Whether it’s by working at home, offering virtual services, or completely changing the business premise, companies are finding creative ways to stick around. Take a look at the varied approaches that businesses are using to survive, and maybe you’ll glean a bit of inspiration on how you can keep your small business relevant in the current economy.

Healthcare

One of the industries most affected by the COVID-19 outbreak is the healthcare industry. Hospitals are overrun and supplies are quickly depleting, but patients still need care. In order to protect the safety of employees and patients, hospitals have introduced protocols that seem straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster. Nurses, doctors and staff are covered head to toe in protective gear, while patients are isolated in cornered-off floors and sections of the hospital. And, to help keep up with the rising demand for hospital space and resources, thousands of temporary medical facilities have been popping up all over the country. Even medical students and retired physicians are being approached to help out.

While some hospital staff may not be able to work from the safety of their homes, many medical professionals have begun using telemedicine for routine check ups and exams, and encouraging patients to connect via online apps to help limit in-person interaction. For small physician and family medicine practices, seeing a doctor through video may even be better in some respects, not just for keep germs at bay. There are no waiting rooms or delays, and that makes it possible to see more patients in a day than the office would normally see in person. Virtual services will also enable you to reduce some overhead costs, such as medical supplies and utility bills. With many practices temporarily down-staffing, the extra patient load and limited expenses will ensure that employees can remain on payroll and insurance while we wait for the country to slowly reopen.

Telecommunications

Cable and Internet providers are also facing a challenging task, and without them, none of us would be able to successfully work from home or stay connected with each other. While customer service, sales and admin staff can telecommute, service technicians still need to be available for house calls. Here’s how telecom providers are making it work:

• Extending network capacity: With the amount of people now working from home and relying on online resources, strong Internet connectivity is a requirement for just about everyone. So, telecom companies have extended network capacity to support businesses working from home, to virtually connect teachers and students, and to provide high-speed devices for healthcare workers, among others.
• Offering digital tools: Offering online tools is an efficient way to let customers help themselves. Many service providers offer apps where users can check account balances, make payments, switch service levels, or check outage statuses, all in just a few seconds.
• Virtual troubleshooting: For basic connectivity issues that customers may experience, troubleshooting can easily be done over the phone.
• Staying outside of the home: When technicians do need to come out to a customer’s house for service, they’re often able to assist without ever having to come inside. For example, when I moved to a new house a few weeks ago, a service technician from Comcast arrived at my house, dropped off the new equipment at my doorstep, and switched the cable wires outside.

During a time where staying connected is as important as ever, some phone and Internet providers have also been prohibited from terminating service for customers who are unable to pay. Despite encountering any financial hardships that so many across America are feeling, small business staff can still have access to the resources needed for telework, whether they are connecting via an existing Internet connection or using mobile hotspots to get the job done. That is one less headache for businesses that are doing their best to shift to a work-from-home model in hopes of retaining revenue.

Manufacturing

Across the country, textile factories, and leading design and luxury companies are putting their time, talents and materials to use by creating personal protective equipment for medical workers on the front line. And they’re not the only ones switching gears to take care of those in need. It doesn’t take much Googling to find a whole slew of small businesses doing everything they can to make a difference. Here are just a few!

• Just because you used to make amusement park props, doesn’t mean you can’t drop the props and become a mask and shield manufacturer to help heroes work. That’s what one company did in Fresno, California.
• A liquor distillery in Chicago started making hand sanitizer, which had become so scarce that even hospitals were running out.
• A Los Angeles clothing designer stopped sewing clothing and began using their fabric to sew face masks. They’ve even offered free sewing for individuals with pre-cut material who need the extra protection.
• This Chicago bridal shop’s employees are making cotton masks for jails, hospitals, and residents.
• Two Los Angeles chefs have turned into pasta makers, donating an equal amount of pasta to the Los Angeles Food Bank and offering free pasta to hospitality workers who have lost their jobs and are struggling amidst the crisis.

Education

Schools and universities may be closed, but teachers and students throughout all levels have been hard at work trying to maintain some sense of normalcy. Educators are meeting with students virtually through applications such as Zoom and GoToMeeting, and using platforms such as Google Classrooms and Microsoft Teams to share assignments, homework, and resources.

Educators around the nation have been trying to stay connected with students in a creative way. In Georgia, band practice has gone digital, and PE teachers are still expecting their students to stay active. And we’re not just talking about grade school, high school, and university. If you run a small business that is centered on providing education – from language tutoring to software training to music lessons, and everything in between – implementing sessions using FaceTime, Skype, and a host of other platforms will give you the freedom to continue to reach your students, regardless of physical locale. This California bar took their Bar 101 class virtual and turned it into a Whiskeys of the World experience!

Veterinary Medicine

Similarly to the healthcare industry, veterinarians are making adjustments so that they can still see patients safely and keep our pets happy and healthy. While most veterinary clinics are open and accepting new appointments, they are operating with limited office hours. And now that several animals have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, telehealth for veterinary practices is spiking. If your local vet is scheduling, you’ll likely need to make a few adjustments to have your pet examined.

When I called my local vet’s office to see if I could schedule an appointment for my new dog (hello quarantine adoption), they instructed me on their clinic’s COVID protocol. When I arrive at their facility, I’m to call them from the parking lot to let them know I’m there. A vet tech will then come out to bring Rosie inside while I wait in my car. They’ll perform their normal routine and then send her back outside to mama. Easy peasy! So, whether in-house or on video, pet parents can rest assured that their little ones will get the level of care they need.

Health & Fitness

Health and fitness professionals have quickly figured out how stay connected with clients from a distance while continuing to motivate and encourage an active lifestyle. Gyms and personal trainers have begun hosting online fitness classes both in group and one-on-one sessions. Video classes can be pre-recorded or done via Facebook and Instagram Live, and many businesses are even throwing in free classes to help motivate more people to join in and stay active.

Organizations that hold annual charitable marathons in the Spring have begun hosting virtual 5k races where participants download an app that tracks their total distance or miles run over a specific time period. Whether you fly solo as a personal trainer or own a small Pilates or yoga studio, you can get in on the action and keep your clients and your financial bottom line healthy.

HVAC

Aside from emergency situations, some HVAC companies have ceased all in-home appointments for the foreseeable future. While certain units can be serviced from outside of the home, many require a technician to come in. Here are some ways that HVAC businesses have adapted their work-from-home protocols:

• Drive-thru parts pickup: If a piece of equipment requires a replacement part, service technicians can order online and pick up via drive-thru at their local warehouse.
• Virtual diagnostic: Just like cable and Internet providers, a lot of HVAC issues can be solved through basic troubleshooting over the phone. For example, checking a thermostat, or cleaning or replacing a filter. Virtual diagnostics can also be used to help determine if a service request is routine and therefore can be scheduled for a less chaotic time or if it’s urgent and needs immediate service.
• No contact service call: If a service technician needs to come out for an emergency, they are following a “no contact” policy. The homeowner will first open all necessary doors for the technician before they come through. The tech will go directly to the equipment that needs maintenance and leave the same way they came in. Any communication that needs to happen between the homeowner and the technician is done via cell phone from separate rooms. At the end of the job, the homeowner will receive their invoice online.

