The life of a small business owner can be hectic.
When you’re doing everything from daily administrative tasks to providing quality customer service, sometimes the phone is left to ring, and incoming customer calls are missed.
But one or two missed calls won’t hurt, right?
Wrong!
Unfortunately, 80% of callers that don’t get through on the first call will hang up and call the competition.
That’s right — a missed call is a missed opportunity.
On top of that, your advertising budget is going to waste, because it’s directing potential customers to a business that doesn’t have time for them.
So, what do you do?
You decide to invest in an automated voice answering system to direct customers to voicemail whenever you’re unable to answer their call.
While voicemail might be better than missing the call completely, the potential revenue loss isn’t the only negative impact that relying on voicemail can have on your business.
The Disadvantages of Voicemail
Most customers prefer human interaction and the feeling that employees care about them when they’re calling a business.
A first-time customer reaching voicemail on their very first call can leave a long-lasting, damaging first impression. And the disadvantages of voicemail go both ways — for your customers and your business.
Reaching voicemail is impersonal
When a customer reaches your voicemail instead of being greeted by a real person, it’s like the business is telling them “We don’t have time for you.” Reaching voicemail also gives the caller a feeling of uncertainty over whether their call will get returned. This not only robs the customer of their time but their patience, too.
Checking voicemails is inefficient
Voicemail creates another problem — it creates more work for you.
When you get voicemail, you’re still required to check it, listen carefully to it, transcribe every message, and return every call. Then, you have to delete the messages to ensure there’s enough room left on your answering machine for future callers.
What if you need clarification on the message that was left? Then, there’s the almost inevitable back-and-forth with the caller as you’re trying to connect with each other just to talk.
Leaving a voicemail is time-consuming
Forcing a customer to leave a voicemail can eat up valuable time. What if the potential customer is calling about something urgent? Unfortunately, automated answering systems can’t detect urgency.
This scenario can lead to revenue loss and a frustrated customer, which can be detrimental to the business’s reputation. (That person will likely tell the people they know that they couldn’t reach you.)
The Importance of Human Connection
Efficient customer service is necessary for the satisfaction of your customers and the success of your business. And the easiest way to build rapport with your current and potential customers is by investing in your customers’ experience.
Connecting with customers on a personal level will increase the chances of them coming back and even telling their friends about your business. That’s the power of human connection.
According to Salesforce, 89% of customers will make another purchase after a positive experience. And a one-on-one interaction can be that game-changer — it allows you to quickly resolve any issues your customers may have and answer their questions on the spot.
The human aspect of customer service can transform every customer’s experience into a memorable one. Therefore, it should be your business’s top priority.
What kind of alternative solution can help boost the customer experience for your business?
Virtual reception.
Creating A Positive Customer Experience With Virtual Reception
Virtual reception is what it sounds like — a service where your customer calls are answered by remote, friendly, highly trained receptionists from a third-party company that will ensure your customers’ needs are met in a timely manner.
Smiledog Virtual Reception offers a team of trained professionals that take messages, schedule appointments and answer your customers’ questions.
This is an affordable, personalized, and efficient solution that can take your customer service to the next level. When customers have good experiences with businesses, they tell their friends — and sometimes, the rest of the world.
Wrapping Up
In the digital era, timely, personalized, and efficient customer service is more important than ever for the success of your business. While it may seem like an easy solution, investing in an automated voicemail system isn’t foolproof. It can cause more problems — and even permanently damage your reputation.
In addition, voicemail is an impersonal, inefficient, and often time-consuming “solution” to connecting with your customers.
Smiledog’s Virtual Reception call answering services guarantee that no call goes unanswered.
With virtual reception, you will:
- Avoid revenue loss due to missed opportunities
- Improve your customer service and boost your business’s reputation
- Gain the ability to focus more time on your top priority — providing exceptional customer service and growing your business
Your customers are everything to your business. Without them, there is no business. So, to retain your customers and earn their loyalty, sprinkle a little of that secret ingredient we’ve been talking about; human connection. It’ll make a world of a difference.
We also wanted to share that Smiledog has been recognized as one of the Top Virtual Receptionist Companies by DesignRush!