If the company you’re using doesn’t have the right environment set up for their agents to thrive, or if your expectations aren’t aligned with what the answering service can do, you’re going to set yourself up for failure.

If you’re looking for a small business answering service, your first step should be researching the marketplace to determine which service you feel would be the best fit for your business. Once you’ve found the one, you’ll need a clear plan so that as you start the onboarding process, you’ll ensure your business needs are being met.

Let’s look at 9 pitfalls that are common for small businesses who are outsourcing to answering services for the first time to make, and ways to avoid them. Ultimately, you want to work together with your answering service to create an outsourcing solution the stakeholders on your team can be proud of.

Pitfall #1: Adding too many FAQs

Adding company and product information to your Frequently Asked Questions is really great! Until it’s not. There is such a thing as going overboard with “too much” data. And you don’t want agents jumping ship when they see your FAQs because there are too many or they’re poorly organized. So, sticking to the basics will ensure that agents aren’t scrolling through endless pages of detail. It’s not only a challenge for them, but it’s bad for your wallet.

The more time agents spend looking for answers, the more live operator time they eat up – and that may lead to a much higher monthly invoice than you had anticipated. If a caller has in-depth questions about your offerings, it is generally better to simply deliver a message rather than wade through an ocean of info. Not only do beefy FAQs lengthen calls, but it makes the operator sound less professional when they don’t have an immediate answer.

The solution

I recommend keeping your FAQs short and sweet and letting you and your staff handle the nitty-gritty questions. While FAQs will vary depending on the type of business you run, here are some examples of simple questions the operators can answer without having to forward a message over to you.

• What are your business hours?
• Where are you located?
• What kind of services do you provide?
• What are your prices?
• Do you offer after hours service?
• Is there an after hours fee?
• Do you accept insurance?
• What types of insurance do you accept?

Pitfall #2: Forgetting to forward calls when you need extra help

Most telephone answering services provide virtual receptionist support 24 hours a day. So, just because your accustomed to only forwarding your calls after hours and on weekends, those aren’t the only times you should be using a service. You can use them any time you need some extra help, even during business hours. For example, imagine it’s the morning after a large snow storm and the phones are ringing like crazy. Your receptionist is trying to answer every call but telling each potential customer to hold. One by one the callers give up and slowly but surely, your opportunities of new business have flown right out the window.

The solution

The easiest way to solve this is to remember that your answering service is available whenever you need them – so it’s up to you to remember to forward calls when you office is overwhelmed. If you’re looking for a more automatic solution, you can explore something called conditional call forwarding.

Instead of drowning your over-worked receptionist, you can set up conditional call forwarding so that any calls your receptionist can’t get to, will forward right over to the service. With conditional call forwarding configured, each caller will reach a live voice, more leads will be captured, and your receptionist will stop pulling out her hair!

Pitfall #3: Leaving an open-ended greeting

Creating a call script that works for both your business and your answering service doesn’t have to be complicated. Actually, it can be quite simple by first starting with a strong greeting. While a generic opening can work, an open ended question like “how can I help you” allows the caller to take control of the call and can seriously eat up time. Instead, driving questions can help steer the call and allows the operator to maintain control over the conversation.

The solution

If you know 90% of the calls that are coming in will be for one particular service or objective, you may want to have your operators ask “Are you calling for a quote?” or “Are you calling to schedule an appointment?” This way, your operators can easily determine which way the call is supposed to go and seamlessly gather the callers information. Businesses that handle urgent requests like Medical, HVAC or Property Management companies may also want to ask callers upfront if they’re calling in regards to something urgent. That way they can ensure urgent calls are being handled as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Pitfall #4: Foregoing automated services

Answering services are great at giving your callers a live voice to talk to 24/7. Don’t think that just because you are using an answering service, you shouldn’t be thinking about using automation. Most services will also offer some type of voicemail or IVR automation, and they’re great for automating protocols that are currently taking up too much of your staff’s time. IVR, or Interactive Voice Response, is a tool that many businesses use to help direct calls while also allowing customers to help themselves. For small businesses with a limited budget, you may not want to spend as much money having your operators answering these questions when an IVR can do it for much less.

The solution

There are many different ways to incorporate automated services to work in tandem with live receptionists. For example, you may want to set up an option for your Spanish callers to press 2 to be connected with a bilingual representative, or you may want to set up an option for callers who are having an emergency. IVRs are also great for simple calls like a customer wanting to know your business hours or location.