Retail

Brick-and-mortar stores may be closed to the public, but customers can shop online via websites, contact customer service, and receive assistance with questions, exchanges and refunds. Many retailers have even been offering discount COVID codes and other fun incentives to help encourage customers to shop.

For essential retail establishments such as grocery stores and pharmacies, new ways of shopping are being introduced every day, and stores have been reconfigured to help control the flow of foot traffic. Bicycle shops, also considered an essential business, are doing repairs via curbside drop off and have added bicycle delivery to the mix. In Connecticut, business owners of an old toy store have gotten creative by offering FaceTime appointments so customers can virtually browse the store.

Personal care businesses like salons, spas and barber shops have hopped on the inventive bandwagon, as well. Nail salons have begun selling personalized at-home manicure kits while hair salons and barber shops have been sharing video tutorials so customers can try cutting their own hair at home. Switching up product sales during lockdown and creating short videos will make your small business memorable. And, don’t worry. DIY nails and hair will be short-lived. Once doors reopen, people will be clamoring for beauty-done-right!

Food & Beverage

In an effort to keep both chain restaurants and mom-and-pop eateries in business and workers employed, many food and beverage establishments have continued to offer take out, drive-thru and delivery services, as well as curbside pick up options.

In addition, restaurateurs started creating DIY food kits that can be ordered online or over the phone to continue serving loyal patrons while keeping everyone safe. Customers can support the restaurants and eateries they love and keep the community going! Some food chains have turned their headquarters into a drive-thru safe haven for truckers and other essential big-rig delivery drivers who would not be able to fit through a normal sized drive-thru. Wine and spirits got in the game, too, with wineries offering virtual tastings and liquor stores offering curbside pick up. And this taco shop temporarily re-branded itself into a drive-up general supply store, maintaining job security for its employees and serving its community with pride.

Entertainment

In a time when everything feels uncertain and scary, we look to those who can help take our mind off of the negatives and instead encourage us to laugh and sing our way through life. Artists, athletes, and more are offering their support, raising money for pandemic relief and hosting a sweepstakes that benefits national food banks where you can win a chance to host the Ellen DeGeneres show, spend studio time with Ariana Grande, play golf with Bill Murray and Justin Timberlake, be in Scorsese’s next film, design and call a play at an Eagles game, and a bunch of other unbelievable experiences. Local artists are streaming live and using the proceeds to support other artists whose finances are stretched or nearly gone as venues remain closed. Disney is keeping kids smiling with a Family Singalong Event. Even the Grammy Museum has turned to an online model, featuring new artist public programs, education, and virtual exhibits.

While not all performers have celebrity status, all performers have a job, and that is to entertain an audience. If you’re a local artist or run your own entertainment business, you can utilize the same principles to continue amazing your own audiences virtually. In Hawaii, a local music producer along with other native Island musicians created a free concert for audience members to tune into. In Pennsylvania, a local band performed a social-distancing appropriate curbside concert for the neighborhood. And a prominent California muralist is inspiring people with art. So, laugh, sing, create – and we’ll all get through this together!

The post Roundup: How Small Businesses are Staying Open and Serving Customers During COVID-19 appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

Small business owners are risk takers. They are a confident breed who choose to create their own destiny rather than be a chapter in someone else’s story. And, for small business owners, giving up on their dreams is never easy.  When times are tough and defeat is knocking at the door, there’s usually a good alternative. But, with this new reality, small business owners are facing an incredible and painful situation where they may not see continuing to be in business as an option. Millions of small businesses are facing this situation – and worse, it’s not something they can control.

Small businesses are a big deal

At Specialty Answering Service, we love small businesses. They are the backbone of what we do. Answering calls for small businesses is what keeps us in business – and small businesses keep the US economy in business. Just how true is that? Very. Consider these facts:

• There are over 30 million small businesses in the US
• Small businesses as a whole employ around 58 million employees
• Small businesses account for over 60% of new job creation

Small businesses are not just essential to the people who own and manage them, but they’re essential to our community and our economy’s growth as a whole.

10 ways you can help small businesses today so they’ll be there for you tomorrow

Small businesses are key to our way of life in the US, and they need our support now more than ever. We’ve listed 10 ways you can help them out below.

#1. Choose small business over big business and shop local

While leisurely shopping may be off of your to-do list during a pandemic, you still need your essentials. Instead of shopping at your big name stores like Costco or BJs, see if you can get toilet paper and other essential items at your local corner store instead. And don’t assume just because a store is closed, they aren’t doing business. In the current climate, storefronts are closed because of mandatory shut downs, but the businesses are still open. And, if they aren’t physically open at their location, they may be working remotely.

If you do find yourself wanting to online shop for non-essential products, try not to open up your Amazon app. “But it’s so easy – they have everything and I can check out with just one swipe.” We know, but a conglomerate business who has the means to donate millions of dollars during a pandemic isn’t struggling to pay the bills. However, your neighbor who recently started her own business making and selling candles very well could be. If you’re able, support those who need it most.

#2. Amazon supports small businesses too

If you’re hooked on Amazon, you can make smarter, small business shopping choices. While Amazon as a whole is a multi-billion dollar venture, about half of all units sold on Amazon are from small and medium-sized businesses. Just last year, Amazon released 50 new tools and services to help provide small businesses with more opportunities for growth, like offering brand analytics and eliminating storage fees.

So, how do you find small businesses on Amazon? Through the Amazon Storefronts feature which is a way to highlight and showcase small and medium sized businesses. Each week they showcase different products and provide information so you can learn more about who you’re buying from!

#3. Order takeout from your favorite restaurant

Restaurants, cafes, bars and all types of food-serving establishments may be closed to the public, but are still offering takeout/delivery options for their customers.

If you’re trying to retain a sense of normalcy when everything feels chaotic, keep your Saturday night tradition going and order take out from your usual spot. The restaurant will be grateful for your business and your kids will be grateful for a night off from dad’s cooking. Throw in UberEats and DoorDash and you’re supporting your local Uber drivers as well.

#4. Buy a gift card you can use later

For businesses that aren’t able to offer virtual classes or take out options like beauty salons or massage therapists, it is proving to be an incredibly difficult time. However, you can still help out by buying gift cards or certificates to use at a later date. Buy some for yourself and for others to use as gifts for birthdays, holidays or just because!

If you aren’t able to go into the store to purchase the gift card, see if you can buy one from their website or if they’re offering vouchers over the phone.

#5. Help them stay relevant on social media

If funds are tight for you right now, don’t worry! You can still help small businesses without spending a dime simply by keeping them relevant on social media.

