Small businesses are the backbone of US economy. According to a study published by the Federal Reserve, Small Businesses have generated over 64% of new jobs in the last 15 years. Another interesting statistic is that over half of America’s workers own or work for a small business. Small businesses add greatly to the economic growth of the country. If you own or operate a small business, you are part of a vital segment of our economy. It also means that you juggle a lot of responsibilities, from accounting and legal matters to day-to-day customer interactions.
As a small business, your business reputation is everything. In a competitive industry, a less than perfect reputation can have dire consequences: you may lose business to a competitor, you may receive negative publicity or negative reviews online, and all the hard word you’ve invested into creating and growing your business may end up being wasted.
On the other hand, strong business reputation means customer trust and loyalty. A local bakery that consistently receives positive reviews for its fresh products and friendly service can build a loyal customer base. For instance, when customers know they can rely on the bakery for quality and service, they are more likely to return and recommend it to friends and family, enhancing the bakery’s reputation further. A landscaping company that showcases its successful projects through testimonials and before-and-after photos can attract new clients. A small business known for treating its employees well will attract top talent. These are just some examples of how a strong reputation can positively impact a small business.
But how do you build a strong reputation in your community? The simplest answer is: provide outstanding service. One simple way to improve the level of service your customers receive is to hire a professional small business answering service to answer every phone call that comes in to your business, day or night. This is an affordable and low-effort way to cut down hold times, reduce the number of missed calls, and help your callers receive the most important information.
Here are some specific ways that an answering service boosts your business image:
- Round-the-Clock Availability: An answering service ensures that your small business is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round including weekends and holidays. This means potential clients can reach you anytime, even outside regular business hours. When you provide immediate assistance with the help of an answering service, you demonstrate a commitment to exceptional customer service. This goes a long way to improving your brand reputation. And the best part is, you don’t have to change any of your existing processes: the answering service will take care of the technology, training the agents, and setting up the call routing and message taking rules according to your preferences. It’s like hiring an entire team of people, but for a fraction of what it would cost to do that in-house.
- Customer Interactions: No one understands the ins and outs of your business better than you do. But as a small business owner, you cannot possibly answer every phone call. As much as you may enjoy speaking with customers and potential customers on the phone, it is simply not realistic or practical to answer every single call. Inevitably, when you are on the phone with a caller, you may miss another incoming call. This can have a negative impact on the caller experience. Imagine never missing a call or having a valued customer wait on hold: with trained agents handling your calls, every interaction is managed with professionalism and courtesy. This not only improves customer satisfaction but also reflects positively on your brand. Customers will appreciate the personalized attention they receive, and you will be setting your business apart from competitors who may rely on automated systems.
- Lead Generation: Imagine receiving a call from a potential customer while you are out on a job. It may be hard to hear them with background noise. You may not have a way to take down their information because you are busy handling a plumbing emergency for another client. Or, like many people these days, you may be on the road driving from appointment to appointment. Now you may not have a chance to write down important information from this caller. An answering service can capture and organize leads for you. By entering customer information directly into your CRM or sending it to you via email, they help streamline your follow-up process. This organized approach ensures that no lead is overlooked, while conveying a sense of professionalism and diligence to potential clients.
- Faster Customer Service: By acting as an extension of your team, an answering service can address customer inquiries and concerns faster. While answering agents can’t go out and fix a customer’s HVAC system, they can take down the relevant information and immediately send a message to the right person on your team. At the same time, they can be the reassuring voice on the other end of the line when a frustrated customer calls in. Being able to talk to a courteous and empathetic human voice goes a long way to fostering a positive brand image. A strong customer service reputation can lead to positive reviews and referrals, further boosting your business image.
- A Consistent Voice: A quality answering service will represent your brand with professionalism and consistency, using your company’s name and familiar terminology when answering inbound calls. While you, your in-house receptionist may be busy with other tasks, a professional answering service is always available to answer calls. This type of consistent presence creates and maintains a professional image and ensures that customers perceive your business as cohesive and well-managed. When clients receive a uniform experience across all touchpoints, it reinforces their trust in your brand.
Don’t let a missed call, a poor connection, or a busy signal ruin the reputation of your small business. You’ve worked hard to build your business; now is the time to take it to the next level by outsourcing call answering and call transfer to a professional answering service that specializes in helping small businesses. Your customers will enjoy a positive experience with every call, and you and your in-house team will enjoy more time to attend to other tasks. Answering phones if one task that you can, and should, delegate in order to grow your business and serve your community with the highest quality of service.