Here are a few common mistakes companies make when trying to hire an answering service for the first time and how to make sure you get the perfect fit.
Hiring an answering service is an exciting step for your small business; it means you have a healthy, growing business and need a little extra help supporting your clients on the phone. Although hiring a service may seem as straightforward as asking a call center to pick up the phone, many different options are available to fit your specific needs, like scheduling appointments and taking messages. Here are a few common mistakes companies make when trying to hire an answering service for the first time and how to make sure you get the perfect fit.
What Are Common Mistakes You Can Avoid When Hiring Answering Services?
Not Knowing Want You Need
If you’re starting out looking for a phone answering service, you might be surprised to learn that call centers can offer so much more than just picking up the phone. The best thing you can do when walking into a discussion is to know which features will benefit your business and which ones you don’t need right away. Here are a few questions you can consider to get started:
- What kinds of calls are you getting most often?
- How often do you get calls to make appointments or follow-ups?
- Do you need detailed messages or just someone to forward calls to the correct department?
- Will service agents need to be proficient in industry-specific knowledge?
Not Focusing on Industry Experience
Nobody likes calling a company for help only to be greeted by someone who doesn’t know the first thing about how to help them. You and your team are experts in your industry, and anyone answering the phone for you should also be knowledgeable. Hiring just anyone to pick up the phone could actually hurt your business and reputation! There are many different phone answering services with additional relevant expertise, so make sure you ask them how they’re able to help your specific clientele.
Not Asking for a Detailed Cost Breakdown
Some answering services will be transparent about base cost when signing up, but fail to mention extra charges or fees. To avoid surprises on the first bill, you can ask for a detailed, complete cost itemization with all expenses. Some companies bill every 28 days, and others will bill full monthly; while it ultimately depends on your preference, we recommend choosing a company that bills monthly.
Not Planning for the Future
Knowing what services you need right now is excellent! But if you’re using a phone answering service that can’t scale up or add services when you grow, you’ll soon need to find another service to give you the support you need. Be sure to prioritize looking for companies that offer customized, scalable communication solutions, so adding anything you need is easy and quick.
Contact TeleRep For Call Center Services Today!
If you are ready to install a call center service for your business, TeleRep is here to help. If you still have more questions, our trained professionals are prepared to answer them. We know how important customer feedback is to you and your business, so let them know that you care with an answering service. To learn how TeleRep can help you today, visit us online or give us a call at 1-800-638-2000. To keep up with our work and to see what we have been up to, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.