Many social channels like Instagram or Facebook operate via an algorithm based on the number of “likes” or “shares” a post gets. So, the more attention a post gets, the probability that more people will see it is much higher. More people seeing a post means more opportunities for that business to succeed. If you love your local small business, tweet about them, write about them on your wall and tag them to spread the love. If you’re not in a position to spend money, helping spread the word about how much you love your local business is just as good.

#6. Look for alternatives instead of canceling

When crisis hits, many people look to cut costs wherever they can. However, this can have a serious impact on small businesses that rely on the income to stay operational. Depending on what type of business(es) you’re working with, there are other ways to cut costs instead of cancelling. Here are a few:

• Decreasing your service plan: If you use a business that charges a monthly fee, see if you can temporarily downgrade your plan to a lower option instead of canceling altogether. Having an active account will be beneficial to your own business as they can still handle calls on your behalf, but you’ll be saving money as well.
• Rescheduling appointments: For small businesses that rely on appointments, see if you can reschedule your appointment to a time when things are less crazy. That way they can still keep your business, and you can wait to dish out the money.
• Take credits instead of refunds: If you do happen to cancel a service or subscription, see if they can just credit your account instead of issuing a refund back to your credit card or bank account. In the event you do want to pick service back up when everything settles, you can use the credit to your advantage. Think of it as a future gift to yourself!

#7. Check if other services are available

During this time, small businesses are trying to come up with new ways that they can still offer services without having to actually open their doors, and many are using video technology like Zoom or Google Hangouts to interact with customers. Here are some different ways professionals are working to stay in business, and how you can help.

• Fitness: Gyms and fitness centers have been offering virtual training classes online both in group sessions and one-on-one classes.
• Education: Educators of all types have been teaching classes through Zoom meetings and have been able to work with parents to ensure students are adjusting well to the changes.
• Health & Wellness: Doctors and medical professionals have been practicing telemedicine, meeting with patients via phone call or video conferences.

#8. Refer a friend

If you aren’t in the position financially to help out your favorite small business during this time, you can still help out by referring your friends, neighbors, or anyone else you may come across (at an appropriate distance of course). Customer referrals are important for a small business because not only does it help get their name out there, but it also helps solidify new customers.

For example, if I was looking for a new product to use on my hair and my best friend referred a brand to me, I would trust her judgement and use that company. People are more willing to listen to their friends’ suggestions rather than blindly trusting an advertisement they see.

#9. Leave a positive review

If you’ve already referred your friends and family to your favorite small business, try also leaving a positive review online. Like many people, if I don’t personally know anyone with a first hand experience with a specific business, my next step is to read online reviews.

While they may not always be an accurate representation of the business or product you’re interested in, they do provide a helpful insight into other customer experiences, and every new positive review may just lead to new business opportunities.

#10. Donate to an organization

When crisis and tragedy hit, people come together in remarkable ways to try and help each other out. There are many organizations across the United States that have been created to help grow and protect small businesses over the years, like the Women’s Business Development Center or the Minority Chamber of Commerce, among others.

Donating to one of these organizations is a great way to help not only your local small businesses, but small businesses everywhere. Here are a few more industry-specific organizations, as well as their respective relief outlets and resources.

• National Restaurant Association: The Restaurant Employee Relief Fund was created to help restaurant employees during the COVID-19 crisis.
• National Retail Federation: The NRF represents retailers across the US and offers many resources to help aid retailers, including the CARES Act.
• Farm Foundation: The Farm Foundation helps farmers in the agricultural industry. During a pandemic as impactful as COVID-19, it’s important that we work towards creating and maintaining more advanced agricultural practices that will help sustain our country’s food supply.
• United States Telecom Association: USTelecom is an organization that helps businesses in the broadband and telecommunications industry and are working to keep businesses and people alike connected during these times.

Specialty Answering Service help small businesses answer their telephone calls, improve their customer service, and keep their customers happy so they can grow. Learn more about our answering service for small business solutions.

The post 10 Things You Can do Today to Support Local Small Businesses appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

#1. Think 24/7

One of the most vital requirements your business may have for the perfect answering service is making sure the service is available 24/7. Because one of the answering service’s main goals is to make sure your business is always open, being able to rely on an answering service on nights, weekends, and holidays is crucial. If you’ll be relying on your answering service to capture leads and dispatch urgent calls, seriously think about a service that is open all day and night. While many answering services do offer 24/7 availability, it may come at a cost.

For example, some services may charge an extra fee to answer your calls after 9pm or on a holiday. Another caveat may be that the answering service only offers live support up until a certain time, and then switches over to an automated system. Answering services that offer 24/7 live support at no additional costs are the services that are truly there to help your business succeed, and is definitely a feature you should be looking for.

#2. Operators Are Representing Your Business

The right business answering service can make or break your company. The professionalism of the operators are one of the most important features you can look for in an answering service. Without great operators, you’ll have a difficult time ensuring all of your customers are being taken care the same way as your own employees would take care of them. For most businesses, one of the key components to a great service is the operators ability to properly represent the company they are answering for. Some businesses require a lively, energetic operator – while others, like funeral homes or medical practices, will require their operators to be calm and composed. Beneath any personality requirements is the operators ability to be nimble, to adapt to the needs of the caller, and be able to evaluate every situation and react accordingly. Because every caller is different, you’ll want to look for agents that can adapt well.

#3. Personalize Your Callers Experience

If you want to maintain continuity between the calls you handle in your own office and the calls the answering service is handling, you’ll need to make sure your answering service is as personal as can be. You won’t want your answering service to use generic call handling templates as that won’t make your clients feel like they’ve called your office. Generic call handling makes your customers feel like a number – personal call handling makes your callers feel like you care. In order for an answering service to feel like a part of your business, you’ll want to make sure their call scripting can be customized to your specific business needs. An answering service that answers and handles each call the same way for every business isn’t really helping anyone. Sure, gathering a name and number is important, but each business has different needs that should be able to be met by the service.

Since all businesses depend on customer loyalty, a personal answering service will let your callers know how important their business is. You love your customers, and a personal experience will show them how much you really do love them. Make sure you take the time to work with your answering service and personalize the experience as much as you can to make sure your business is being reflected.

#4. Know Your Budget

You’ll find telephone answering services ranging from $0 to start on a free trial to just about any price you can imagine. Most services do not have a flat rate structure but instead charge based on line activity. The more traffic you put through the answering service, the more expensive your price. So, if you have a high volume business – you can do the math there. Other answering services have different pricing tiers which offer allotments in use. With this, the cost is more affordable but you need to have a predictable monthly call volume for the cost to make sense. If you know your budget, your call volume, and how you plan on using the answering service, you can dictate the best pricing model for your business. Here are two common answering service billing structures:

• Per minute billing: In a per-minute billing structure, you are billed by the minute. Similar to a cell phone plan, these types of structures usually provide an allotment of minutes to use each month before having to pay for overages. A good answering service will offer several different plans depending on your call volume, and may even change your plan automatically if you happen to go over your usage threshold.
• Per call billing: In a per-call billing structure, you are billed by each call that comes in. Within this billing structure, it doesn’t matter how long your calls are. However, your answering service may charge extra for any messages sent, and calls that need to be dispatched may count as a separate billable call.

