When utilized strategically, answering services provide businesses with unlimited opportunities to grow. As you decide what works best for your business, it is important to know the different types of answering services that are available and how they work to answer and route calls, take messages and handle customer service.
Often, customers prefer a combination of call answering services to handle their inquiries, and find that this option saves them money while providing exceptional customer service at the same time.
Automated Answering Service
This works best for businesses that benefit from having 24/7/365 message taking and answers to customers’ basic questions – but don’t need a live person to handle this function. Used during and/or after business hours, it comprises call answering that provides an automated menu for customers to choose from, depending on what they are trying to accomplish. By pressing phone buttons or giving voice commands, customers get answers to simple questions – such as business hours, location, and directions. They can also leave a voicemail message for a specific department – such as sales. Although this option is least expensive, customers who need specific information and prefer talking with a live person may be dissatisfied with service delivered in this way.
Live Answering Service
Considered the gold standard in customer service, live answering services are popular both with businesses and customers. This involves calls being answered by a live person who is professionally trained to route calls, answer questions, take messages, make appointments, and problem solve just as you specify. You create call answering protocols for the live agent and Northwest Telephone Answering Service takes care of training live staff to perform seamlessly as a member of your company would do.
Combination Automated and Live Answering Services
Many businesses find that a combination of automated and live answering services works best for their customers. It provides options for callers who choose whatever method of communication works best for them. Currently, this combination is being used on a wide scale to allow customers to leave a message for a business representative to call them back when available. Often, customers can also choose a day and time for this sort of call.
Online Answering Service
Providing services that include the ability to access messages online, live chat, order processing, and customer inquiries made via a website, online answering services work well for many e-commerce/web-only businesses. However, some customers may not use this feature because they are reluctant to put personal information online or prefer to engage with a live business representative.
Combination Online and Live Answering Services
This combination of online and live answering services allows customers to choose how they would like to communicate with your business and allows for a wider range of services for your customers.
Call Center Answering Service
For businesses that experience a high call volume – either continuously or during certain peak hours or seasons – a call center answering service is the way to make sure that these important calls are never missed. These live call answering agents support lead generation and customer service delivery and are trained to problem solve at a much higher level than typical call answering personnel. They can also support your call answering staff by taking the calls they can’t get to, so your customers don’t have the frustration of waiting on hold.
Northwest Telephone Answering Service Provides Professional Live Agents
Whichever type of answering service you choose, Northwest Telephone Answering Service is ready to support your business with professionally trained, live, call answering agents. With over 50 years of experience as a provider of answering and dispatch services, we have the experience to know how to help your business. Regardless of the service you choose, our staff will be thoroughly trained according to the protocol you set forth and ongoing training will help them to continue to succeed as they serve your customers. Using the latest technology, we ensure seamless, reliable, and affordable service for a variety of business categories including healthcare, leisure and travel as well as government agencies.
Contact us today to discuss the best options for your business!
