Spouse:                “Someone called for you while you were out.”

You:                       “Who was it?”

Spouse:                “I don’t know. Karen something or other.”

You:                       “What did she want?”

Spouse:                “It was about an appointment maybe, I can’t remember.”

You:                       “Well, did you get her number?”

Spouse:                “No, I forgot.”

And in a matter of seven sentences, your level of frustration has hit the ceiling. Now, imagine that you’re paying an assistant, receptionist, or answering service to take a message, and you get barely-there detail, inconsistencies, near-total uncertainty at who called, why, and how you can reach them. If you think you were upset with your loved one, just think about how much worse it would be when this hint of a message is botched on your dime. When you work in a high call volume environment or an extremely busy office where people are constantly coming and going, it can certainly be a challenge not only to answer the phone promptly and pleasantly, but also to document accurate and thorough message details in the midst of general chaos. Depending on what type of business you run, essential details will vary; however, if your goal is to take a perfect phone message at work (or at home), as a rule of thumb, most messages should adhere to the three “C’s.”

What are the 3 “C’s”?

#1. Clear

• If the message is handwritten, is it legible?
• Does it explain in obvious terms what the call was about?
• Does it provide a “next step,” e.g., placing a return call, looking into an account, emailing information, etc.?

#2. Concise

• Does the message get right to the point, or is it filled with unnecessary padding?
• Are sentences short and well-worded or long-winded and tedious to read?
• Does it provide you with only the facts that you need to respond accordingly?

#3. Correct

• Does the message contain proper spelling and grammar?
• Are names and numbers documented with 100% accuracy?
• After following up with the caller, are you able to confirm that the message details match why the individual says they contacted you?

So, what’s the best way to ensure that you are getting just the data that you need, no more and definitely not less? Take these two approaches:

1. Easy does it: If we’re strictly talking about a basic message taking service, most people opt for a simplified approach – Name, Number, and Reason. Reason may not even require details. It could be as easy as selecting from a list of topics, e.g., questions about sales, billing, customer service, technical support, etc.
2. Take it up a notch: For a more complex situation where you have your own 9 to 5 in-house receptionist, such as a legal or medical practice, additional information is typically warranted, e.g., have you been arrested, what have you been charged with, where were you when the incident took place, etc. Those guidelines must be discussed prior to any new person manning the phones. When case-specific or patient-specific facts are critical, there’s no room for error.

Because messages can be vastly different industry to industry, and everyone’s needs are different, we’ve put together a worksheet for evaluating a phone message. This can be utilized to measure your staff’s adherence to your requirements, or to post near the phone as a reminder of what is expected on every call. By building on what we’ve already created, you can easily set up a checklist for use in training new employees, evaluating call center staff when you’re outsourcing inbound calls, and giving temporary staff a helping hand. In that case, the more cheat sheets, the better. So, download the PDF, give a copy to your training team, distribute it to your front desk, and bring it up in the morning meeting. No matter how seasoned an employee, it never hurts to throw in a reminder every now and again.

If you’re feeling bold, take a copy home and tape it up by the phone. Your bad message days will soon be a thing of the past.

The post How to Take a Phone Message at Work appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

Having a screening question up front can not only help streamline calls, but it also allows the operator to get right to the point of taking down the caller’s information. Usually when you have a simple “how may I help you?” you open up the door for callers to go on about their issue or why they’re calling. This almost always drives up the cost of your answering service, and it may also annoy callers when they realize they aren’t actually talking to someone from the office. This is especially true for legal firms who may not want their callers discussing any private information with anyone other than the lawyers themselves, but can really be applied to any industry.

Check out these great industry specific alternatives to “How may I help you?” listed below:

Medical Industry

1. Hello and thank you for Tiny Tot’s Pediatrics, may I help you schedule an appointment?
2. Thank you for calling the after hours answering service for Dr. Joe. Is this an emergency?
3. Women’s Health Clinic. Are you a new or existing patient?

Dental Industry

1. Bright White Smiles. Are you calling for our orthodontic office or our dental office?
2. Hello and thank you for calling Perfect Teeth Dental. Are you calling to schedule a cleaning?
3. Thank you for calling the after hours emergency line for Berwyn Dental. Is this urgent or can this wait until business hours?

Auto/Transportation Industry

1. Ridge Auto Dealership. Are you calling for sales or for service?
2. Thank you for calling Jake’s Towing Company. Do you need a tow?
3. Hello and thank you for calling Limo Express. Are you calling to book a ride?

HVAC/Plumbing Industry

1. Busted Pipes Plumbing, what’s your emergency?
2. Thank you for calling JM HVAC. Are you calling for HVAC or plumbing services?
3. Hello, you’ve reached the answering service for Rogers’s Heating and Air. Are you calling today for residential or commercial service?

Veterinary/Animal Industry

1. Thank you for calling Skip’s Veterinary Hospital. Are you calling for our large or small animal practice?
2. Thank you for calling the Animal House. Are you calling for our grooming services or for doggy day care?
3. Hello and thank you for calling Creature Care. Are you calling to schedule an appointment?

Legal Industry

1. Buck’s Legal firm. Are you a new or existing client?
2. Thank you for calling NY Legal. Are you calling for our criminal defense or injury law firm?
3. Hello and thank you for calling Edward Smith law firm. Are you calling to set up a consultation?

Real Estate/Property Management Industry

1. Hello and thank you for calling Best Homes Realty. Are you looking to buy or sell a property?
2. Thanks for calling Lakeview Apartments. Do you have a maintenance issue?
3. Thank you for calling Regal Properties. Which property are you calling in for?

Travel Industry

1. Hello and thank you for calling Amazing Vacations. Are you calling to book a trip?
2. Thank you for calling Trips Around the World. Are you calling in regards to your reservation?
3. National Park Tours. Is this an urgent request?

As you can see, there are many different ways an answering service can answer the phone instead of “how may I help you?” Since virtual receptionists are virtual, they aren’t going to know the ins and outs of your business like you would, and they also shouldn’t be the ones judging if a call is urgent or not. While a simple greeting may work for your receptionists in house, you also have to take into consideration what would work best for your virtual receptionists. After all, you want your callers to be taken care of as quickly and efficiently as possible no matter who is answering the phone. Happy customers = Happy business!

The post 24 Alternatives to Answering Your Phones With “How May I Help You?” appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.