Pro tip: If your answering service offers both per-minute and per-call billing structures, it may be helpful to see which structure would be most cost-effective for you. Your service should be able to pull reports that break down your average monthly usage, which will help determine the better billing structure. 

#5. Evaluate Features Before You Buy

Before signing up with an answering service, always check to see if they offer a free trial period. This is a great way to get a feel for the service before having to pay, especially if the service requires you to sign a contract. If they do offer a free trial, here are some tips on getting the most out of that trial period:

• Place test calls: Placing test calls will give you an idea of what your customers will experience when they call. It’s also a great opportunity to make sure there are no hiccups with the call handling.
• Make updates: If there are any issues, the free trial period is a good time to iron out kinks and make necessary changes before going live with your customers.
• Test various features: Like this post suggests, answering services can typically do more than just answer your calls. The trial period is a good time to get acquainted with the various features they offer, and if they’ll work with your business structure. For example, you can test out their appointment scheduling software or see how their on-call dispatching system works.

#6. Consider You’ll Need an Online Interface

Some answering services offer email, text, or fax transmission of messages without the ability to check those messages online. While piecemeal messages may work for some, most businesses prefer having the ability to see their current and past messages online. With a web portal, you’ll have more control over reviewing your messages. While customer portals will differ from answering service to answering service, some common features may include:

• A log of call of your calls/messages
• The ability to listen to call recordings
• Access to your call handling and the ability to make updates in real time
• On-demand access to reports
• The ability to upload and manage your on-call schedule

#7. Emergency Dispatching System

No matter what type of business you run, you’ll most likely have a need for urgent dispatch. Whether you’re dispatching hot leads or urgent medical situations, you’ll want to find an answering service that can work closely with your in-house team and can adhere to your schedule(s) accordingly. Here are some things to look for in an answering service’s dispatching system:

• Are they available 24/7? Usually businesses use their on-call system for urgent issues that happen after-hours. If an answering service’s dispatching system is not available when you need them most, they probably aren’t the service for you.
• Can you make updates on your own or do they have to be submitted? Having to wait to submit changes can be detrimental if you’re in a bind. For example, say your on-call technician has a family emergency and can’t cover the shift. However, it’s already after-hours so your answering service’s customer support team is unavailable for immediate changes. When your answering service gives you access to an online portal or mobile app that allows you to make changes in real time, you can save the hassle of reaching out to customer service, and make the changes all on your own.
• Can you upload your existing schedule? Having the ability to upload your existing schedule right into your answering service’s system is a great time-saver and eliminates the need to do double the work.
• Are they HIPAA compliant? For medical practices, this is a big one. A HIPAA compliant answering service will not leave any patient information on your voicemail or through any messages. You would either be able to call your service back or log into a secure online portal to retrieve the message.

#8. Make Things Easy

Your answering service needs to be easy to use, and easy to make any changes. If you select a provider that makes it difficult to make script changes, make simple updates like changing a text message number or email address, or update your on-call schedule, it will hinder your company’s ability to work smoothly with your answering service provider. The point of an answering service is to help make running your business and handling day to day communication tasks easier – not more difficult. If you’re able to take free trial periods, you’ll need to spend a bit of time testing. Take advantage of any live demos to find out if the service you’re considering is user-friendly enough for your business and employees. Otherwise, you may find that your answering service is more of a pain to use and it’s not helping anything.

#9. Check 3rd Party App Compatibility

One of the issues you may have in finding the right answering service solution is that the system may need to be compatible with any software you’re currently using in your office. Because some software and calendars don’t play well with others (i.e. there is no API and operators may need to log in to post updates), the task can be a bit of a challenge. Depending on how important the integration is, you may need to rethink how important it is for your answering service to use it. If you do find a service that works with the software you’re already using, most integrations will push information gathered by the operators directly through to your software, updating it in real time and simultaneously cutting down on the amount of work you and your staff have to do since you won’t need to log into multiple systems to retrieve your data.

#10. Don’t Forget About Security

In many cases, your answering service will either be housing sensitive information or passing information back and forth between systems you’re already using. For medical practices or eCommerce companies, finding an answering service that is either PCI and/or HIPAA compliant is essential. If a medical or eCommerce company is using an answering service that is not compliant, they could be held accountable for any violations, which may result in thousands of dollars in fines, a loss of business, an even jail time. For these reasons, make sure the answering service you use is secure. Below is a break down of what it means to be both PCI and HIPAA compliant, and how answering services adhere to those rules.

• PCI Compliant:  To combat the increase in security data breaches, The Payment Card Industry and the Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) were created. In order to maintain PCI compliance, companies who accept credit card information must complete a yearly self-assessment and pass a quarterly security scan. Some ways that answering services maintain PCI compliance is by requiring employees to work in paperless environments and turning off call recordings when taking payment information.
• HIPAA Compliant: HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act was created to help regulate and protect the private health information of patients. In order to maintain HIPAA compliance, answering services cannot send any patient information through text, email or voicemail. All messages and calls should be stored in a secure online portal that customers can log into using a username and password. Answering services who are HIPAA compliant should also sign a BAA with  your company to securely disclose private information.

An Answering Service Is An Essential Business Tool

Remember, a telephone answering service serves a much greater purpose than just answering your telephone lines, taking messages, and dispatching important calls. It will make your customer service stronger, your day more productive, and callers won’t fall through the cracks like they do with voicemail.

The post 10 Things to Consider When Choosing an Answering Service appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

If it was up to us, we’d say all of them! But if you’re looking for the most dynamic and informative content on our website, we’ve boiled it down to the seven most exceptional posts. All of the following feature valuable tips, useful insights, and authentic recommendations from some of our most valued employees – and none have fluff we’d consider useless.

1. 3 Inexpensive Marketing Ideas to Get Your Small Business Phone to Ring

Why you should bookmark it: As any small business owner knows, an effective marketing strategy is key in getting customers to recognize your brand. However, if you’re just starting out, a solid marketing plan may not be in the budget just yet. Lucky for you, we’ve already done the research and found 3 Inexpensive Marketing Ideas to Get Your Small Business Phone to Ring. Whether you incorporate 1, 2 or all 3 ideas, your small business will soon be ready for lift off!

2. 5 Tips Every Small Business Owner Should Read

Why you should bookmark it: Whether you’re just starting out as a business owner or you’ve been around for a while, there’s always something new to learn. For example, a social media presence may not have had a huge impact on businesses 5 years ago, but today is a whole different story. To learn some more trick of the trade, check out these 5 Tips Every Small Business Owner Should Read.

