Businesses face a myriad of internal and external factors that affect their financial position. Leaders and their teams can work to combat known factors such as the organic ebb and flow of demand for products or services. While there are factors out of your control, it’s helpful to take stock of trends in the market, consumer buying behavior, and seasonal change in revenue. Evaluating cost-cutting measures on a regular basis is an excellent strategy to proactively safeguard your bottom line.
It is not uncommon for businesses to review their expenses during turbulent or stressful periods but it is also common practice to review expenses during times of growth to ensure you continue on the right path. That being said, it is important to view costs through the lens of value added to the company: taking your organization’s mission and brand into account prior to each financial decision is an excellent way to ensure cuts in costs won’t have unintended consequences to your revenue stream. Customer service is sometimes an area that is tempting to make cuts from; however, companies that skimp on customer care do so at their own risk. It is estimated that companies lose $41 billion due to their poor customer service every year – what does that tell you?
Whether your company is currently experiencing a time of growth or is struggling, customer service is the one area that cannot be sacrificed. During times of growth, your staff may be struggling to stay on top of customer inquiries and mounting after-hours voicemails. If your business is in a slump, focusing on customer service may help keep you afloat. In either case, an answering service may be the answer. An answering service can save you time and money by freeing up staff to get down to the business of your business while improving the quality of each customer interaction. An answering service takes on the task of hiring and training professional customer service representatives leaving you the freedom to come up with a master plan for growth while your customers are provided with quality customer service. Additionally, an answering service will work around your needs. Only need these services from an answering service during peak times of the day? No problem. Customers contacting you after regular business hours? An answering service can help with that too.
More important than freeing up company time and resources, an answering service can ensure that customer service is not compromised. Customers deserve the very best quality of service no matter the day or time and regardless of whether your company is currently in a slump or in the fast lane to success. Answering service staff are trained professionals tasked with caring for your customers.
Build Trust and Brand Loyalty
Customers trust companies that honor their word and follow through with promises despite whatever is going on behind closed doors. This means being available to answer questions, take payments, or troubleshoot concerns about a product or service in real time. Considering that it only takes one poor interaction with a business to drive a customer to your competitors, the pressure is even higher for quality interaction. For 97% of global consumers, customer service is “very important” or “somewhat important” in their choice of and loyalty to a brand. The cost to build your customer base far outweighs the cost to maintain a relationship that adds value to the people you serve.
Distinguish Yourself from the Competition
Set yourself apart from your competitors by cutting down on wait times and voicemail services. Customers appreciate friendly service from a live person, especially during busy seasons such as the holidays when we are all caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Quality interactions will reduce your customers’ stress in the moment and remind them of your professionalism throughout the year.
Boost Revenue
Exceptional customer service will undoubtedly boost your bottom line. In the age of the Internet and social media, customers are quick to share a negative experience with their network. Conversely, friends and family often rely on the recommendations of those they trust when deciding to purchase a product or service. People are often willing to pay a premium in exchange for value. Value reaches beyond what you are selling to encompass your brand of service. And boosting revenue is always important, in good times and bad.
The bottom line is that customer service can garner trust, set you apart from competitors, and boost revenue in the best of times and in the worst of times. Working with an answering service can free up time and resources that allow you and your team to develop a plan for moving forward while ensuring that customers receive the value and care they deserve from customer service professionals. Contact Northwest Telephone Answering Service today; let’s come up with a plan to ensure your customers are getting the very best service when they call your business.