Automation can also be used via virtual queuing systems, by setting up a call back feature with your answering service. Call back options can be automatic, where the system automatically calls back callers who hang up while in the queue, or they can be manual, where callers are given the option whether or not they want a call back. If they do, they can hit a number on their dial pad, and the system will hold their place in line.

Pitfall #5: Forgetting to place test calls

Your answering service handles their own quality control, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t help control the quality with respect to your own account. Placing test calls is a great way to get a feel for what your customers will experience when they call, and it also offers an opportunity to iron out any kinks and fine tune the whole process. If you’re worried about eating up your own minutes while placing test calls, then don’t worry! Most if not all answering services will offer some sort of free trial period, which is a great time to place free test calls and make updates prior to going live with your customers.

The solution

We suggest placing test calls in the following situations:

• When an update has been made to your script: If you or your answering service has updated your scripting protocol, it’s a good idea to place a test call to ensure the updates were made correctly and that the script flows naturally for the operators.
• When you forward your lines: Placing a quick test call whenever you forward your line(s) to your answering service is a good way to confirm your line(s) are forwarded correctly. If you haven’t forwarded your line(s) correctly, callers may get an error message and be left hanging in limbo.
• When you’ve added a new upfront greeting: After updating your custom upfront greeting, call your line to hear how it sounds!

Pitfall #6: Leaving your script generic

Along with adding an  IVR and driving question to your account, there are other ways your answering service can help screen callers. For instance, if you have a list of requirements for certain types of calls, we can use this to determine if you need to receive a message or not.

The solution

Here are some examples of how an answering service can help screen your calls.

• Asking callers for their email address: If you require an email address to correspond with your customers, your service can ask for this information. If it’s provided, the call will continue but if it’s not, the operator can inform the caller that one is needed to proceed. If the caller refuses, the operator can politely end the call.
• Asking callers if they accept a service fee: If your business requires a service fee prior to scheduling an appointment, your answering service can screen callers accordingly. If they accept the fee, the operator can continue with the call. If they don’t, the operator can end the call but remind the caller to reach back out if they change their mind.
• Screening for specific types of insurance: If your medical practice only accepts certain types of insurances, it’s a great idea to have your service screen callers. That way your calendar doesn’t get booked for appointments that shouldn’t have been scheduled in the first place.

Pitfall #7: Forgetting to keep your On-Call schedule updated

Even your best employee can’t work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. They may be dedicated to  your company, but they’re no Clark Kent. This is why having a rotating on-call schedule that your answering service can follow is great for not only helping cut down costs, but evenly delegating work responsibilities. A good answering service scheduling system will allow you to make changes whenever you need to through an online portal or a mobile app, and will allow you set your schedule for days, weeks and even months in advance.

The solution

Upon creating an on-call schedule, you’ll be required to configure a Default Group, which is who our system will reach out to in the event your schedule(s) have expired. Having a Default Reach option will always ensure someone is being reached, even if it’s not the person who is currently on-call.

Pro tip: Whenever you make changes to your in-house schedule, always remember to keep your answering service updated so they can ensure the right person is always being reached!

Pitfall #8: Scheduling appointments yourself

In order to cut down on phone calls, many businesses have integrated systems that allow customers to schedule their own appointments online. The less appointment calls that come in, the less time employees are on the phone, which means more time they can dedicate to other projects. However, just because it’s available, doesn’t mean every customer will use it. In fact, many customers still prefer to speak with a live person over scheduling online, which means you still need to have someone available to take those calls.

The solution

Having your answering service schedule appointments for you is a great way to give your customers that personal touch and also allows your in-house employees to step away from the phones and focus on other tasks. Many services either offer their own scheduling software, can use a software you’ve already implemented, or integrate with a web-based platform like Google Calendar. In addition, they may even be able to follow up with appointment confirmation emails, schedule particular services, or help new patients fill out intake forms.

Pitfall #9: Not reaching out when there are issues

Just like everything else in life, there will always be an adjustment period for things that are new to you. If your answering service isn’t living up to the hype or dropped the ball in some capacity, the best thing to do is to try and work through it together. Otherwise, you might prematurely move on to the next service without fully understanding what went wrong the first time around. If the agents were messing up, it could have been because the call script was too confusing.

The solution

Working with your answering service and bouncing ideas off of each other is a great way to create the best possible experience for both you and your callers. Ultimately, answering services want to help your business grow.  In order to do that, there needs to be an open door of communication.

