So, your business is receiving way more calls than you and your staff can handle. Your offices are getting swamped with phone calls from customers, but there’s just so many that there’s no way to answer them all. You finally decide that it’s time to hire an answering service to take some of the stress off of your receptionist.
But how do you do that? What should an answering service do? What does your business need from it? And how do you know if it will be a good fit or not?
Here are 5 questions to consider while you are picking out an answering service to partner with.
1. What is the company’s training process?
Remember, your answering service will be the first impression that most people have of your business. You want to be sure that they are reaching a friendly, empathetic, and knowledgeable voice on the other end of the line. Be sure to inquire about the training process that each service uses to get an idea of who your customers will be talking to. How long do they train? What lessons are taught? How are their customer service skills? How are their critical thinking skills? These are all important factors to consider when determining the competence of an answering service to partner with.
At Dexcomm… Our trainers work extensively with operators for several weeks before graduating to live calls. After three weeks, new agents begin taking calls with a mentor. From there, hires must complete classroom modules as they begin to take more advanced calls. The training process at Dexcomm is never-ending – our agents continue to be monitored, coached, and encouraged on a daily basis.
2. Does it provide the services you need?
What exactly do you want from your answering service? Not all are created equal. A good one can do much more than just answer your phones. They can schedule appointments, send SMS and email messages, process orders, and more. Think about what services you are looking for – don’t be afraid to ask for more than just call answering.
At Dexcomm… We offer a wide range of options for your business, including appointment scheduling, inbound marketing support, practice management system integration, call center reporting, and much more.
3. Will the answering service provide the right value for your investment?
Be familiar with the billing process for any answering service that you partner with. Not every service’s invoicing works the same way. Your bill can be influenced by factors such as message counts, dedicated operators (hourly), time usage, live time, service units, and more.
At Dexcomm… Our billing process is simple – you are charged for the time an operator is actively working for you. We will work with you during your account setup to determine the optimal number of minutes for your specific business’ needs, and you will only pay an average rate if you exceed this base number of minutes allotted during the month. We will work closely with you to review, understand, and optimize your bill as your needs and business grow and change.
4. How dependable is the service?
Can you rely on your answering service to provide what you need from it? Do they answer the phones quickly and professionally? Can they be reached outside of working hours? Do they take down enough information, using proper grammar and spelling? Answering services are supposed to make your life easier, but that can never happen if you are constantly worried about its performance.
At Dexcomm… Service standards are established during your onboarding process. Random audits will be carried out on your account to ensure that these standards are being met. If they are not, our representatives are re-trained on proper call handling for your business.
5. Do they record all their calls for you to access them?
No matter what answering service you partner with, you deserve to be able to listen to their calls to see for yourself just how they are interacting with your customers. If you never listen to the calls that your service takes, you will never know if they are providing the exceptional, consistent service that you are paying for.
At Dexcomm… Every call that comes through our office is recorded for you to listen to at your convenience. You will be able to hear every interaction that your customers have with our agents.
If you are in the market for an answering service, take a look at our free comparison checklist to see how Dexcomm stacks up against competitors.
It is important to be discriminatory when researching answering services, as choosing the wrong one could mean a bad experience for your customers right out of the gate. Be sure you are asking the right questions to help you figure out the best one for you and your business.
