Most people that contact a business would prefer to speak to a live person. A recent survey showed that 85% of a business’ callers will actually disconnect their call when they receive a voicemail. While some individuals may attempt to phone an office again in the hopes of receiving a live person, some businesses may only have a voicemail that prompts callers to leave a message and a call-back number. This can be frustrating to many people, particularly when they have an important question or issue to resolve.
When customers, clients, patients, or other types of callers are willing to listen to a voicemail message, most do not appreciate heavily scripted messages, particularly when they prompt callers to listen to a long list of options. While it does depend on the type of business and the information being relayed, these types of scripted voicemail messages are usually not considered to be providing a positive customer experience. This is because these voicemail messages aren’t reflecting emotions such as empathy, which may be needed and valued by callers under many circumstances.
If a business’ volume of calls is high, a caller may receive an option to leave their number for a call back rather than remain on-hold. A survey showed that 75% of customers prefer this option rather than continuing to wait to speak with someone on the phone. In some instances, a caller’s position in the queue will be acknowledged, and so they can remain close to their phones to have their call returned.
While some company voicemails will announce that they may be contacted on their website or via email, 79% of consumers still prefer to interact by phone. When customers create the time to call a contact center, for example, their primary concern is to have their issue resolved in an expedient manner.
When customers receive good telephone customer service, it makes a significant impact on the overall customer experience. Forrester reports, that when compared to online customer service channels, telephone customer service has a 69% customer satisfaction rate. When businesses don’t provide good customer service, it obviously affects customer loyalty. Forbes released a report in 2016 that showed businesses were losing $62 billion a year due to providing bad customer service.
Would your business benefit from have a live answering service throughout normal business hours? In addition to having a professional answering service during the day, you may also be interested in an after hours call service. If you’re in the medical profession, for example, your patients or staff may need to get in-touch with you throughout the day and night. In this instance, you may be interested in having a 24 hour answering service or an on call after hours answering service.
When you consult with a professional answering service, you will be able to discuss your business’ needs with them. In addition to learning more about the different types of services that are available, such as an after hours call service, a professional answering service will be able to design a unique program that aligns with your business. Whether you need an after hours call service or some type of specialty service, you are taking an important step toward providing a positive customer experience.
