It’s common for potential clients to tell us that they’d been considering hiring an answering service for quite awhile before they finally decided to reach out to us. Sometimes they just weren’t sure if their call volume warranted an answering service, or if their business would really benefit from it. Other times they weren’t sure exactly what an answering service could do for them, or if they really afford it.

While their unique situations and business needs vary, their bottom line is usually the same—they were struggling to manage their calls and needed help. For some, business is booming and staff members can’t keep delivering the high level of customer service that led to their growth in the first place. Customers are complaining about long hold times or simply hanging up. For others, they know they’re missing calls while doing other tasks and the callers aren’t leaving messages, which makes them wonder if they’re losing business opportunities.

Others have been losing sleep over after-hours calls, literally. Their work requires them to receive and respond to after-hours calls, so either they are the one handling the after-hours calls, or they’re lying awake wondering if their on-call person is really on the ball.

Each of these scenarios is a problem. A Consumer Reports National Research Center survey revealed that 75% of those polled said the most irritating customer service experience is when they “can’t get a live person on the phone” when they really needed to. A “long wait on hold” and “many phone-menu steps needed” both also ranked high at 66%. In fact, over one-third of callers hang up and never call back if they’re put on hold or receive long voicemail prompts.

Using the hold button or voicemail too often leads to lost customers, both old and new. If you’re in any of these positions, then you may have also been questioning if you need an answering service. And you may not know which questions you should be asking in order to assess whether you really need an answering service or not. You’re not alone!

For example:
Does your call volume warrant an answering service?
Are after-hours calls becoming a problem?
Do you need live answering 24/7, or just for certain types of calls?

At Voice Link of Columbus, Inc., many of our clients have found our free quiz, Do you need a voice answering service?, extremely helpful. If you’re on the fence about hiring an answering service, take the quiz to assess your situation—there are no obligations, only helpful information.

If you’d like to learn more about how a live answering service can help you save time and money, contact Voice Link of Columbus, Inc. We offer flat rate month-to-month service agreements, with no hidden fees, to meet the needs of any business regardless of size, 24/7, 365 days of the year.

Customized communication solutions, appointment scheduling, and secure HIPAA/HiTech messaging saves you time and money while improving customer satisfaction and loyalty. 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.