3. 7 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Dispatching Service

Why you should bookmark it: Most, if not all, medical practices and HVAC companies requires staff to be on-call after hours in case of emergency. However, small businesses usually don’t have the same kind of budget a larger business does, which means they may struggle in this department. While small business owners may think that outsourcing is out of their budget, they can actually be a great asset and can help keep your business connected 24/7 at an affordable price. If you’re looking to outsource your after hours business communications, here are 7 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Dispatching Service.

4. How an Answering Service Can Help Your Seasonal Business

Why you should bookmark it: If you run a landscaping company or a pop-up holiday shop, then chances are your business isn’t busy all year round. However, that doesn’t mean you need to completely shut down. After all, you still need to make money, right? If you’re trying to figure out how to keep the operation going without breaking the bank, you’ll want to check out How an Answering Service Can Help Your Seasonal Business.

5. 5 Tips on Setting up a Virtual Receptionist to Make Your Small Business Look Big

Why you should bookmark it: All businesses need to start somewhere, but it can be difficult to attract a customer base as a small business. Many people look to fellow customer experiences before they decide to purchase an item or hire a company’s services, and some are hesitant to trust a small business due to the lack of expertise. However, if you’re a small business owner trying to gain a larger following, you’ll want to check out these 5 Tips on Setting up a Virtual Receptionist to Make Your Small Business Look Big.

6. 18 Tips for Creating the Best Answering Service from SAS Employees

Why you should bookmark it: If you’re looking for solid advice on how to set up a successful outsourcing experience for your small business, then you need to go right to the source. Check out these 18 Tips for Creating the Best Answering Service from SAS Employees and learn everything from how to structure your greeting to creating the most efficient call script directly from our own employees here at SAS.

7. Improve Lead Response Time with a 24 Hour Answering Service

Why you should bookmark it: In the world of business, leads are an important factor in gaining new customers and growing your brand. However, many small businesses struggle to contact leads in a timely manner, which winds up hurting their efforts instead of helping. If you don’t have the funds to hire more employees to add to your team, learn how you can Improve Lead Response Time with a 24 Hour Answering Service instead.

The post 7 Answering Service Posts Every Small Business Owner Should Read appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

1. “You don’t know how many calls you’re missing until you’re not missing them anymore.”

When small businesses are starting out, they typically let their voicemail answer calls when they’re too busy or they’re out of the office. However, the number of people that leave messages will never equal the number of people who called. Did you know that 7 out of 10 people are simply going to hang up instead of leaving a message? So, while you think you may only be missing a handful of calls based off the amount of messages you have, the truth is you’re missing a lot more.

When businesses start answering their calls 24 hours a day, they realize just how much activity they missed out on before. Even for small businesses that don’t get a lot of calls to begin with, every single interaction counts, and missing those opportunities is not something any business owner should risk.

2. “Start off with the simplest script, then add, test, evaluate, and repeat.”

For any first-time answering service user, it can be easy to go overboard with your script. Your first thought is that you’ll want to be able to account for all types of scenarios as you would in your own office. Unfortunately, that’s where things get a bit hairy. While it’s important to plan ahead and prepare for different call scenarios, you’ll want to start off with as simple a script as possible and work your way towards more complicated protocols.

Every answering service is different. Some may handle lead capture well and falter on emergency dispatch. Others may dispatch well but the operators may sound robotic. Once you get a good feel for how the reps are handling your calls at the most basic level, you can start to sprinkle in some more complicated processes like appointment scheduling, call transfers, and reach on call procedures.

Pro tip: Any time you add complexity to your script, remember to test out the functionality before going live with your customers. Once you’re confident the operators have a good grasp, you can release the hounds!

3. “Know what your goals are before getting an answering service.”

Before you hire an answering service, you need to understand your goals. Once you know what aspect of your business you’d like the answering service to help with, you can develop your script and protocols accordingly. Following are some basic goals and how the answering service can help:

• Lead capture: 24/7 live support makes sure that most every caller will leave a message.
• Around the clock appointment setting: Let your answering service schedule appointments to guarantee more traffic.
• 24 hour emergency dispatch: Be available to your customers for after hours emergencies.
• Customer service outsourcing: Around the clock support keeps customers happy.
• A live front desk: A live person makes a more personal brand experience.

4. “Trust that we know what’s going to work, and what isn’t.”

You know a lot about your business, and the answering service rep you’re working with is going to know a lot about what works (and what won’t) in an answering service environment. Whatever your initial ideas of what you want the answering service to handle on your behalf may not always be feasible. When outsourcing, it’s important to remember that the agents handling your calls are also answering calls for hundreds of other businesses, so it’s near impossible for them to know as much about your company as someone in your own office. During initial setup, if the answering service rep you’re working with expresses concerns that some of the protocols you want followed won’t work, they probably won’t.

The best outsourcing experiences are ones where the answering service gathers the most basic information, then transfers the call to your staff who handles the heavy lifting like closing sales and answering complex questions.

5. “Know the system you’re working with and activate any value-adding features accordingly.”

Whichever provider you’ve selected to answer your calls, be sure to explore other free features they may offer customers. For example, your answering service may offer free voicemail services or free integrations with software you’re already using. If you’re an SAS customer, we offer a wide range of features that come complimentary with our service like:

• Call ratings
• Appointment scheduling
• Downloadable reports
• On-call dispatching
• Customer surveys
• App integrations

6. “Customer comments don’t always show the full picture. Run a report, contact customer service, or listen to the call to see what really happened.”

The customer isn’t always right, but that doesn’t mean they should be ignored. For example, some customers may report 30 minute hold times, which in reality may be 30 seconds. Others may contact you about rude operators, who in reality were nothing as described. As soon as you are aware of an issue, contact the answering service immediately and let them dig into the situation. If what the caller described was incorrect, you can address it with them however you see fit. However, if what the caller described was correct and your answering service dropped the ball, you are able to provide them with a great opportunity to fix whatever’s wrong.

7. “Remember, we’re the receptionist.”

It’s important not to overload your virtual receptionists with too many tasks, or expect that they will be able to handle everything thrown their way. Keeping things complicated means your callers won’t have the best customer service experience possible. Some examples of things you should second guess includes:

• Saying your company name: Unless your company name is super simple, you shouldn’t expect your virtual receptionists to pronounce it correctly 100% of the time. We recommend having a recorded upfront greeting that states your company name to avoid any human error and maintain a professional experience.
• Following a complex script: For the most part, your answering service script should be relatively simple. The more paths, or options, you have your operators to choose from, the more likely they are to make a mistake.
• Accessing your software: Operators shouldn’t access your software unless you have a dedicated agent that is specifically trained on your account only. Learning new systems can be difficult and time consuming, which is why it’s better for your team to handle those tasks instead of your answering service agents.
• Learn new instructions on the fly: Virtual receptionists follow programmed protocols to handle different types of calls, which means they aren’t able to follow new instructions on the fly. For example, you wouldn’t be able to call your virtual receptionists, tell them you’re expecting a call from someone specific and ask them to transfer the call to you. If those instructions aren’t programmed in, they won’t be able to do it.