We suggest scheduling periodic check-in calls with Customer Support, so they can review your scripting protocol, answer any questions you have, or address concerns or issues you may have encountered.

The post Small Business Answering Services: 9 Pitfalls to Avoid appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

#1. The Operators

Operators, or virtual receptionists, are the front line of your business at the answering service, which means they are often the first impression your customers have. If your customers can’t reach a live voice when they call and are either playing phone tag or waiting (and waiting) for a call back, they’re going to get the feeling like they don’t matter. Callers who are greeted with a warm, friendly voice who can help answer their questions are 70% more likely to become paying customers over callers who reach an impersonal answering machine.

Being your business’s voice takes more skill than being able to speak. Operators utilize a variety of different skills and easily adapt to many scenarios. For example, one moment they could be speaking to a senior citizen who may need the operator to patiently help them understand a specific insurance policy, while the next call could be someone seeking legal assistance regarding delicate matters. And of course, you can’t forget the phone calls from angry customers who just want their issue resolved now. Operators have:

• Excellent listening and communication skills
• Have an amazing phone demeanor
• Can be empathetic when the situation calls for it
• Have a strong attention to detail and are able to document calls and relay messages perfectly
• Have a great short term memory if they need to document calls after the caller has hung up
• Able to keep a steady composure and calmly diffuse even the most tense situations
• Have intuition and perception to quickly determine the needs of each individual caller

Agents have to learn to maintain their composure in tough situations and decipher what the caller needs to help them as quickly and efficiently as possible. This job can be tough but it can also be very rewarding. To learn more about what makes up a good operator, check out our virtual receptionist interview!

#2. The Programmers

Simple programming changes, like swapping one number for another, can usually be done by the operator while you’re on the phone. However, a change like adding a new script path or programming a complex on-call scenario is usually done by the programmers.  A successful answering service programmer is:

• Proficient in the specific programming and/or coding terminology the answering service uses
• Able to come up with creative solutions to build a script that will work for the operators as well as the customer
• Skilled at time management and able to prioritize their workload to the account changes that are urgent, and ones that can wait
• A great communicator and able to work with the support team to clarify programming notes to make sure what the client is asking for is actually something the answering service can do effectively

If you have concerns with the quality of your calls or how much usage you’re accruing, programmers are great at offering suggestions that will help cut down on calls and and usage. As an outsider, you may be quick to set up your call script to match your in-house protocols. However, the programmers at your answering service will know best if certain call handling procedures will work or not and how to come up with a solution that is suitable for everybody.

#3. The Team Leads

Operators are people. People will make mistakes from time to time, which is why Team Leads are so important. The Team Leads are typically responsible ensuring the quality of a small operator group. One way they do this is by pulling random calls for quality reviews and helping operators improve by offering advice and additional training classes. When things get busy, they can don the operator hat and hop on the phones as well. However, their main goal is to make sure the operators are always at their very best! Team leads are responsible for:

• Keeping their team of operators on track
• Answering questions and helping operators solve problems
• Handling escalations for irate callers before a floor supervisor needs to be involved

If you’re ever concerned with how a call was handled, the Team Lead is the go-to person to help get to the bottom of the issue.  A change in the scripted call handling may be warranted or the operator may need to receive some additional training. Essentially, the Team Lead is there to oversee their specific group of team members and make sure they are operating like a well-oiled machine.

#4. The Floor Supervisor

Similar to a Team Lead, the Floor Supervisor is crucial in day to day operations. Floor Supervisors typically have years of call center experience and understand what it takes to be an operator, as well as a manager. They oversee everyone, operators and Team Leads alike, and are the last line in phone escalations to diffuse tough situations. When calls are escalated to a floor supervisor it is because the operator and the team lead have tried all they can to appease the customer, but they need backup. Ultimately, the floor supervisor accepts responsibility for everyone they employ. They will always work with you to come to a solution that is best for both parties and improve your overall quality of service. Each day, the floor supervisor:

• Provides further training opportunities for employees
• Analyzes data from days, weeks, and even months prior to ensure they are always staffed accordingly and meeting call center goals
• Identifies operational issues and works to come to a solution
• Monitors agent performance and provides coaching as needed

