Chaos is often an oversimplified description of what it’s like to run a small business.
There’s always something to do that hasn’t been done and is late, someone who needs your attention who hasn’t been attended to and slips through the cracks accidentally and some giant pile of things that need to be managed that you’re trying to actively ignore because you simply can’t deal with them emotionally.
In these trying times, you can throw yourself into a cup of tea and cry, or you can find partners who can help you make sense of your flaming chaos. Many of the best small business owners know that a small business answering service is certainly one type of support service you should touch base with first.
An Answering Service Partnership
For many small businesses, it’s tricky at first to see the real value of an answering service. After all, isn’t it just for picking up after-hours calls? Although this is one function of an answering service company, they offer so many more.
In fact, most types of small business can benefit from a myriad of answering service offerings, including:
Overflow calling. It’s difficult to catch every call that comes in, and not every caller who gets your voicemail is going to bother to leave a message. Rather than missing a sale, let your answering service pick up. A friendly voice for your caller and a thorough message that won’t leave you guessing about the caller’s intent are both valuable perks.
Phone-based customer service. Although you’ll have to provide the materials your answering service team needs to answer basic customer service questions, they can be trained to be just as efficient as your in-house staff. Whether your callers mostly are looking for your open hours or your exchange policy, your answering service partner can take that weight off the shoulders of your shop’s employees.
Appointment setting. Many small businesses rely on appointments with clients to thrive. Why spend all your valuable time setting appointments rather than tending to your appointments, when you could have a dedicated appointment-setting team in your answering service? Their software integrates with the tools you’re already using, making it easy to share calendars and ensure that no one ever accidentally gets double-booked.
Disaster recovery. You never want to be involved in a disaster, but you never know as things happen every day and weather is highly unpredictable. When you have an answering service partner, your small business also has a backup plan in case the power goes out or the phone lines are down. You’ll have to stay in touch with your answering service to provide updates, but they can, in turn, keep your customers informed as recovery progresses. It’s a great way to jumpstart your business after a major incident has left it vulnerable.
A small business answering service can help temper your operating state of chaos into something a little more pleasant, like a warm cup of tea on a cool morning. Get the extra help you need without spending a bundle by partnering with an answering service and then mark one more thing off your must-have list.
