It’s that time of year when high school seniors are anxiously waiting for acceptance letters from colleges and universities. Meanwhile, the administrative staff at these colleges are working tirelessly to keep up with the mound of applications. On top of that, their phones are usually ringing off the hook with expectant students or parents calling to verify that all their paperwork is in order.

The wait time for those calling in can be astounding, which is where answering services are saving the day. Some years ago a college administrator hired Voice Link of Columbus, Inc., because they were overwhelmed with trying to keep up with calls. The average wait time for students who were calling in to check on the status of their application was 45 minutes! The receptionists at Voice Link reduced that time to 11 seconds.

Here’s how an answering service can assist colleges or universities:

• Prospective college students are able to talk to a live person, 24/7.
• Operators answer with the name of the college and act as an extension of the administrative staff.
• Callers questions are answered immediately or their information is forwarded to the appropriate college staff member for easy follow-up.
• Operators are able to remotely access the college’s system in order to view a student’s records and inform the student what information is missing.
• Receptionists are knowledgeable about frequently asked questions and can assist callers with questions regarding financial aid, admissions, registrar, housing, and bursar.
• All calls are documented and recorded.

In addition, an answering service can:

• Schedule college campus visits.
• Direct callers to the proper department within the college and the appropriate person they need to speak to.
• Free staff to better assist walk-ins.
• During academic breaks, after-hours and weekends, students and parents are still able to obtain answers to their questions.

Day or night, outsourcing your administrative calls will ensure that your prospective and current students are attended to professionally and promptly, 24/7. Meanwhile, your staff is free to process applications, manage student records, and attend to walk-in visitors.

How your calls are managed reflects on the reputation of your school, not to mention the sanity of your staff. The professional agents at Voice Link of Columbus, Inc. have been rigorously trained on FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) regulations and can provide live answering services that exceed your expectations. Request information online or call us at (800) 262-2799 for a free consultation.

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