#5. The Support Team

The answering service customer support team is a group of problem solvers and help desk gurus. If they are troubleshooting a call, they evaluate where caller interactions went wrong and who of the above choices needs to be tapped in to help rectify the situation. If they are asked a question, like “how can I update my script?”, they have a strong knowledge of the system you’re using to lend a helping hand. A lot of the time, customer service works as a team with one or all of the aforementioned departments to resolve any issue. They bring ideas and creative solutions to the table as well. If you aren’t happy with your script, start with support! They handle hundreds of accounts every day and will have a handful of tips and tricks, suggestions and advice on how to create the best answering service experience and ultimately help your business relationship succeed. The support team is responsible for:

• Handling customer communication
• Making updates that don’t require an escalation to the programmers
• Suggesting script reviews and updates
• Diffusing situations where customers are angry
• Multitasking and handling multiple channels of communication including email, phone support and live chat
• Engaging in ongoing training about the systems they are using

Every answering service of course has their own hierarchy and their own troubleshooting process. This overview consists of the “must have” roles in the answering service business, and why they are so important to have. When you use a 24/7 answering service, it’s important to know who is behind the scenes at all times. Assembling a quality answering service team requires people who are patient, kind, adaptable, thick-skinned, creative, and quick thinking! With the team described above, you can’t possibly go wrong!

The post 5 Types of Answering Service Jobs appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

#1. Don’t stress! Keep some items at your desk to stay calm

The hardest aspect of being a customer service rep is having to deal with upset customers. A customer service rep’s job is to diffuse a situation so that they can take down the caller’s information to get the message into the right hands. However, when someone is yelling at you for circumstances beyond your control, it can be hard not to take it personally.

Keeping calm in these types of situations can sometimes feel impossible. Luckily, we’ve found 14 products to help you stay calm. Check out the list below broken down by noise level:

Quiet: These products are safe to use when the caller is on the phone.

• Stress Balls: Unless you’re throwing them, stress balls make no sound, so they’re great to use while you are on the phone! They come in many different colors, styles and levels of squishiness so you have a lot of options. This one is one of our favorites (but it might make you hungry).
• Zen Garden: These zen gardens are affordable, quiet, and great to use for both men and women. They even come in different sizes in case you don’t have a lot of desk space.
• Fitness Hand Gripper: Work on your hand strength and relieve stress all at the same time with these fitness hand grippers.
• Lava Lamps: Chill out with these vintage lava lamps that will send you straight back to the 60’s and make you forget all about that nasty caller.
• Baoding Balls: Much like stress balls, baoding balls are a great tool to use to when you’re feeling wound up. Simply maneuvering these balls around in your hand will help stimulate acupressure points, which in turn will help loosen muscles and promote better circulation.

Be Careful: These products should be used with caution when you have a live caller on the line.

• Fidget Toys: Stress relievers like fidget spinners or other fidget toys don’t make a ton of noise, but they’re also not totally silent so you’ll want to air on the side of caution when using them while speaking to a customer.
• Relaxation Fountain: This fountain is great for the days you wish you could be next to a real waterfall some place far away. Just don’t keep it right next to your phone or your callers will probably think you’re in a bathroom.
• Magnetic Sculptures: Whether you’re on a long phone call, a difficult phone call, or both, these magnetic sculptures can help relieve stress and keep you occupied (especially if you’ve been sitting on hold). However, try and keep the clinking to a minimum so as not to disrupt your phone call.
• Sound Machines: Listening to white noise like ocean waves and falling rain can help soothe your mind and keep you focused on the task at hand. As long as you keep the volume turned low, these sound machines are a great addition to any work space.
• Newton’s Cradle: Watching Newton’s Cradle swing back and forth will be able to relax any stressed out CSR. Just be careful not to have it right next to your phone as the clinging spheres will be sure to annoy your caller.

Only When You’re Not on the Phone: These products are super loud. Definitely don’t use them when someone is on the line.

• 3D Pin Art: Remember going to the doctor’s office as a kid and playing with 3D pin art? It was soothing, fun, and ultimately kept your mind off that needle you were coming to get (even though your mom said it wouldn’t hurt). Just be careful flipping the thing over as the pins will make a bit of noise when they drop.
• Desk Vacuum: Many people find that white noise and clean spaces is calming, which is why we recommend this cute little desk vacuum. However, you definitely shouldn’t use it while you (or your neighbors) are on the phone.
• Desktop Punching Bag: If cleaning doesn’t help calm you, maybe punching something will. This desktop punching bag is great for relieving stress, but just wait until you’re off the phone.
• Mini NEOGEO: Blow off some steam in between taking phone calls with this mini NEOGEO. Nothing beats stress more than beating your high score.

#2. Trouble remembering protocol? Phone numbers? Post It!

