Missing calls in business is almost inevitable. Retail businesses miss approximately 15 percent of all phone calls overall. Customer representatives can be busy elsewhere or calls can come at odd hours. Anything could be the reason. The ultimate disadvantage is that about 80 percent of callers do not leave messages, which converts to lost sales. Worse still, such inbound calls have a cost implication attached to them. You could be spending £20,000 on a monthly basis on marketing endeavours arising from receiving 1,000 inbound phone calls, for instance. This implies each potential call costs roughly £20. Missing just 15 percent of them in such a case would cost you £3,000 every month. Whatever your figures, any loss in business is hardly welcome.
What Missing Calls Communicates about Your Company
Several thoughts pass through the mind of a client who makes an unsuccessful call to a particular firm. First is the presumption that the company is not large enough for its staff to answer phone calls made by potential customers. Also, the company might lack the proper organisational structure to attend to them well. Prospective clients can also assume that your company is not caring enough to ensure that inbound calls are answered by someone.
Addressing Missed Calls in Business
Call rollover or forwarding is one way of resolving the challenge posed by missed calls. They can be forwarded to the next unoccupied employee whether or not they occupy the same business premises. Taking this channel can, however, become frustrating for such staff members who might be unprepared to answer these phone calls. A good proportion of the calls missed is made by individuals seeking information relating to your business activities. Modern technology provides different solutions for handling such opportunities, such as using an answering machine. Certain services even allow you to include an option for sending text messages. This helps you send the information directly via SMS, meaning that potential customers can obtain the information they need easily and are therefore more likely to follow up on their enquiry. Utilising an answering service, however, fails to address calls with the urgency they deserve, and that precipitates into lost opportunities for doing business.
The Ultimate Solution for Avoiding Missed Calls
Forming a trustworthy partnership with a competent telephone answering service is the best approach to addressing the cost of a missed call. Taking this action ensures that you only end up paying for calls answered by your service provider. It sets you free from having to engage full-time employees in the task and thus reduces your overhead costs. Companies that utilise locally based call-handling services report increased productivity. This offsets the actual costs associated with maintaining such services on an annual basis.
Prioritising potential leads is a smart move in business. It leaves your prospective clients feeling confident about purchasing products or services from you. Hiring a professional answering service can boost your ROI in a significant way. It is crucial to utilise one that prices its call-handling services competitively. Taking swift action to ensure that all your important calls are returned by someone is a strategic step towards reclaiming your lostprofit margins.