8. “The best price usually doesn’t equal the best answering service.”

When it comes to pricing, it can be difficult to determine the best answering service to choose. Some people may think that an expensive answering service means it’ll be top notch, which isn’t always the case. On the other hand, an answering service that is dirt cheap is probably dirt cheap for a reason. Price is usually a function of quality, and you want to make sure you’re getting what you’re paying for. We recommend aiming for somewhere in between, where you’d be paying around $1 per minute/call. You’ll also want to look for an answering service with multiple pricing options that can scale up or down with your business. For example, Specialty Answering Service offers over 10 different pricing plans, including both per minute and per call options so that we can cater to businesses of all sizes.

The post 8 Pieces of Answering Service Advice You Wish You Knew appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

Defining “Answering Service”

An answering service does exactly what its name suggests: it’s a group of receptionists there to answer your telephone when you can’t – or just don’t want to. Typically, these calls are of a message taking nature; someone calls your business, you aren’t available, the receptionist takes a message on your behalf and sends you the details.  Every day businesses rely on answering services to provide personal, live customer service around the clock.

An answering service is often the first point of contact when you reach out to a small business. Customers need to know their request is received, and an answering service representative is there 24/7  with a warm, friendly voice to help.

Top 6 Reasons Why Your Business Needs an Answering Service

1. To Help Handle High Volume

As a business owner, you’re familiar with the days when the phone never seems to stop ringing. From the time you walk in the door to the time you walk out (and maybe even when you get home, too), your phone is poppin’. Whether you’re airing a new product or campaign and expecting high call volume, or your business is just amazing and naturally busy, answering services are a great tool to help alleviate some pressure on you and your employees.

Since answering services are equipped to handle thousands of customer interactions a day, they can seriously help level up your customer service game by giving each of your callers the attention they deserve. Think about it. If you let your callers wait on hold for too long or direct them to a voicemail, chances are they won’t be too happy. Sure, they could call back at a later time, or they could contact your competitor instead. Womp womp.

2. To Help Capture New Leads

As a small business owner, it can be hard getting your feet off the ground and growing your client base. If you don’t have enough staff members to ensure none of your callers are waiting too long for help, you can kiss potential business goodbye. Answering services are not only there to answer your calls quickly, but they can also act as an extension to your business. Instead of just taking messages for a return call, they can actually assist your callers and help turn them into long-lasting customers.

Another way answering services can help capture new leads is by making outbound phone calls to people who have previously expressed interest in your company, whether it be through your website or previous interactions. Usually you can simply provide your service with the list of people to call, and a script for them to follow. If you’re like most small businesses, you don’t have the time to make many outbound phone calls to try and capture new leads, so having an answering service help with this task is a great way to save time and get some new customers on board.

3. To Help Dispatch Urgent Calls

For businesses that may expect urgent calls (medical practices, HVAC companies, etc.), answering services can really come in handy. Since they are usually available to field calls 24/7, they will be able to help handle any emergency call that may come in and direct the caller to the appropriate person via an on-call dispatching system.

The way in which answering services will dispatch calls and messages may vary, but the premise is the same – you let them know who to call and when, and they will get the message to the correct person. If your on-call schedule rotates on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, most answering services are able to accommodate that as well by providing you with access to an online portal which would allow you to make the changes on the go, or by allowing you to call into the service to make changes over the phone. The last thing you want is for one of your patients or customers to have to wait until business hours for assistance when the issue they are calling in about is serious.

4. To Help Schedule Appointments

In addition to helping dispatch urgent calls and messages 24/7, answering services are usually able to schedule appointments as well. Services that give you multiple scheduling options will be your best bet, as you don’t want to have to limit yourself or spend the time switching over to a brand new system. In addition, if you are a medical practice you’ll want to make sure that the answering service is HIPAA compliant so that all of your patient information stays protected.

Even if you do not run a medical practice, many businesses still rely on appointments. Some different ways you can utilize appointment scheduling based off your industry include:

• Beauty Salons: If you run a beauty salon, then you definitely need appointment scheduling. Depending on the way in which your answering service schedules, you may even be able to set up different services. For example, a cut and color may cost $80 and may last for an hour, whereas a simple trim may cost $10 and may only last for 15 minutes. Adding various services into your schedule will allow you to maximize your day and will also help your answering service learn more about your business.
• HVAC Companies: HVAC companies also use appointments to map out their daily jobs. While they may not offer as many services as a beauty salon, another feature that would be compatible with HVAC companies is checking to see if a caller is in your service area. Some answering services can do this just by asking for the caller’s zip code, and others may be able to actually input the caller’s address into an app like Google Maps. By having the answering service gather and check this information, you and your team can save a lot of time by not having to weed these callers out yourself.
• Law Firms: If you’re an attorney, chances are you spend the majority of your time meeting with clients or representing them in court, which means you aren’t free to schedule appointments yourself. As long as you give your answering service your schedule, they’ll be able to schedule consultations with new potential clients so that you don’t wind up missing any business opportunities.

5. To Help Place Orders

Whether you run an eCommerce company or if your business allows customers to purchase products online, answering services can rock your world too. While not all services can go out to your website to place orders, many of them can, so you’ll want to make sure you do your research before hand.

In addition, you’ll want to make sure that the service is ISO 27001 certified and PCI compliant if they will be taking credit card information from your customers. The last thing you want is for one of your customers to experience fraud at the hands of your answering service, which could fall back on your company.

6. To Provide 24/7 Customer Service

Last, but not least, many businesses need an answering service to help provide their callers with 24/7 customer support. Many businesses aren’t able to stay open all the time, which means their customers suffer, especially if something happens over the weekend and no one is available to assist them. No matter what type of business you run, you can’t go wrong with giving your customers a number to call should they need help after hours.

If you don’t happen to have any sort of support after hours, the likelihood that your customers will leave your service or company in search of another one that IS available 24/7 is not a chance you should be willing to take. Unless of course you have too many customers and are trying to thin out the herd…said no business ever.

The post Top 6 Reasons Businesses Need an Answering Service appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

Whether you have a bookkeeper or an accountant handling your financial transactions and producing financial statements, or if you’re trying to juggle the numbers on your own – you need to know what’s going on with your company’s financial health. So, what do you do? To help owners and entrepreneurs alike, we’ve created the Ultimate Guide to Small Business Accounting. This eBook is perfect if you are working with a bookkeeper or an accountant and need an understanding of their responsibilities.