Forgetting stuff? There’s a post-it for that. Having the written reminder in front of you not only helps you in the moment, but looking at the reminder every day will help register the instructions in your mind. In addition to instructions for certain accounts, CSR’s can use their Post Its to help them remember things like:

• Important phone numbers: Supervisors’ names and phone numbers, HR contacts, and various extension lists are all important pieces of information to have readily available. Stick your Post It right to your phone or on the bottom of your monitor so you always have those numbers handy.
• Reminders to smile and breathe: Reminding yourself to smile and breathe is sometimes necessary. We all need a quick refresher here and there, especially when we are dealing with stressful situations.
• Transitional phrases: Knowing when to use transitional phrases when speaking with a customer can help keep the conversation moving in the right direction, and can eliminate any awkward pauses. You can also download and print out our poster here for a quick reference guide.

Some of our favorite Post It Notes include:

• Fruit: These Post It Notes shaped like fruit are cute and fun, but may make you hungry.
• Tetris: Turn your desk into a game of Tetris with these sticky notes!
• Cats: Animal lovers rejoice with these sticky notes shaped like cats.

And if you’re looking for a ready made custom sticky note for your own cubicle, check out the downloads below that are sure to ‘stick up’ for you when you need a smile. See the 5 sticky notes below and download the original vector (Adobe Illustrator) file here to make changes or print them up on your own!

#3. Make it cozy and comfortable

CSRs are going to spend 99% of their jobs in their cubicle or behind a desk, so it’s important to take the time to make your work space your own. Just like you jazz up your home to make it cozy, tricking out your cubicle is just as important. Just like the Spice Girls said – spice up your life!

Having pictures of family and friends is a must. Other decorations like plants or souvenirs from a favorite vacation can help a CSR channel their happy place. If your office is a bit chilly, keeping a warm fuzzy blanket around can also help. Believe it or not, when you smile while on the phone, your positive energy radiates through and can help create a successful interaction.

Here are some of our favorite desk decor:

• Desktop Planter Vase: This desktop planter vase is affordable, adorable, and will help liven up any dull work area.
• Picture Frames: Keep your loved ones close with these collage picture frames from Ikea!
• Motivational Signs: Sometimes we all need a reminder of how awesome we are. Etsy has a great collection of fun, customizable signs that may help give you that extra push.
• Desk Organizer: This organizer will help keep all of your pens, pencils and notepads organized in one place. It’s also gender neutral and goes with everything.
• Salt Lamp: Salt lamps are the best. Not only are they beautiful to look at, but they also give off a warm, calm vibe that will be sure to soothe your tired soul.
• Neck Massager: Who said you can’t get a massage at your job? You can use this neck massager right at your desk, and it even comes with a heat setting to help loosen up tight muscles.
• Foot Rest: Kick your feet up and relax with these foot rests, guaranteed to help alleviate any extra back pressure put on by stress. These foot rests come in different animal shapes, and even double as a storage unit.
• Heated Blanket: Working while you’re cold is the worst. You can’t concentrate, your muscles tighten up, and you basically just wish you were back in bed. This heated blanket will warm you up and make you feel nice and cozy.
• Oil Diffuser: Essential oils like lavender and vanilla have been known to help reduce stress and promote calmness, while other oils like peppermint and rosemary help create focus and concentration. An essential oil diffuser is a great addition to any stressful work environment, just be mindful of your neighbors. Aromatherapy for the win!
• Gel Seat Cushion: Protect your derrierre with the comfort of these gel seat cushions. You won’t mind sitting all day since you’ll basically be sitting on a cloud.

#4. Time zone map or area code list

As an operator, you’re answering for thousands of calls a day. One minute you could be answering calls from a business in Ohio and the next call could be from California. Having a time zone map readily available at your desk can help you determine what time zone callers are located in from a quick glance, which could help save you from saying “good morning” to a caller who has already eaten lunch.

For businesses that don’t want their customers to know they are outsourcing calls to an answering service, something as simple as saying “good morning” when they should be saying “good afternoon” can be the mistake that gives them away. Being knowledgeable about where customers are calling from can help a virtual receptionist blend into their environment to give off a more localized presence.

We’ve created a beautiful Time Zone map of the United States that you can feel free to use online, or print to use at work or at your own cubicle. The map shows the 6 time zones for the United States and is available to download in .PDF format, .JPG format, and .AI (vector) format. The 6 time zones are Hawaii (UTC -10:00), Alaska (UTC-09:00), Pacific (UTC-08:00), Mountain (UTC-07:00), Central (UTC-06:00), and Eastern (UTC-05:00).

