No matter what type of business you run, providing top-of-the-line customer service is of paramount importance. But that has always been the case, hasn’t it? The thing is, in today’s world, top-of-the-line customer service has a lot to do with immediacy. When people want their problems fixed, they want them fixed right away. No longer are customers willing to send inquiries only for them to be addressed days later.
People aren’t particularly interested in calling companies up only to sit on hold either. Does it still happen? Sure it does. Especially when dealing with those big-name corporations, sitting and waiting while listening to voice prompts is a commonality for customers. Hold times are inevitable at some point. This is true. But if you’re a small business owner, your customers are expecting to be able to get in touch with you a lot easier than they would the “big boys”.
Remember, that as a small business owner, you have an advantage over bigger companies. You have the opportunity to personally get to know those who support your business. In your case, it’s important to develop those customer relationships. And it’s also important to provide the type of customer service that sees immediacy as a priority. In other words, you need to answer as many of your phone calls as possible. Here are four reasons why.
1. People prefer live representatives. Let’s face it. Unless you’re meeting with a client face-to-face, there’s no better way to service that person than being on the phone. When one of your customers calls you up, it’s a safe bet that his or her hope is that a live person will pick up the line. Having to leave a message only prolongs the length of time that your customer’s problem exists. Seek ways to answer as many calls as you can in order to solve problems quickly.
2. It makes for more effective communication. There are ways to communicate with your live voice that cannot be achieved through emails, text messages and letters. When you’re on the phone, a customer can hear your emotions. The inflections in your voice convey a particular attitude that should be in keeping with the good-natured image of your brand. Not leaving your demeanour up for interpretation is a great way to keep your customers pleased with your service.
3. Phone calls are interactive. Clearly, when you’re on the phone, conversations don’t just go one way. They allow for both participants to interact so that a mutual decision or solution can be settled upon fairly quickly. Being on the phone gives you the opportunity to listen to concerns and address them right away as opposed to making a decision without the direct input of the person you are trying to help out.
4. It keeps things confidential. Customers generally prefer to speak to live representatives so that they know that what they have to say won’t be delivered to the wrong person. When someone leaves a message, he or she is never really sure who may get to hear it. Knowing that the right person is on the line and that a message won’t get lost in the shuffle is a key ingredient to making a customer happy.
At MeloTel, we provide a solution to small business owners who wish to ensure that they are as accessible to their customers as possible. It’s known as Single Number Reach. And this incredible feature allows business owners to forward one phone number to up to five different phone numbers that will ring simultaneously. You’ll never miss another important phone call again! For more information, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-888-MELOTEL!
