If you are a busy individual, use the phone a lot to take orders or make appointments, you know the price of being unreachable. You are probably considering hiring the services of a business answering company but are not too sure it's the right thing to do. The article will provide you with the pros and cons of such a move.
Pros
Some pros to hiring a business answering service include:
Cost Saving
Using a phone answering service will save you significant amounts of money as it is much cheaper than paying a full-time receptionist.
Availability
Depending on your type of business, you may need to be reachable 24/7. An emergency can occur anytime, and you'll need to be informed.
Also, if you have customers from different time zones, you may want to be available around the clock, so as not to miss out on business opportunities.
Professionalism
A phone answering service will give your business a professional edge and make it seem bigger than it actually is. Your business will also be handled according to your specifications. You don't have to spend time and money training new staff.
Time-Saving
Letting other people handle mundane tasks such as answering phone calls, taking orders and making appointments will free you up to concentrate on other aspects of your business.
Cons
Some of the cons to hiring a business answering service are:
Limited Knowledge
Efficient as they may sound, answering service staff are not your employees. Their knowledge of your business, products, and services is limited. They only say what they are trained to say. As a result, they may not be able to respond to inquiries which fall outside their script.
Follow-up Problems
Dealing with answering service staff can be annoying, even agonizing when you want to follow up on an issue. When you call a second time, you will most likely be connected to a different person who does not know your story; so you have to start all over again.
Technology Glitches
Depending on whether your answering service is automated or live, technology failure can throw the service into disarray. If this happens, it will be a while before you notice, and the damage will be done.
Phone answering services will give your business a professional touch, save you money and time and may make you more money. However, you'll have to devise ways of dealing with follow-up issues and limited knowledge on the part of the staff.
If you choose to go this route, you have a wide range of business phone systems to choose from. Make sure you get one that meets your needs. For more information, check out a website like http://www.gardenstatecommunications.com.
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