#5. Written goals

Everyone is always working towards something. Whether you’re trying to save up to purchase that new car, or maybe you’d like to win employee of the month, setting goals can be a great motivator. People who give themselves short term and long term goals that are posted in a visible place will be more encouraged to continue working hard even when the going gets tough. Seeing these goals every day can give you something to work toward and, overall, will make you want to push harder. Plus, just like the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, the reward at the end is always worth it!

Here are some recommendations for setting up a goal attributed work atmosphere:

• Goal Planners: Progress planners are great to use to not only keep yourself organized, but also to set daily, weekly, monthly and even yearly goals. When you’re able to write down and cross off goals as you attain them, you become more motivated to reach that next tier!
• White/Chalk Boards: Whether you’re working towards a personal goal or a group goal with your co-workers, using a white or chalk board is a great way for everyone to get involved. Through tally marks, stickers, or drawings, everyone can have fun while working towards their ultimate goals. This 3-in-1 white board can help you get the job done, or, depending on how big your goals are, this cute chalkboard easel.

The post Surviving In A Call Center: 5 Essential Hacks to Trick Out Your Cubicle appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

#1. They give stellar first impressions.

Unless it’s Groundhogs Day, you only get one chance to make a first impression. Having a customized recorded greeting on your business line will help give callers lasting first impression that you’ve been missing by outsourcing.

Fact: Virtual receptionists answer for hundreds of different businesses each day. When operators answer calls live, it can be hard for them to get your company name 100% correct every single time. While answering the phone for Smith Plumbing may be easy and effortless, they may stumble when answering the phone for Sheila’s Sea Shells. Instead of having the operators say your company name, a custom recorded greeting would completely eliminate the chance of error. The automated greeting announces the company name, and the live operator greeting is kept to a generic ‘Thanks for calling. How can I help you?’

#2. Racking up those minutes? A custom greeting can help!

Unless you’re taking advantage of a free trial, answering services are going to charge a fee to answer your calls. Some bill by the call, some bill by the minute, some bill by the agent – but all do eventually bill for something. If your answering service bills by the minute, you can waste a lot of time and money in just your live greeting alone. Here are some ways a custom recorded greeting can help keep extra cash in your pocket:

• While answering services will charge you for the time the operator is on the phone, most services won’t charge you extra to add a custom recorded greeting on your line.
• Having a custom recording that clearly states your company name can help deter wrong number calls, which you could otherwise be charged for.
• Auto attendant features like IVR can help cut down on the amount of automated phone calls getting through to an operator. Since robots can’t press 1 to be connected, they won’t eat up your bill. Eureka! A solution to a super annoying problem.

#3. They can provide service information.

As long as you provide your answering service with basic FAQs like where you’re located, your business hours, your website, etc, your virtual receptionists can easily help answer callers’ questions. However, an upfront greeting can also do this, which could help cut down on operator time. For example:

• Greetings are a great tool for providing information that your callers NEED to know.
• Using your service solely after hours? Use the greeting to state your business hours.
• Temporarily located somewhere else? Let the recording tell all your callers!
• Do you have a common question that eats up your minutes? Your greeting can give callers the answer before even getting to an operator.

#4. They can relay different messages.

Sometimes, life happens. You may have to turn on your answering service at a time you wouldn’t normally, and your callers may be surprised to get someone other than Rachel at the front desk. However, you can use a feature like a customized greeting to your advantage in situations just like this. For example, you can have your greeting updated to say something like: “The office is closed due to inclement weather” or “The office is currently experiencing an outage. Please hold for an operator.”

Being able to have your greeting customized and updated whenever you need it can help avoid confusion for the callers and awkward conversations with the operator. Many times callers will know they’ve reached an answering service and ask the operator why the office isn’t answering. Having a statement in your upfront recording can help answer these questions.

Pro tip: Some answering services may even be able to add different custom greetings to your line depending on the day or time. For example, you may want one greeting played during business hours, and another played for after hours. 

