The telephone is a concept that dates back to the 1870s, and some Americans today may be tempted to think that the Internet has made telephones practically obsolete. But in the business world, at least, telephones are more relevant than ever. In fact, some customers and business clients may greatly enjoy speaking to a live human being, since they may be burnt out or frustrated from working with imperfect or faulty automated systems or chat bots. A live human being, if they are a skilled employee at a call answering service, can handle any client or customer’s call and help them pass on a message. Employees at call answering services may pass on messages carefully, and employees at an inbound sales call center may help customers make a purchase. In fact, phone answering services are friendly to employees and job seekers who can’t easily commute to an office, as any remote worker with a telephone and a quiet environment can work for a call answering service. How might this work?
A Call Answering Service
This concept is fairly straightforward. A call answering service will employ workers who are ready to receive phone calls from customers and clients who wish to speak to other employees or professionals whose attention and expertise are desired. This means listening carefully to the customer or caller, taking note of their message and interests, and accurately and promptly passing on that information to the correct party. This is not necessarily as easy is it sounds, since someone working for a call answering service must have communication skills and great listening skills. This means patiently listening to what the customer says to determine what they need, and take note of it all. This will also involve careful documentation, as well as providing human warmth that makes the caller feel valued.
Many studies are conducted to measure how customers interact with businesses by phone, and some trends have emerged. A customer always expects high quality care, where the call answering service employee listens carefully and is polite and diligent with the information. In fact, just one instance of rudeness or mishandling a message may anger a customer and cause them to try calling someone else. This may even be true of a repeat customer who has made numerous purchases or deals with that company in the past. And overall, many consumer surveys show that American customers ultimately prefer the telephone for reaching out to businesses, even more so than e-mail or Internet chat.
Sales
A lot of this is a factor for businesses that base their profits on sales. At an inbound sales call center, for example, customers will receive calls from consumers, repeat customers, and business clients alike, looking to inquire about making a purchase. Here again, good communication skills are a must, as well as impeccable sales technique. Good phone call service may impress a customer, who may end up becoming a repeat customer. This is highly profitable, since it is much more expensive to bring on board a new customer than to maintain a current, loyal one. Good phone service is essential in keeping those current customers happy. And speaking to a live human being can make all the difference, since many customers may not find the service they want through the limited options of an automated answering machine. In fact, many customers don’t even leave voicemails when prompted, since they’d rather talk to a live person. Artificial intelligence has made great strides in the past few decades, but nothing yet can match a live person.
Remote Work
As mentioned earlier, these call answering services and sales call jobs are ideal for Americans who work remotely either by choice or necessity. A crowded office is a noisy place to work, and that can lower the quality of a live phone conversation. So, many employees may either use a soundproof phone booth, or work at home, where they can enjoy a quiet environment in a home office. This work option is also ideal for job seekers who can’t work a traditional office job, such as if they have a college career or other job that takes up most of their schedule. This is also ideal for single parents looking for work.