Naturally, being in the answering service business, there is one major question that I find myself being asked on a daily basis; “Why does my company need an answering service?” Honestly, there are any number of reasons why an answering service could be a good fit for many different types of companies, but there are some specifics that I do need to know before I can feel confident in making a recommendation for a particular situation.
In response to this question, I always start with a few fact-finding questions of my own, to determine what it is exactly that you would like to accomplish with your company. I like to start this discovery process by covering the reasons that I personally would have a company answer my phones if I were in their shoes.
The very first thing that I always like to point out when constructing an answering solution, is the overall value of the availability that your company would have.
An answering service allows you the ability to go from being available from 9-5 (or your normal operating hours) to being available 24/7/365.
Before signing up with us, I’ve heard many horror stories from clients about how they have attempted to forward calls to their cell phones, these clients find that they will almost always end up getting more calls than expected or can handle, or even missing calls altogether, such as when they are sleeping or otherwise too busy to answer.
Herein lies the main advantage of an answering service, we will always be able to answer your potential customers calls, immediately determine if it is an emergency (per your instructions) and dispatch the call appropriately, or simply take a message and send it out to you for a follow-up if it fits your protocol for not requiring immediate contact.
This brings us to our set-up process and how we like to handle inbound calls for our clients. Many times, an answering service will promise that they can start your service on the same day, and while they can probably get the account programmed that quickly, there is really no reliable way that they can have their call center agents trained on the scripting and dispatching for your unique situation in that short amount of time.
At Antietam Call Center, however, we will always take the time to test your account, as well as train our agents on exactly how you would like your calls handled. This practice ties into the higher-than-normal level of customer care that we strive to provide to each and every one of our clients. We really don’t like turning over our clients or starting out on the wrong foot with mistakes, which is why we will always work through your individual call process with you upon signing up, to make sure that your account is programmed correctly right from the start.
Another thing that I like to bring up about our call center to clients that might be on the fence about our service; the pride we take in the service we offer. We are a family owned company that has been in business for over 41 years, and we have accomplished this simply by putting good old-fashioned customer care first and foremost in everything that we do.
The pride we take in our call center and the high level of client service that we provide has led us to win the Association of TeleServices International (ATSI) “Award of Excellence” for 14 consecutive years (and counting.)
One last thing that I would like to touch on is the importance of communication. As you can imagine, communication is a very important attribute for whichever answering service that you might choose. A big part of our client care is building a true rapport with our customers, letting them know without a doubt that we are always ready, willing and available to help them out with their questions and needs.
Over my time at Antietam, I have talked to a surprising number of people who are out searching for an alternative answering services, due to the lack of communication or help that their current provider is giving them. I personally cannot understand why some answering service companies do not actively offer help to their clients, or why they make it such a hassle for their clients to get the information they need or to have something updated on their account.
These concerns and more are precisely why we take as much time as needed with each and every one of our valued clients so that we are able to go above and beyond to provide the best possible experience to each and every business in our care.
Give us a call today, and find out for yourself what the Antietam difference is.