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. Set up Your Greeting

Answering services can greet your callers in any number of different ways. However, for instant activation, a simple “Thank you for calling, how may I help you?” is perfect. Having simple greetings like this are great when your service is just taking basic messages.

To cut down on messages you receive (and keep your monthly invoice as low as possible), you should also setup an automated greeting. The greeting would play prior to an agent getting on the phone, and can be as customized as you’d like. If you’re going on vacation and the office will be closed, you can include that in your message. That way callers will know right away that the office is closed, so they can either decide to hang up and call back when you are open, or they can leave a message with a live receptionist.

2. Decide What Information You Need From Callers

For the fastest setup, you’ll want to gather the most basic information. A great example of basic call handling includes the following 4 questions:

1. Name (first and last): Can I have your first and last name?
2. Phone Number: Thanks! And what is the best number to reach you?
3. Email: Can I also get your email address?
4. Regarding (what the call is about): And what message would you like me to pass along?

3. Let Your Answering Service Know Where to Send Messages

After you’ve got your script together, you’ll need to let your answering service know where to send messages. We suggest providing an email address to keep things simple, and elect to receive a notification for every call. If there are other employees that should be receiving messages, you’ll want to provide your answering service with their contact information as well.

4. Add FAQs

With calls come questions, so adding the basic frequently asked questions is important. FAQs will help operators answer questions appropriately instead of taking messages when they don’t have to. Since we’re focusing on a speedy setup here, you’ll just want the following FAQs:

1. Where you’re located
2. What are your business hours
3. What is your phone number, fax number, and email address
4. What does your company do

If you’re just going on vacation, you may also want to add some information about when callers can expect a call back. Will they have to wait until you return, or will someone else be able to reach back out in your place?

5. Make Test Calls

Prior to forwarding your line, make a test call just to make sure everything is perfect. The last thing you want is to spend extra time refining your account when you could be doing other things (like practicing your snorkeling technique).

6. Get Going!

Once you’ve provided all of the necessary information to your answering service and you’ve tested the line, it’s time to get moving. Go ahead and set up call forwarding on your phone (or post the new number for your customers to call directly) and leave the rest to the agents handling your calls.

Pro tip: If you know that you’ll be using an answering service to field your calls and you will NOT be advertising the number they give you, make sure to contact your phone provider in advance just to make sure you have the forwarding feature set up on your phone. If you’ve set up everything else and you get stuck because you can’t forward, well that’s a boat no one wants to be in.

The post 6 Tips for Instant Answering Service Activation appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

Since we’re experts on all things answering service, we created a quick 7 point guide to help you out, young grasshopper. Read on to learn what to do after you’ve hired an answering service, so that your transition can be as seamless as possible.

#1. Know your forwarding number

In general, telephone answering services work on the principle of call forwarding. They provide you with a designated phone number at the call center, and you forward your office phones to that number when you want the answering service to handle your calls. Typically, you have the option of advertising that number separately (so calls will go direct to the service), forwarding your current lines to it (where you decide when the answering service is handling your calls), or both! Whichever method you choose, it’s important that you keep that number handy so you or anyone in your office can route calls to the answering service.  Write the number down and stick it to your computer, save it in a word document, or tattoo it on your hand. Whatever will help you remember it best!

#2. Contact your phone provider

Once you’ve signed up with an answering service, you’ll want to touch base with your phone provider. If you’re not sure how to forward calls, they can help you. If you don’t have call forwarding on your business phone, they can help you with that too. You can also discuss with them the different forwarding methods they offer and what would be the best option for your business. For example, conditional call forwarding would allow calls to come to you first before routing over to your service. This way you have the opportunity to answer them before anyone else. Another option would be all calls call forwarding, which just sends your calls directly to the number you’ve forwarded to. This option would be great during after hours, weekends and holidays so that there is no wait time for your callers. Keep in mind that not all phone providers offer these options, which is why it’s important to touch base with them early on.

#3. Make test calls

Assuming that you’ve already given your new answering service the protocol on how you want your calls handled, the next thing you’ll want to do is make test calls to see how they’re handling those protocols. Think of this like training a new employee you would hire in your own office. You’ll want to see how the new employee handles calls, and you’ll probably end up adjusting some of your protocols to get the most out of your new hire. Virtual receptionists operate with the same learning curve. So you aren’t paying for that learning curve, typically services will offer some sort of free trial period, so it’s a great idea to make all of your test calls during this phase. That way you can iron out any kinks you may come across, and you won’t have to pay for the calls you’ve made. Often times people will go right to forwarding their lines before making any test calls, which could result in a lot of errors and unhappy clients.

Pro tip: It’s important to keep in mind that the operators may make mistakes during the beginning stages as they are still learning  your account. Using any free trial period to make test calls will give the operators ample time to learn your protocol, so that when you are finally ready to go live with your callers, you can feel confident that the hand off will be smooth.

