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Diary of an Agent | Assisting Businesses in Snow Storm Emergencies

What happens when each and every caller is experiencing an emergency that needs attention right then and there? Learn more about answering services that are experienced in assisting businesses in snow storm emergencies.

If you are an American, you understand the peculiar weather conditions our country has been experiencing this year. Call it global warming or just good ol’ fashioned natural disasters, but with the crazy snow storms come crazier work weeks for business telephone answering services throughout the nation. I practically have had to sleep at our telephone answering service in Orlando to help with the frantic calls coming in 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. My paycheck filled with overtime will help ease the frustrations and pains of being a virtual receptionist during a national snowstorm.

As soon as I plugged my headset in to start my morning shift, an incoming call came straight in. “Thank you for calling ABC Towing, my name is Sara, how may I help you today?”

“Hi Sara, I am stuck on Highway 40, exit 12 in the blizzard and need to know how soon you can have my car towed to the city.”

“Oh dear, I am so sorry to hear that. May I have your name and contact number I can call you back at in case we are disconnected?”

“Yeah, my name is Patricia and my number is 555-5555. How much does your service cost?”

“Thank you, Patricia. I am researching the exact tow costs from your location but we have a tow service fee of $50 and charge 25 cents for each mile driven. What is the address you need your car towed to, Patricia?”

“123 Main Street in the city.”

“Thank you for that, Patricia. I am now calculating the approximate tow cost at $75 plus tax. I see that we have a dispatcher in the area that, depending on traffic, can be at your location within twenty minutes. Would you like to pay for the towing service now with Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American express?

“Yeah, that would be great. Thanks, let me get my card.”

“It is my pleasure to help you, Patricia. Take your time; I am here when you are ready.” Patricia then gave me her credit card information and I processed the payment over the telephone. When it cleared I notified her that my dispatch unit will be there to provide her roadside assistance immediately. She was very thankful as she hung up and I began the next procedure provided by ABC Towing.

“Hi Jim, it’s Sara over here at the telephone answering service and I have a fully paid job awaiting assistance in your area.” I gave him the exact coordinates over the phone while texting him the customer information as well.

“Thanks Sara. I should be there in ten minutes to save the lady from freezing to death in this horrible weather we are having. I will be giving you a call back when the job is completed.”

“Thanks Jim! I fortunately am in the sunshine state of Florida and we aren’t experiencing the snowstorms you all in Michigan are faced with. Good luck on the roads, Jim, and stay warm.”

“Roger that, Sara. I will speak with you soon.”

Jim calledour dispatcher unit back to notify us that the service was completed and we didn’t have to follow up on that particular customer any more. Crisis averted and the caller’s problem was solved; success.

My work dayshave been consumed with action packed; high priority service calls since the snow storms have attacked the cities throughout the United States. A Courteous Communication telephone answering service acts as the central hub for a great deal of franchised businesses and we provide our clients with an internal corporate office call center for allof their locations. The phones ring off the hook during times like these for franchised businesses turning to their corporate office for answers and procedures. It seems that as soon as I hang up with one general manager, another is calling my lines for assistance with similar issues such as snow shoveling services for their parking lots or schedules of on-call maintenance staff. I have to try and help them as quickly and as efficiently as possible so that I can tend to other callers in their times of need.

All hands on deck in our 24 hour call center located in the heart of Orlando and yet I still get to scoop up overtime hours because the telephones are singing off the hook waiting for us to provide answers, services and vital information to the incoming calls.

All in a day’s work I say. Better get back to my telephone superhero workstation so that I can help by assisting businesses in snow storm emergencies.