An Answering Service for the Small Business

As a business owner, you love it that your phone rings off the hook with orders, you just don’t love the amount of time you have to put in to talking on the phone. There are a hundred other tasks that need your attention. However, ignoring the phone can cost you customers. How can you be in three places at once? Hire an answering service in Los Angeles. They can take care of those orders, and so much more, while you take care of running your business.

Shopping Around

There are a few things you should look in to when considering an answering service. One of them is the number of technicians available. If they can’t handle the call volume you receive, then you shouldn’t hire them. Also, once you do hire a company, listen to what your customers are saying about your phone service. If they complain about long waits on hold or rude operators, then you’ll want to change companies.

Getting the information you need from your answering service can be difficult if they aren’t willing to work the way you want them too. A good company will cater to your current program. For example, if your employees receive an email with all the order information, then your answering service should be able to send your staff emails. If they are used to having paper orders come through, then that’s what should happen. The change to an answering service should feel seamless.

Scheduling

It’s also possible for your answering service to perform certain scheduling tasks for your business. For example, doctors’ offices have different scheduling needs than a dental office, but a good answering service can accommodate both types of professionals. As a doctor or dentist, you know that there are certain cases that need immediate attention and others that can wait a couple of days. You answering service should know that too. They will take the time to learn your business and then provide the same high-quality scheduling that your customers are used to.

Save Money

Hiring an answering service can save you money. When you look at the cost of hiring a full-time employee to handle calls vs. hiring a call center, the savings clearly shine through. Not only do you have to pay a full-time salary, you have to pay taxes and insurance for that employee. You also have to train a back-up in case that employee is out or uses their vacation days. An answering service in Los Angeles doesn’t only save you money on handling calls where orders are placed, they can handle receptionist duties as well and they’re there 24 hours a day, seven days a week.