#4. Modify your call handling

After a few test calls, you may find that the way the receptionists are handling your calls isn’t 100% what you had envisioned. Sometimes what works best for handling calls in your own office isn’t what works best for a virtual receptionist answering your calls. Make a list of all the changes or modifications you would like, and submit them to the appropriate point of contact as one list. If your service allows you to access this information via an online portal, you can even try making the changes yourself! Another great way to make tweaks is by listening to calls. If your service records phone calls, you can get a lot of great insight into what your callers are asking about or looking for. This is a great opportunity to add FAQs and update your call handling accordingly, so that your calls are as streamlined as possible and there is less for you to follow up on.

#5. Know your points of contact

It’s important to know who your points of contact are at the answering service. Is there a customer support team? Do you have one specific account representative? Are you able to call your forwarding number directly and have the operators make changes? These are all great questions to ask your service provider so that you know exactly who to call whenever you need assistance. If you have to go through a customer support rep, you should also find out when they are available, and if there’s a protocol you can follow should you need immediate help after hours. For example, Specialty Answering Service gives all of our per minute level clients access to an online portal where they can log in and make updates at a moment’s notice. While we do offer support after hours, it can be limited so it’s always a great idea to get familiar with the tools that are at your disposal!

#6. Go live!

Now that you’ve memorized your new number, got your forwarding procedure squared away with your phone provider, placed test calls and made the appropriate changes to your script, you are ready to go live with your customers. After you’ve forwarded your line, make one last test call from a different phone, like your cell phone, just to ensure that you’re properly forwarded, then you’ll be free to handle business as normal, just without all the interruptions!

Pro tip: Letting your customers know in advance that you will be utilizing an answering service could be beneficial to both you and your service. If your callers are used to speaking with the same people every time they call, they may be put off when they start to hear new voices. In addition, it’s a great opportunity to ask for feedback, which you can then relay to your service. After all, feedback (whether good or bad) is always helpful in the end. 

#7. Don’t forget to check in

It’s always a good idea to check in on your answering service every month or so to make sure things are still running smoothly. Some people will let their account go for months, or years, without ever making updates. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing (if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?), it’s important to keep in mind that the virtual receptionists are your virtual employees, and employees need direction. For example if your prices increased, you’ll want to make sure your answering service is aware of that, or else the operators will be providing inaccurate information to your callers.

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When it comes to managing email, 24 hours or less is generally considered an appropriate response time. But most customers expect a response in 6 hours. If you are a small business owner who is juggling a bunch of responsibilities, you may not have enough time to get to all of your emails in a week, let alone 24 hours. The good news is that there’s a solution: email answering services.

When it comes to inbound email response, there are plenty of online answering services that can lend a hand. So what should you look for? Well, it depends on your needs. Here are 6 things to consider:

1. Does the service provide 24/7 coverage?
2. Can agents personalize responses based on your FAQs?
3. Are agents able to open helpdesk or support tickets via your CRM?
4. Can agents escalate service issues to on-call personnel?
5. Can agents enter new email orders into your online database?
6. Can the service also answer your phone calls?

It’s definitely in your best interests to ensure whatever service you choose offers a free trial period. If you are considering SAS, we offer a free trial and can respond to any emails dropped to our system the same way we would respond to a telephone call. Here’s a bit about how our system works.

1. We provide you with a unique key.
2. You would transfer any emails to us via our API. You can do this as am XML post or as a form post where the XML post requires a collection of fields + the key.
3. The post will drop into our system and the agents will handle it immediately as if it was an inbound call.
4. How we handle the call will be based on your call script.

For more information about our capabilities as an email answering service, please contact our sales team at sales@specialtyansweringservice.net.

The post Here’s what to look for before you hire an answering service to answer your emails. appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

