The onus of having to answer incoming calls throughout the day becomes bothersome. While you are welcome to hire a full-time receptionist for this purpose, you may want to give it a miss due to the recruitment expenses. Using the existing staff members to double up as one can mean a loss of productivity. It does not have to be a catch-22 situation, however. Instead, you can retain the existing customers and add more clients by answering every call perfectly with the aid of specific business answering services.
You will just have to outsource the services to a third party that will have trained virtual receptionists to help you closely. The results have superseded all expectations as customer satisfaction may go up to 100% when the calls are answered professionally and correctly.
Industries That Find Business Answering Services Irreplaceable
It is natural to wonder whether your business is ready to be assisted by a team of strangers based on instructions. No worries! You are going to be amazed to learn that the majority of industries around the world find such services necessary and cost-effective. The quality is top-notch as well. Some of the American industries that thrive due to answering services are:-
Medical
Missing a call is akin to losing a life in the medical industry. However, the service provider that helps the medical professionals and facilities have to be compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to deal with specific communications related to health care and prescription drugs as well as the treatment procedures. Usage and purchase of medical equipment need the right communication as well.
HVAC
Both the plumbing companies and HVAC manufacturers/dealers have to be available round the clock to receive calls related to:
- Attend to emergency calls
- Scheduling appointments
- Answering inquiries
- Employee report-offs
Real Estate
Missing a call can result in the loss of a client and important business. Both real estate agencies and realtors working solo opt for the assistance of an answering service provider as they have to be out of the office for long hours. The answering service is usually used for the following:
- Calls to Individuals
- For cancellations of appointments
- Dealing with inquiries related to the sale or rent of properties
- Finalizing viewing of a property
- Call to make a down payment or to make an offer
- Calls requesting directions
- Reporting day-offs by employees
- Tenant service calls and complaints
- Receiving after-hour emergency calls from tenants
- Queries regarding Lockouts
Disaster Restoration
Companies that deal with restoration services in the aftermath of a natural disaster or an emergency occurring in a specific area must receive calls non-stop for at least 24 to 48 hours after disaster strikes. The disaster restoration industry delegates the answering services to a third party to ensure the following:-
- Emergency board-ups
- Calls from insurance companies with referrals
- Calls regarding water extraction
- Calls regarding mold remediation
- Calls regarding fire or smoke damage
This list is not exhaustive though. Business answering services are also used by the legal industry, government organizations, and nonprofit/ charitable trusts to streamline the communication process.