“Not a Robot. Not an Answering Machine. I Am Real.” Real Virtual Receptionists Here!

On a weekly basis, virtual receptionists in the telecommunications industry are faced with providing direct human interaction and telephone support for your business. We are Real Virtual Receptionists! Read on to learn what makes us tick. 

All of our receptionists are Real Virtual Receptionists!

At A Courteous Communications Telephone Answering Service, we want to make sure that you know exactly what you are getting into when hiring a virtual receptionist offsite or incorporating a robotic telephone program to answer your incoming calls. Here is the good, the bad and the ugly associated with various telephone support options available to your calling customers.

As a business owner, you must consider so many factors when selecting how your business telephone lines will be answered and the level of customer service telephone support that is provided to your callers. If you have yet to sit down and make a pros and cons list of the side effects of your telephone support system, this article is specifically written for you and your growing business.

First Impressions Are Lasting Impressions

We have all heard the famous saying, “First impressions are lasting impressions.” It takes just one-tenth of a second for us to judge someone and make our first impression. Have you ever stopped to think of the origin of this term and psychological data that makes this statement true in nature?

The phrase “first impressions” comes directly from the terminology of sentimental literature wherein “first impressions” exhibit the strength and truth of the heart’s immediate and intuitive response. In psychology, first impressions are lasting impressions and although sometimes misleading, research shows that in many situations, our impressions of other people can be quite accurate.

Going further into the scientific correlation of first impressions can make you even more confused. The summary of such occurrences can be described by the brain circuitry allowing a bypass of the neo-cortex by way of the so-called amygdala hijack. This smaller and shorter pathway allows the amygdala to receive some direct inputs from the senses and start a response before they are fully registered by the neo-cortex.

Plainly speaking, your business has one-tenth of a second to not only earn the trust of your calling customers, but also to provide a level of comfort to your caller so that you develop customer loyalty and trust from that very first point of contact.

What Impression Does Your Business Generate?

Now that you see the scientific background for first impressions and how they are developed, what impression does your business currently provide to your existing and potential calling customers? Let’s go through some of the telephone answering service options you have available.

Businesses That Pay a Receptionist 8 Hours a Day

Does your business adhere to the old fashioned telephone support system of providing an in-house receptionist Monday through Friday; 9:00 am to 5:00 pm? If so, some questions you must ask, as an entrepreneur looking to grow your business:

• Are my existing customers receiving the level of support that they need to remain loyal and happy to my company product or service?

• Are my potential customers being helped on their timetable so that I can land that new business and convert inquiries to sales?

• Am I receiving high call volumes during weeknights and weekends when there is no one answering my business telephone lines?

• Does my inhouse receptionist answer calls the entire 8 hours he or she is in the office and does my hourly rate or salary paid to this receptionist have a return on my payroll investment in them?

Businesses That Use Automated Telephone Support

So as a business owner on a budget, you have opted to provide an automated telephone support line for all of your calling customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You have realized the very important fact that people need help all hours of the day and all days of the week. As such, you have invested in an automated telephone program or a robot support system that helps you answer your incoming customer calls. Your questions should be similar to your competitors that have a receptionist 40 hours a week available callers’ inquiries, but also include the following:

• How many hang-ups or disconnections do I receive every day from callers wanting to speak to a human voice?

• For each potential caller that disconnects after briefly listening to your automated telephone support system, how much profit loss does that cost your business each month?

• What does your initial automated greeting or answering machine message say about your company? Does it list the most important aspects of your company first or does it answer the most frequently asked questions of callers first?

• Do you have an option on your automated telephone program for new customers to speak directly with a representative of your company?

• What is your average connection time with callers initially faced with your automated telephone message? How many seconds or minutes do they stay on the line before a) getting their answer or b) quitting and seeking out your competitor services?

Businesses That Use Automated Phone Menus and Number Prompts

Okay, so as a successful and curious business owner, you have researched the top frequently asked questions and want to provide an automated menu of services to your calling customers. You list out all the items and general areas that are questioned the most in your industry, and you have converted those customer inquiries to a Press 1 for… kind of system.

• What is your average new customer initial call experience like? Have you run a mock call to your business telephone lines to mystery shop your own business and see the various client experiences your callers may have?

• Do your potential customers receive a “runaround” with the menu prompts or do they get lost in a circle of pressing numbers only to find themselves back at the beginning of a telecommunications maze?

• Have you sent a customer survey or questionnaire to your repeat or referral customers to gauge the accuracy of the option menus provided?

• How often do your customer inquiries change in nature or how often does the information you provide through automated announcements need to be updated?

• What are the technical aspects or limitations of your telephone software and technology and can the average business owner handle technical outages or difficulties with ease?

GET WITH IT. GET HUMAN!

Let’s look at the scenarios you are faced with as a CEO wanting to grow your business and provide elite, award winning customer service and telephone support. Want to read more about what it’s like in a 24 hour call center? Click here and read our special Diary of an Agent Article: Behind the Scenes of a Call Center.

Hiring our 24 hour telephone answering service allows you to keep a finger on the pulse of your business. You are showing your current and potential customers they are important to you and as such, their calls are treated with the upmost attention you can possibly provide them. Our 24 hour call center answers your business lines all day, every day to assist you in not only generating new clients, but also supporting your current clients to make certain that they are returning clients.

With our affordable answering service customize packages, you can rest assured that our virtual receptionists are handling each and every call with an extreme attention to detail; a smiling and friendly demeanor; and a sincere eagerness to help using award winning call control. We dispatch your priority calls, based on your exact specifications as to what constitutes either a very important call or business emergency. We deliver your customer messages via email, text message or even by fax if you so choose in real time for real responses and superior support. We can schedule, cancel or reschedule appointments on your calendar, again real time, so that you know what your daily appointments consist of. Our business telephone call center will pick up each of your business lines within the first ring and provide professional, informative and friendly service giving you a spectacular first impression for all of your incoming callers.

Think about where your business can be this time next month if you were able to not only land each new potential customer business that comes through, but also, you were able to provide a high level of customer service to your old and existing clients. Our award winning business answering service will provide you with a business image and culture that you can be proud of.

Our Real Virtual Receptionists are here for you and your business

Let us make your first impression a lasting impression… in a profitable and customer pleasing way with our real virtual receptionists. Let’s get your business telephone lines human today! Call us or request a quote on your unique and customized 24 hour telephone support line package and see firsthand how A Courteous Communications Telephone Answering Service can help your business grow and maintain high profit levels to last through any economic disasters.