1. Is there a free trial? Yes! SAS offers a two-week free trial, no strings attached!
2. Do you offer both local and toll-free numbers? Yes! Your first number is free. Additional toll-free numbers for add-tracking are available by creating sub account.
3. Do you have 24-hour coverage? Yes! Our operators are on board 24/7/365, so you can rest assured that you’ll never miss another call, no matter what the hour.
4. Will there be online access to my account? Yes! Your secure web portal will contain your call logs, messages, scripting, and more.
5. Do you record calls, and can I listen to them? Yes! Our call center is located in California, a two-party state. That means all calls must be recorded, and will be available for you to download.
6. Do you offer appointment scheduling? Yes! We prefer Google calendar for appointment scheduling. However, we do have an internal calendar that we can set up for you, and you can make changes to it as necessary. Depending on compatibility with call center systems, we may also be able to schedule appointments through your company’s calendar management software.
7. Can you record IVR greetings? Yes! We can personalize frontend IVR greetings for you, or if you would like to record your own greeting, simply send us the WAV or MP3 file, and we’ll upload it.
8. Do you provide voicemail service? Yes! Voicemail can be added to any account, and you can have as many mailboxes as you need at no extra charge.
9. Can I train your agents on my company’s specific protocols? Yes! We invite you to work with our management team on any particulars that our operators should know before answering your calls. In fact, you can even visit our call center and conduct training in-person!
10. Do you offer live chat or email response services? Yes! Our live chat and email response services are part of our dedicated agent program, or for high-volume accounts.
11. How many operators do you employ? SAS has 300+ operators on staff. The number of operators on duty varies during peak vs. off-peak hours.
12. Do you have a dedicated agent program? Yes! Dedicated agents offer complete support for your business alone, rather than having calls answered at random via the operator pool. Visit our dedicated agent page for details.
13. Do you staff bilingual operators? Yes! We have Spanish-speaking operators on staff. If you need your calls answered in a different language, you can record frontend IVR in your language that will direct callers to your office.
14. How quickly will you answer my calls? We aim to answer all calls within 3 rings, and our answer rate is even higher, with 85% of calls answered within the first ring!
15. How often do you evaluate operator performance? Managers review hundreds of call recordings daily and score the operators in a variety of categories to ensure that issues are addressed and corrected immediately.
16. Can you track call metrics and provide me with reports to analyze? Yes! Via your secure web portal, you can access different metrics for your campaigns such as number of calls, call duration, and call result.
17. Are your agents trained in cross-sell and upsell? Our agents can certainly apply cross-sell and upsell techniques to your sales calls, depending on the specific instructions you outline in your call script.
18. Do you have an activation fee? Should you decide to move ahead with service following the free trial period, there is a one-time activation fee of $50. This will show up on your first invoice.
19. What types of payments do you accept? Accounts require a valid credit card on file (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover) to remain in good standing. However, you can also elect to pay by check as long as payment is received and cleared prior to the invoice due date.
20. What types of plans do you offer? Our plans range from economy, for small business owners, all the way up to enterprise-level plans. Check out our pricing page for details.
21. Is there a contract? SAS bills one month in advance, on a month-to-month basis. There are no contracts to sign, and customers can discontinue service at any time by providing 30-days’ notice.
22. Do you bill per call or per minute? All new accounts are billed on a per-minute basis, with per-minute overage charges when your usage exceeds your plan allotment.
23. How long is your billing cycle? Our billing cycle is 30 days. Invoices are sent out on or around the first of every month.
24. What are your payment terms? Payments are due on or before the 21^st of every month, which allows approximately 3 weeks to pay from the invoice date.
25. What if I want to cancel? We require 30-days’ notice in writing for all cancellation requests.

The post 25 things to look for in your first answering service. appeared first on Specialty Answering Service.

Evaluating recordings allows you to monitor operator performance and assess your script for call flow. To make the evaluation process effortless, we’ve created a call center evaluation spreadsheet so you can score operator performance. It’s a great tool if you are comparing answering services side by side over a free trial period.

Here are a few things to listen for when replaying your calls.

• Were the operators friendly, enthusiastic and helpful? Answering service operators may be the first contact a caller has with your business. The caller’s experience should be as effortless as possible.
• Was your business name pronounced correctly? During programming, phonetic spelling can be added to the account, making it easy for operators to properly communicate your business name. Often, the business name can also be included in the upfront recording.
• Were the operators knowledgeable about your business? If it doesn’t seem like the operators know enough about your business, teach them. Add more FAQs to your account.
• How well did the script seem to flow? Did you notice times when the operators may have gotten stuck on a confusing question? Are there things you could add to cover the main reasons people contact your business? Work on adding new paths to your script to address almost any query your callers may have.
• Did the operators follow instructions? If part of your script involves operators transferring calls to you directly or contacting on-call personnel for urgent matters, then you’ll want to be certain the service is hitting the mark. When a call is transferred, ask yourself if operators are taking down all of the information you need to assist customers.

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When placing test calls, listen for the following things:

• Was your business name pronounced correctly? If not, we can add phonetic spelling.
• Were the operators knowledgeable about your business? If not, we can add some FAQs.
• Did the operators ask the right questions according to your script? If not, we can personalize your call script.

When accessing your web portal, look for the following things:

• Did you receive your messages? If not, we can adjust your protocols so you get notified on every call.
• Did the messages contain the information you need? If not, we can add more paths.

When receiving calls via call patching, evaluate the following things:

• Are we following the instructions in your script?
• Are we dispatching your on-call team under the appropriate circumstances?
• Did the operator provide you with enough information for you to understand and address the caller’s issue or request?

Are we scheduling appointments for you? If so, ask yourself these questions:

• Are the right appointments being scheduled for the right employee?
• Are the dates and times correct?
• Did the operator include the correct contact information?
• Are you receiving notifications in a timely manner?

Placing test calls and monitoring the above criteria will help ensure the answering service is running smoothly. It is also a valuable tool to assess if your script seems to be too wordy, if there are particular FAQs that are tripping up the operators, and so on. The more feedback we receive about your experience, the better we can tweak it to perfection! Feel free to contact our Customer Service team at 1-866-688-8912, or submit a support ticket with any comments, questions, or updates that can help us make your free trial a success!

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