#5. They can show your company’s personality

Every business is different, and your personalized greeting can help set you apart from the competition. Let’s say a potential customer calls two restoration companies. The first offers a bland, generic greeting, which is fine, but boring. The second includes a quirky, bubbly introduction that grasps the caller’s attention right from the beginning. From this interaction alone, the caller decides to go with business #2 simply because their greeting made them smile. Other examples include:

• Use the upfront recording to reflect how your company is run. Are you a fun start up tech company? Are you a suit and tie business? You can easily show your style through your custom greeting alone.
• Does your company have a motto or slogan that is well known to consumers? Put it in your custom greeting!
• Many people may want their operators to open the call with “It’s a great day at ___”, but it doesn’t always come off as natural as it would from someone in your own office. You won’t have this problem with a recorded greeting since it is said with the same tone and enthusiasm every time.

Download 15 Professional Business Voicemail Greetings

While custom greetings are great, we created some generic short voicemail greetings in .MP3 and .WAV format you can download to use in your own business voicemail system.

Greeting: Thank you for calling. We will be with you in just a moment.

• Download MP3
• Download WAV

Greeting: For quality assurance, this call may be recorded.

• Download MP3
• Download WAV

Greeting: Thank you for calling, for English Press 1. Para Espanol, oprima dos.

• Download MP3
• Download WAV

Greeting: Thank you for calling. Please hold for the next available agent.

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Greeting: Thank you for calling. Due to the high volume of calls, wait times may vary. You can also check online for updates. Please hold and we’ll be with you in just a moment.

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Greeting: Thank you for calling. Press 1 for Sales. Press 2 for Services or Press 0 to be connected to an operator.

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Greeting: Thank you for calling. Your call is very important to us. Please stay on the line and an operator will be with you momentarily.

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Greeting: Thank you for calling. All of our agents are currently assisting other callers. Please remain on the line to speak with the next available agent.

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Greeting: Thank you for calling. Please press 1 to speak to a representative.

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Greeting: Thank you for calling. Due to the power outage, response times are delayed. Please hold and the next available representative will be with you shortly.

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Greeting: Thank you for calling. If you are calling to schedule an appointment, please press 1. For all other calls, please call back during regular business hours.

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Greeting: Due to the extreme weather, we are experiencing a high number of calls. Please hold and an operator will be with you in a moment.

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Greeting: Thank you for calling. Please remain on the line to speak to one of our team members.

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Greeting: Thank you for calling. We’ll be with you in just a moment. For quality assurance this call may be recorded.

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Greeting: You have reached the after hours emergency line. If you are experiencing a true medical emergency, please hang up and dial 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. For all other calls, please stay on the line and someone will be with you momentarily.

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The post 5 Reasons Why Your Answering Service Line Needs An Auto Attendant appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

While most live operator services give you the ability to customize nearly every aspect of your account, there are some things answering services just can’t do as well as you can in your own office. Some of the things you do in-house, like answering complicated billing calls or reading MLS data to a prospect, aren’t going to translate well to an outsourced environment. Below are 6 real examples of requests our support team has received from customers, and how we’ve worked to find solutions.

Request #1: “I don’t provide _____ service, but I want to tell the caller that the on-call technician can’t come out for another 3 hours due to technical issues. I just don’t want it to look like I don’t provide _____ service.”

While we can definitely give callers specific time frames of when they should be expecting someone, this particular customer request is bad business.

The issues:

• First, the caller is being misled. If you don’t do the requested service, it’s better to be honest with the caller up-front and let them know.
• Second, what happens if the caller is cool with the 3 hour time frame? Since the business doesn’t handle these types of service requests, no one would be showing up in 3 hours, which would be bad. When we asked the client this, they advised that most people will simply hang up and move on to the next business. If the caller didn’t hang up and move on, they would call back later furious that no one has shown up to help.

What should happen:

An answering service should be direct and honest with the caller. If a business doesn’t do something, the operator should say something like:

“I apologize, but unfortunately we do not provide that service. Thank  you for calling and enjoy your day.”

If the response isn’t something scripted, it’s always helpful to have a list of services in the FAQs to reference to avoid this conflict, or even just a list of services you get asked about a lot but don’t perform. Having the virtual receptionists weed out these calls will not only lower the call volume (and invoices), but it will also help avoid unhappy callers.

Request #2: “Can you please say ‘Mr. ___ is in a meeting right now?’ I don’t want it to seem like I am using an answering service.”

This is actually a fairly common request that we receive, and we always advise against it.

The issues:

• Since we are a 24/7 answering service, if someone calls in at 2am or on Christmas Day, we would still be telling them you’re in a meeting.
• While we can put in different responses based on the day and time a call is received, the ‘in a meeting’ response 100% of the time typically doesn’t seem legit. In addition, the caller may ask to hold until the person is available.
• If a caller hears this, they may assume their call will be returned as soon as the meeting is over.

