The nature of customer service has entered a new era with instant online information and the influence of social media reviews and comments. Customers have more power than ever to research exactly what they want in a service or product and simultaneously expect to be catered to with exceptional service when interacting with a business.

In The Thank You Economy, Gary Vaynerchuk writes, “You have to be no less than a customer concierge, doing everything you can to make every one of your customers feel acknowledged, appreciated, and heard. You have to make them feel special, just like when your great-grandmother walked into Butcher Bob’s shop or bought her new hat, and you need to make people who aren’t your customers wish they were.”

The first step in being a customer concierge comes with greeting the customer, and in the case of a phone call, this means picking up on the first or second ring. An American Express Survey showed that 78% of consumers have bailed on a transaction or not made an intended purchase because of a poor service experience. For all but 10% of those consumers, being put on hold or being routed to voicemail were top indicators of poor service.

The customer’s line of thinking goes like this: “If I’m interested in buying your product or service but you’re too busy or understaffed to answer my first call, why should I trust that you wouldn’t also be too busy or understaffed to deliver my product or service? And should something go wrong with my purchase or experience, why should I trust that you’d be able to help me quickly resolve it?”

Long gone are the days when businesses could fall back on “if they want it badly enough they’ll wait.” Professional receptionists at call answering centers are becoming an increasingly popular resource for businesses that want to stay competitive by responding to their customers without delay.

For less than the cost of hiring and training a staff person to answer calls and schedule appointments, the trained receptionists at call centers give customers concierge level service, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This gives business owners peace of mind that they’re keeping up with the times.

If you’d like to learn more about how virtual receptionists can make your customers feel special, contact Voice Link of Columbus, Inc..Customized communication solutions, secure HIPAA/HiTech messaging, and appointment scheduling can save you time and money while optimizing customer care. We offer month-to-month service agreements to meet the needs of any business regardless of size. Our excellent reputation, expert staff, and state-of-the-art technology will exceed your expectations. Request information online or call us at (800) 262-2799 for a free consultation.

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