In this high-tech world, you would think the phone call has become irrelevant, but there are still many professionals who will tell you that having a live person answer their phone is a key component to their business. For one, the phone offers a one-way communication channel that makes back-and-forth dialogue easier for your potential customers. For instance, attorneys will tell you that live answering can be the difference between landing a new client or missing out on a new opportunity. Offering a phone number on your website shows that your company is not only legitimate, but is there to help whenever your potential customers need to reach you. Therefore, you need to ensure that your business phone answering is on point as there are several ways answering calls the wrong way can hurt your company, and if you make the wrong impression, you could end up losing business.

Here are 5 clever ways to determine if the phone answering services for your business needs a reboot.

1) You answer your phone yourself

Answering your phone yourself can come across badly to potential clients. This is especially true if your website presence makes it seem like you have a big company and a huge staff. Answering your phone yourself doesn’t only give the wrong impression, but it’s distracting as well. With a live answering service, you can have your calls screened which gives you the few seconds you need to collect your thoughts so you can have a professional conversation with a potential or existing client.

2) You answer the phone in loud and busy places

Even worse than answering your phone yourself is being outside on the street, or in a busy coffee shop or grocery store when you do receive a call. Everyone accepts the fact that we live in a mobile world and that people are ‘on the go,’ but when it comes to maintaining a professional image, answering your phone in a noisy public area doesn’t help you at all. With a professional business answering service, you can opt not to receive calls during specific times of the day.

3) Your telephone service automatically sends callers to voicemail

While it’s somewhat unprofessional to answer your own phone, it’s frustrating for your caller to get sent directly to voicemail every time they call in. Many small businesses opt for this type of business answering service. The only problem is that you miss out on important calls by having everything go directly to voicemail. Some prospects call around to get quotes – but if your message is stuck in voicemail you may lose out on an important opportunity.

4) Your telephone service makes people navigate through a menu to reach a live person

No one likes the “phone tree” menus that are so often associated with telephone, cable and utility companies. For instance, if you’re a contractor, don’t make your potential clients and customers wade through a huge menu of options in order to get a live person. Particularly if you are a small business, there’s probably only 1 or 2 people a potential customer would need to talk to in order to get a quote or set-up an appointment, so why make them suffer through an automated phone menu? Have a live answering service transfer those calls directly to the person who can get them the information they need in real-time.

5) Your telephone answering service is unprofessional and hard to understand

There’s something to be said for having a friendly, clear speaking receptionist answer your business calls, transfer your calls, and help your clients connect to the correct destination. If you’ve taken the time to invest in a business answering service, you deserve to be well represented. If you want to see what your callers are experiencing, try calling your own line and review the greeting they are receiving. Would you do business with your company based on that greeting?

Live answering services might seem like a small part in your overall business operation, but they can make a difference. You want to make sure your phone is saying the right things about you! For pricing, and to learn more about the Live Answering Services we offer, contact us at CloudAnswering.