In this eBook, we cover the fundamentals of small business accounting:

• Basic Knowledge: Learn about The Balance Sheet, The Profit and Loss Statement and The Cash Flow Statement, which are the 3 classic financial measures that all businesses can be judged by and that should be included in your business plan.
• Accounting Methods: Learn about the two types of accounting methods and determine which will be most suitable for you and your small business. The Cash Basis may be easier to understand, but the Accrual Basis is mandatory by the IRS if you hold inventory.
• Activities & Timelines: See what tasks need to be done on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual timeline in order to keep  your accounting practices streamlined and organized. For example, daily tasks would include recordings all transactions, whereas monthly tasks would include bank reconciliations and payroll management.
• Types of Taxes: Learn about the types of taxes you will have to plan for as a small business owner. Some examples of taxes could include income taxes, employment taxes and various federal forms.
• Required Documents for Tax Preparation: From basic financial statements to meal and travel expenses, figure out what documents you’ll need to have prepared for your accountant.
• Tax Mistakes to Avoid: Taxes can be tricky, but this section will help steer you in the right direction in terms of mistakes to avoid when filing your taxes, like combining personal and business expenses or not choosing the right business structure (choosing to set up as an S Corporation instead of a C Corporation).
• Bank Reconciliation: In order to better understand your cash flow position, bank reconciliations need to be done on a daily or monthly basis, and can help you locate and correct errors.
• Top 5 Do’s and Don’ts: A summary of the top 5 do’s and don’ts for new business owners.

Please click on this link “The Ultimate Guide to Small Business Accounting” to download the ebook.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Small Business Accounting appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

As an answering service for small businesses, we want all of the bootstrapped businesses we answer for to succeed. That’s why we created a guide to assist you in finding the right source, or sources, of funding that will help drive your small business towards success. In this guide (as well as the infographic that follows), we’ve listed 11 sources of small business financing. The list progresses from more conventional and proven ways to fund a business, to those that you should initially avoid until your business gains some traction.

Personal Nest Egg Method

What is it: 

• Dipping into your own savings
• Borrowing from friends and/or family

Pros:

• It’s affordable and hassle-free
• With a vested interest, you are more likely to be serious about making your small business a success
• There is a better chance of attracting other investors later, as you have put your money where your mouth is

Cons:

• If your start-up fails, you don’t have a financial backup to tap into
• When borrowing from family and friends, misunderstandings or a failed business can mean financial strain and ruined relationships

Pro tip: When borrowing from friends and family, have a formal agreement rather than a verbal one. In addition, you’ll need to decide if it will be a loan or if you will give them some of the profits.

Crowd Funding Method

What is it:

• Funding from the general public
• Sites like GoFundMe and Kickstarter specialize in this

Pros:

• You retain control over decision making
• If you have other creative ideas to incentivize backers, you don’t need to give away equity in your company.

Cons:

• Convincing a large group of mostly unknown people about the viability and prospects of your idea can be tough

Pro tip: Make sure to include a professional video in your crowd funding campaign. Campaigns with a pitch video raised 239% more money than those without one.

 Angel Funding Method

What is it:

• Funding from a wealthy individual
• Usually in exchange for equity in the company

Pros:

• You’ll have early stage funding along with mentoring
• A lot of angels even take up an active operating role in the company

Cons:

• You often have to shell out a large equity stake for a very low valuation

Pro tip: Look for an angel investor whose business ideals match yours. It is not just about the amount of funds you can generate, but the additional value the angel brings to the table.

Government Grants

What is it:

• A loan given by the governement
• Small Business Technology Transfer (SBTT) and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) are two common examples

Pros:

• You don’t have to pay it back
• You are not diluting stake in your company

Cons:

• It’s best suited for technology and research oriented start-ups
• The application process and filtering criteria can be stringent

Pro tip: When applying for grants, hedge your bets. Multiple agencies may be interested in the same technology but for different applications. In addition, it’s a good idea to hire a consultant to help you navigate the complex application process and paperwork.

Bank Loans

What is it:

• Receive funding from a bank
• Credit unions are great for small businesses

Pros:

• Loans come in all shapes and sizes, so you will most likely find one that suits your needs
• Having a pre-approved overdraft facility with a bank can be a great cash flow cushion

Cons:

• There are stringent qualification criteria and documentation requirements
• Depending on the nature of the loan, there may be a lien on your assets, raw materials and finished goods
• They may want a personal guarantee, which would mean your personal assets could be at risk if the business fails

Pro tip: Approach smaller community banks as opposed to large banks that may have strict qualifying criteria and documentation requirements. 

Small Business Administration Loans

What is it:

• Not actually lent by the SBA, but by other financial institutions that is approved by the SBA
• Most popular type of financing

Pros:

• Up to 85% is guaranteed by the government

Cons:

• There are some restrictions on the usage of funds. You cannot pay off creditors, cash out investors, or invest in real estate

Pro tip: Before applying for the loan, be clear on what you will use the funds for. 

Venture Capitalists

What is it:

• Investors who provide capital to startup companies
• Similar to angel funding

Pros:

• Most venture capitalists also offer mentoring and bring with them a wealth of prospective clients in addition to funding

Cons:

• You will have to give up a share of your business
• They will want a clear exit plan, at which point you will have to go public or buy back the stake

Pro tip: Venture capitalists are typically interested in game changers or high growth businesses. In addition, be prepared for the change in power dynamics during board meetings. Your business will no longer be “your baby.”

Asset Backed Lending

What is it:

• Allows you to secure a loan for an asset
• Assets may include a vehicle or machinery

Pros:

• You can spread your cost against the productive lifetime of your purchase

Cons:

• Such an agreement effectively means that you rent the machinery or asset from the lender until you have paid off your loan
• You have to demonstrate that your business can afford the asset, and try to show how securing the loan will support the growth of your business

Pro tip: Asset finance can spread out your costs but beware that such a loan can be accompanied by high interest rates

Factoring or Borrowing Against Receivables

What is it:

• Selling your accounts receivables (outstanding invoices) to a 3rd party for a discount
• Helps free up capital that is stuck in unpaid debts

Pros:

• The invoices can be for anything from manufactured goods to medical services

Cons:

• Factors have the first lien on cash flow, so factoring is difficult if there is a judgement against your business, or if the bank has a blanket lien on your assets.

Pro tip: Some banks have factoring practices, and there are many established stand-alone factoring firms

Purchase Order Financing

What is it:

• Financier that fronts money and takes a cut of the check afterwards
• The financier could pay a portion of the total cost of supplies or 100%

Pros:

• You can leverage purchase orders for cash or credit advances to your suppliers
• You can accept new business from clients even when you don’t have the operating capital to fund the job
• It’s a great option for companies who have average credit

Cons:

• Because the PO shop assumes the supply-chain risk, the cost of those funds is typically steeper than what factors might charge
• PO shops prefer to work with wholesalers and distributors

Merchant Cash Advances

What is it:

• Allows financiers to give cash today in return for a % of their future credit card sales
• Offers fast access to capital

Pros:

• Unlike a loan, which is fixed over a set period of time, MCAs involve a target repayment amount, collected over as long a period as necessary until it’s paid off.