What should happen:

We’d want to keep the response simple and straight forward so that no one thinks they’re being deceived. Our agents would typically say something like:

“I would be happy to help you reach Mr. ___. I just need to gather some basic information so I can have your call returned.”

Then, we can proceed to gather the caller’s information. This way, the caller is speaking to a live person so they feel like they are being heard without being given false information. Plus, if every time they call in they’re told the person they are calling for is in a meeting, they may start to become suspicious – or jealous since everyone loves meetings!

Request #3: “Can the operators search through a Google Sheet that contains every zip code in every state in the country? The on-call schedule we want you to use will be updated on the sheet.”

Google Sheets is a great tool, but there’s a right time to use it – unfortunately, this isn’t one of those times.

The issues:

• Manually sifting through a monster document like this can result in the answering service operator selecting the wrong on-call person.
• Having someone page through a big document takes time, which would make for an unpleasant experience for the caller.
• Longer calls means higher invoices, which would make for an unpleasant invoice for the business owner.

What should happen:

The best course in this case is to program this information into the script. It would take some pretty extensive programming, but ultimately it’s the only way to make sure callers are assisted accurately. If the answering service leaves it up to chance, a technician in Oregon could get an on-call dispatch from a customer in Ohio. That would stink.

Request #4: “I’d like to update the operator’s greeting to: ‘Smile! It’s a great day at _______!’ or ‘Thanks for calling the region’s #1 _______ provider where customer service is our number one priority.”

Having an enthusiastic greeting is an awesome idea, and can definitely set a business apart from their competition. With that being said, having a remote receptionist deliver it with consistency may not work.

The issues:

• If a greeting is outside of the norm, your virtual receptionist may trip over their words making something supposed to be enthusiastic sound ultra unprofessional.
• Because virtual receptionists are deliberate when they read a script, the greeting may not come off as enthusiastically as it would coming from someone in the actual office.
• Since answering service agents handle thousands of different phone calls a day, they can’t practice each individual greeting. So, a custom greeting like this may sound unnatural.

What should happen: 

If a client wants to parallel the greeting they use in their own office, it’s best to add this as a custom recorded message on the line instead. That way, the answering service can eliminate the chance of human error and can continue providing amazing live support.

Request #5: “I need the operators to take payment information. But first, they need to read the entire terms and conditions from my website so the caller can verbally accept them.”

One of the great things about our service is that our virtual receptionists do have the ability to process payments. However, there are some restrictions when it comes to implementing this.

The issues:

• If we are taking payments, our secure call center technology allows us to turn off call recordings prior to accessing the website so that credit card information stays protected. Because of this, there would be no proof that the caller agreed to the terms.
• If we were to put the terms and conditions into the script, it would be a disaster. We definitely do not recommend inserting large blocks of text as it’s a lot for the agents to scroll through and read.
• Terms and conditions are generally pretty lengthy. Having our operators read them to every caller would drastically increase the call length and jack up your invoices. Yikes!

What should happen:

If the caller needs to agree to a long list of terms and conditions to make a payment, we recommend that the operator refer the caller to the website to make the payment or complete the order on their own.

Request #6: “I have a Google Doc with a list of people that you are allowed to say I will call back ASAP. The operators will need to search through it because otherwise I want you to let the caller know I’ll call them back in 5 days.”

Google Docs is another great tool to reference for general information. However, it is not the most helpful when it comes to actual scripting.

The issues:

• Let’s say John Smith calls in. He’s given that time frame of “ASAP”, but the client was actually waiting for a call from John Smythe. Whoops!
• If an operator is going right to this Google Doc from the jump, they probably did not have the chance to verify the caller’s name, which could have lead to the mistake mentioned above.
• We recommend not having scripted actions handled outside of the script itself.

What should happen: 

If a client asks for this, they’re probably having a hard time catching their breath at the office and keeping up with their return calls. We can implement a “Multiple Times Calling” path so that messages are notated differently. This way, the client can log into their portal and filter call results to prioritize call backs!

As an answering service who excels in providing great customer support, we welcome all requests! We will always be transparent with you and let you know when something will not work. After all, our #1 goal is to make sure someone is always there to answer your phone and represent your business well. If there’s anything you do in your own office, our support team will always work to find a creative solution to suit your business needs!

The post The Report From Support: Best Practices for Strange Outsourcing Requests appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.