted Greetings – The customer can create their own call answering script, which the answering service will use whenever answering a call, and as they are experts, you can be sure that the response is both professional and prompt. If your business is located in Australia, for example, you would ideally want the answering service to have a local accent, which gives the caller an added sense of localisation. Scripts can be altered at a minute’s notice, and every answering service professional is fully briefed on their clients’ business, ensuring the right response to any enquiry. If you would like to know more about the importance of phone etiquette in a business environment, there are useful guides on the do’s and don’ts that you can refer to.

3. Message Taking – It might be that you are available, in which case, the answering service professional will transfer the call to you, but in the event you are not available, they will take a message and forward it to you by either email, fax, or SMS depending on your preference. If you are an active person and spend a lot of time on the road, then all incoming calls can be instantly transferred to your mobile number, allowing you to respond wherever you happen to be.

4. No Binding Contract – There’s nothing worse than being tied to a lengthy contract, and if the provider is confident in their ability to please, they will be happy to work with you on a month to month basis, and some providers will even give you a free 7-day trial, so you can see for yourself just how efficient they are.

5. Mobile Connectivity – Configuring the answering service couldn’t be easier, as there is no hardware to install, and with their own mobile app, you can instantly login from any location which allows you to make any script or message taking amendments at the swipe of a screen.

One of the biggest mistakes a business can make is to overlook the importance of call answering, and with professionals who are committed to answering all calls in a timely and professional manner, you can be sure that you are not losing customers due to unanswered calls.