Implementing a successful answering service for your business involves more than just signing an agreement and expecting calls to be answered. To ensure smooth operations and maximize your investment, you need a strategic approach comprising three critical components.
(Editor's note: This article was updated in October 2024 with more details and reorganized to provide a clearer, easier reading experience.)
1. Develop a Call Handling Plan
The foundation of an effective answering service starts with a well-thought-out call handling plan. This plan outlines how calls should be categorized and managed, ensuring that each interaction is handled efficiently and professionally.
To create an effective plan, consider the main categories of calls your business receives, such as:
- Sales Prospects: Initial contacts seeking information about your products or services.
- Existing Customers: Current clients requiring assistance or information.
- Vendors: Suppliers or partners looking to connect with someone from your team.
- Urgent Support Requests: Calls from customers needing immediate attention.
Your answering service's role is to quickly identify the type of call, gather essential information, and ensure the message is conveyed to the appropriate person at the right time. Focus on identifying four or five key pieces of information for each type of call, and provide clear instructions on how this information should be relayed. This approach captures opportunities and lays the groundwork for success. (By the way, if you're struggling with scripting long calls, consider using an inbound customer support solution.)
2. Leverage a Skilled Account Programmer
The role of an account programmer is pivotal in bridging your call handling strategies to the call center agents. An exceptional programmer does more than just script development; they possess a deep understanding of how scripts translate in real-time interactions.
When evaluating potential answering service providers, inquire about the qualifications and experience of their programming team. The key to this position is finesse.
- Good programmers can develop scripts.
- Great programmers know how to build scripts that make call center agents efficient and productive.
- Exceptional programmers proactively streamline scripting and anticipate an agent's thought processes in advance because they, too, have handled many calls in a live environment.
The programming team is your partner in success, so ensure you engage with a provider that has a highly skilled and experienced setup team.
3. Conduct a Thorough Walkthrough
Once your answering service plan is programmed and operational, it's crucial to test its effectiveness comprehensively. Testing serves to validate the system's functionality and assess the customer experience.
Key Points to Evaluate During Testing:
- Promptness and Accuracy: Ensure messages are delivered swiftly and correctly.
- Plan Adequacy: Determine if your call handling plan meets practical needs.
- Customer Experience: Consider the perspective of callers interacting with your service and their reactions to speaking with a professional receptionist instead of you directly.
Unexpected challenges may arise when your service goes live. Regular testing and adjustments will help your customers acclimate to the new system and trust its efficiency in delivering timely responses.
Additionally, conduct quarterly reviews to reassess your answering service. Business environments evolve, and regular evaluations ensure your service remains aligned with your current needs. Think of this as a periodic tune-up to maintain optimal performance.
Ready to Get Started?
Setting up an answering service is a strategic move that requires thoughtful planning and execution. If you're interested in experiencing this transformation firsthand, contact us today for a free consultation and discover how our expert team can support your business needs.
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