One of the most common questions people who are contemplating hiring an answering service ask is: “How can an answering service really benefit my business beyond just answering calls more quickly than I’m currently able to?”

This is a great question! While answering calls in a timely manner is one of the primary ways we serve our clients, it’s what we do during answering calls—and after the call ends—that benefits our clients the most.

We hear repeatedly how surprised clients are by how much time is freed up when an answering service manages their calls. We understand the surprise factor, because it’s difficult to calculate just how much time phone calls consume when you and your staff are in the thick of answering them day in and day out.

This is because a phone call is rarely an isolated task, with time spent only answering the call and receiving or giving information before hanging up. Each call usually comes with actions that need to be taken—recording the information, delivering a message to the appropriate staff member or dispatching services, then following up to make sure the necessary actions were taken.

Beyond that, there’s the distraction factor. For one day, pay attention to how long it takes you to return to the task you were focusing on before a phone call interrupted your concentration. Is it one minute? Ten? Twenty? That adds up, and you’re not alone. This is a big time-saver that many clients are surprised by after switching to a live answering service.

By outsourcing your calls—either during busy peak times or around the clock—you get not only your time back, but your staff’s time, and your customers’ time too! An answering service will free up time that you can spend focusing on the tasks that keep your business running smoothly, whether that’s brainstorming new strategies or giving your full attention to your face-to-face customers. Plus, you may even find yourself enjoying an uninterrupted dinner with your family—imagine that!

An answering service will also allow your team to respond to calls in order of priority, which will keep your business operating most efficiently. Wondering how your customers will fare? Consider this: the average person will spend 1.2 years on hold, but today’s consumers are losing patience with that. More than a third of callers will hang up if left on hold for more than 30 seconds. For many business owners, that’s a lost business opportunity that’s too risky to take.

Plus, the professional receptionists at live answering services are trained to work as if they are a member of your staff—which in reality they are—and treat your customers as if they’re their own. Customers feel like they’re in good, responsible hands, and we all know that happy customers are loyal customers.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how answering services can save you time and improve your customer service. To learn about the many other ways the right answering service can benefit your business, read Did You Know An Answering Service Can Help With Much More Than Answering Calls?

Voice Link of Columbus, Inc., offers state-of-the-art technology solutions and personalized customer service  24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Customer by customer, call by call, we keep operations running smoothly, 24/7, 365 days a year. We specialize in customer communications and business solutions so that you can focus on working as distraction-free as possible.

We offer month-to-month service agreements to meet the needs of any business regardless of size. Our excellent reputation, expert staff, and customized technology will exceed your expectations. Request information online or call us at (800) 262-2799 for a free consultation.

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