Running a home based business is a challenge, one that requires a lot
of time, energy, and dedication. Left with so many things to do on a
day to day basis, it's not surprising that many small home based
business owners provide their customers and clients with sub-par
customer service.
And there's no area of customer service that home based business owners could improve more than on the telephone.
Not only can many home based businesses not even be reached on the phone, but those that do have a telephone number often route it to voicemail and make it impossible for callers to speak with a live person. This doesn't make your business look good and can actually have a negative effect (if callers try to reach you over and over but always reach voicemail, they'll think there is something wrong with your operation).
By following the tips below, any home based business can improve the level of customer service that they provide over the phone and drastically increase the quality of their customer relationships.
The first tip is to avoid relying on voicemail. Relying on voicemail means you let every call go to voicemail and don't even attempt to answer your calls live on a regular basis. While voicemail has its place, it shouldn't be your primary method of filtering phone calls. It should only be used when you are unable to answer.
The second tip is to ensure your voicemail recording is professional and accurate. When callers do have to listen to it, they should know that they are dealing with an actual business and not a small business owner working out of his or her house. Thus, it should state the name of your company, preferably in a professional voice. If you aren't confident of your own, use someone close to you to record it for you. The voicemail should also state other ways to contact you, such as email, your operating hours (if any), and when callers should expect a call back if they are leaving a message.
The final tip coincides with the first, which is that a live person should be answering your telephone. You need to make this a duty, regardless of how busy you are. If you truly cannot be bothered with phone calls, you need to look into hiring someone to take calls on your behalf. Employees usually aren't feasible for small home based businesses, but a live telephone answering service or after-hours answering service is certainly an affordable option. In the case of an after-hours answering service, they can answer calls after your regular business hours when you are no longer available. They can also answer during the day if you'd like, picking up in the name of your organization and taking messages on your behalf. Order taking answering services are similar, although they take orders from your customers over the phone. Cell phone answering services allow you to transfer your cell phone calls to live operators, and office answering services are designed to act as an extension of your business. All aim to improve the customer service you are able to provide without increasing your costs.
By avoiding sending every call to voicemail and dedicating resources to having a live person answer your calls, you are on your way to providing better customer service and improving the image of your business. With a professional voicemail message to catch those calls you aren't able to get to, you ensure every caller puts down the phone with a positive impression of your organization. They'll view you as legitimate and notice your attention to detail. And with every detail having an impact on the ultimate success or failure of your home based business venture, these are easy ways to get the leg up.
By Lucas Fransconit
More on home based business customer service and after hours live answering service
And there's no area of customer service that home based business owners could improve more than on the telephone.
Not only can many home based businesses not even be reached on the phone, but those that do have a telephone number often route it to voicemail and make it impossible for callers to speak with a live person. This doesn't make your business look good and can actually have a negative effect (if callers try to reach you over and over but always reach voicemail, they'll think there is something wrong with your operation).
By following the tips below, any home based business can improve the level of customer service that they provide over the phone and drastically increase the quality of their customer relationships.
The first tip is to avoid relying on voicemail. Relying on voicemail means you let every call go to voicemail and don't even attempt to answer your calls live on a regular basis. While voicemail has its place, it shouldn't be your primary method of filtering phone calls. It should only be used when you are unable to answer.
The second tip is to ensure your voicemail recording is professional and accurate. When callers do have to listen to it, they should know that they are dealing with an actual business and not a small business owner working out of his or her house. Thus, it should state the name of your company, preferably in a professional voice. If you aren't confident of your own, use someone close to you to record it for you. The voicemail should also state other ways to contact you, such as email, your operating hours (if any), and when callers should expect a call back if they are leaving a message.
The final tip coincides with the first, which is that a live person should be answering your telephone. You need to make this a duty, regardless of how busy you are. If you truly cannot be bothered with phone calls, you need to look into hiring someone to take calls on your behalf. Employees usually aren't feasible for small home based businesses, but a live telephone answering service or after-hours answering service is certainly an affordable option. In the case of an after-hours answering service, they can answer calls after your regular business hours when you are no longer available. They can also answer during the day if you'd like, picking up in the name of your organization and taking messages on your behalf. Order taking answering services are similar, although they take orders from your customers over the phone. Cell phone answering services allow you to transfer your cell phone calls to live operators, and office answering services are designed to act as an extension of your business. All aim to improve the customer service you are able to provide without increasing your costs.
By avoiding sending every call to voicemail and dedicating resources to having a live person answer your calls, you are on your way to providing better customer service and improving the image of your business. With a professional voicemail message to catch those calls you aren't able to get to, you ensure every caller puts down the phone with a positive impression of your organization. They'll view you as legitimate and notice your attention to detail. And with every detail having an impact on the ultimate success or failure of your home based business venture, these are easy ways to get the leg up.
By Lucas Fransconit
More on home based business customer service and after hours live answering service