Cons:

• Deals are structured so that based on a customer’s past performance, the MCA shop gets its money back – plus a handsome return – in 6 to 9 months

Geographic Expansion

The last stage in your business venture would be the geographic expansion of your company. This occurs when you are ready to expand to other geographic locations and is more relevant for physical products and brick and mortar establishments. However, if you sell a digital product online the entire world is your customer base.

If you’re writing about sources of funding for small businesses on your own website, please copy the code below to use this infographic:

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<pre><em>Image originally posted on <a href=”https://www.specialtyansweringservice.net/sources-funding-small-business-infographic/”>The SAS Blog</a></em>
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My most recent foray into smartphone idiocy came when the phone fell from my pocket…while I was riding a bicycle. “Great,” I thought, “now I have to go listen to the old ‘Crapple’ store song and dance.” Well, I was fed up. So, I decide to branch out this time. I found a small company that did phone repairs, and, WHAT’S THIS?!?! DOES HOUSE CALLS?!?! Don’t they know that my greatest joy in life is driving twenty minutes one way for a repair that takes sixty seconds? I soon changed my tone, however, when a courteous repair technician showed up at my front door, fixed my screen quickly, and charged me half as much as the geniuses downtown.

This visit got me thinking not just about how I should probably get a case that is idiot-proof, but also about how amazing this home visit was. It was the apex of customer service: someone came to my house – on my schedule – to help me solve a problem. In this case, the service ended up being less expensive than the brand name, but I probably would have paid more just for the convenience alone.

Specialty is an answering service, so we can’t make house calls. If we did, we would be your office receptionist. You’d high five us every morning when you walk into work and we’d give you coffee. But we’re not in your office. We work at our call center. However, if you have a small business that is house call capable (like physicians, veterinarians, computer repair technicians, and ), here are 2 compelling reasons why you should offer them:

Improved customer experience.

Go to the website for a company that does house calls. Seriously, take a second and see what the customer reviews say. They rave about the services, they rave about the affable repair people, and they rave about the company. When you break it down, the company’s services are really not so different: they perform a basic task, the repair technicians aren’t that much more courteous, and the prices are relatively similar. The only separation is the element of convenience.

This one factor can enhance a customer’s impression of your company in every facet. If you make home visits, customers will laud everything from your professionalism to your logo design to your brother-in-law’s new mustache. What does this have to do with home visits, you ask? Nothing, and that’s what makes home visits so awesome. They make everything seem better.

Increased sales.

Here is the exact thought process I went through when deciding to get my phone fixed: “Hmmm, this seems a little bit expensive for a third party repair company. Wait, they come to my house? When I want them to? Service charge, smervice charge; take my money already!”

‘Convenience trumps all when it comes to sales. If company A sells a product for ten dollars less than company B, but company B delivers it to your house and sets it up, which one would you prefer? What’s more, when a customer has a positive experience with your home visit services, they will tell their friends about it. Word of mouth is critical to the growth of small business.

So, go ahead. Turn your clients into your sales team, and start making house calls today!

The post The power of house calls: Home visits for small business. appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

1. Being the lowest price in the market

While “low price equals high volume” is a fundamental economic theory, it is primarily applicable for non-differentiated commodities. In laymen’s terms, that means your offering can’t be differentiated from competitors’. In that scenario, you basically wouldn’t be in business. But if you are in business, then hear this: pricing low often creates multiple problems – it leads to a poor perception of quality in the customer’s mind, incites price wars with the competition, and sets the bar super low in terms of the value that you should be providing. So, unless you are a giant like Walmart, pricing low is best avoided. Instead, look for ways to add value to your offerings, and command premium prices.

2. Pricing high and not selling right

Though pricing low can be harmful, pricing high and not being able to communicate value to your customers is disastrous. If you are unable to demonstrate why your products and services warrant a fat price tag, customers will leave you and never come back.

3. Forgetting the message that price communicates

When small businesses price their offerings, they usually take into consideration the costs involved, their anticipated profits, and how the competition is pricing. But one thing that is often forgotten is the fact that pricing is a strong positioning tool. Ever heard of the psychology of pricing? When you price your product high, you are communicating a first-class image to the consumer. Thus, other elements of your brand should also communicate a consistent message:

• You need to have expensive packaging, and use premium channels to sell the product. Would a Tiffany’s ring have the same appeal in a plastic box at a kiosk? Um, no.
• You should have trained customer service professionals handling sales and service inquiries around the clock. If you stink at customer care, then patrons may hightail it to competitors just to avoid the hassle.

These elements will help you command a good market share even when your prices are high. After all, not all customers are price-sensitive, and price-sensitive customers are generally willing to pay for value.

4. Not considering all costs

Small businesses may neglect to add up all of their expenses before pricing their products. This is especially true for traders who buy in bulk. If you buy a product for $2 and sell for $5, you have a gross margin of $3. However, if you didn’t account for costs (e.g. rent, payroll, insurance, etc.) when you decided on pricing, then your net margin may be negative. This blunder will quickly run your business into the ground. Go back to Part 3 and make a running list of your expenditures (download an expenditures worksheet here).

5. Wrong timing and payment models

Research has shown that people are more likely to use a product when they have recently paid for it as opposed to when it was paid for in the distant past. A typical example is a gym membership. A member who pays on a monthly basis is more likely to use the gym regularly, whereas someone who paid at the beginning of the year may ditch the elliptical machine for a bag of Cheetos and a Game of Thrones marathon. Small businesses, in an eagerness to make the sale and get more cash up front, try to sign customers up long-term. But those people are least likely to renew their purchase. In short, charge your customers using a monthly subscription fee. That way, the value received is proportional to the price paid.

6. Wrong discounting strategy

Discounting is a very powerful pricing tool, but it is a double-edged sword, and small businesses often go wrong with their discounting strategy. If you have a bunch of regular customers, suddenly offering a discount to newcomers may cause dissatisfaction in the minds of people who purchased earlier. No one wants to miss out on a good deal. Therefore, instead of offering discounts for all purchases, tie it up with loyalty, or offer discounts for a differentiated offering. For example, you could offer a 10% discount for customers who purchase a second time in your store. Or you could bundle 2 products, and offer a combination deal.

Ultimately, maximizing your profits comes down to pricing things just right based on your particular situation – and you probably won’t perfect it on the first try. Heck, if pricing were easy, we wouldn’t have needed 4 separate blogs to explain it! That being said, the greatest challenge for the small business owner is identifying why customers should shell out their hard-earned bucks for your products or services and convincing them it’ll be worth their while. Developing the ultimate pricing strategy takes time.

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