Posts by JoAnn Fussell

Whether you’ve been in business for years or are just starting out, you need to prioritize customer service for success in the new year. A report by the customer intelligence consulting firm Walker reveals that customer service will replace price as the key brand differentiator by 2020. Other studies have shown customers are willing to…

Did you know that how your phone calls are handled can build your business—or break it? A consumer survey report by Invoca revealed that after a positive phone experience with a business, 80% of callers will become repeat customers. And 60% said they were likely to spend more money on current or future purchases. However,…

Funeral directors are expected to uphold traditional values of compassionate, personalized service. This often deepens their sense of responsibility to provide dedicated attention.Those in the hospice and funeral industries must be available 24/7. Families rely on them for empathy, support, answers, and arrangements during a loved one’s passing. Every call is urgent in the days…

Once upon a time, receptionists sat at front-office desks where they answered phones, scheduled appointments, and took care of other necessary business tasks. They also often performed office support jobs like opening up the office and making coffee for the boss and staff each morning. But times have changed, and the traditional role of receptionists…

If you own a small business you know all too well that it’s a good sign when customers are calling, but it’s also a challenge to answer their calls while staying on task. At some point, you’re likely to decide that you need help fielding calls, answering questions, and scheduling appointments. Do you hire an…

The holidays are upon us once again, and many of us are planning on spending some extra time with family and friends. Meanwhile, business goes on as usual as far as most customers understand. So how do you take time off without being tied to your phone? And how do you keep your business going…

Despite technology advances with email, texting, and social media postings, the phone call remains the foundation of business transactions. People still—and always will—rely on direct human connection and conversation to make decisions about which products or services to invest in. Whether people call a business for information, to get help with an issue, or to…

An article in Forbes described how attorney Fabian Lima left the law firm life to work independently on the legal cases that mattered most to him—immigration and criminal law. Lima is not alone in his desire to work on his own. The article cites Intuit’s Future of Small Business report, which reveals that the number…

Any lawyer, whether practicing solo or with a large firm, can testify that answering calls and responding to voicemails and emails is a job in and of itself. Dedicating proper time and energy to these tasks often distracts from other attending to other pressing legal matters. We understand because we’ve helped several attorneys in the…

When business owners or office managers begin to consider hiring an answering service, one of their first questions is, “There’s a lot of information out there about call centers and answering services, but what’s the difference?” Good question—because while the terms are often used interchangeably, the process each uses to manage your calls can be…