Answering a business call is no different. This communication is the first interaction a customer has with you, whether they are new or existing. As soon as you pick up the phone, your first impressions means everything to them.

To overcome the barriers of a good first impression, is to establish how handing a call can benefit and improve your customer experience. The three key ways to do this are to be prompt, polite and helpful.

Be prompt

First things first, is to answer your call in a timely manner. No more than 2-3 rings are suggested. Answering too soon can look like your business has too much time on its hands if you’re waiting by the phone, but by the second or third ring you have answered promptly enough.

If you let the phone ring for too long, you may increase the chances of a customer hanging up before you answer. The same goes for answering a query, as if you take too long, a customer may go elsewhere.

Being knowledgeable in your line of work can go along way, it means you can deal with the situation at hand without keeping the customer waiting too long. It’s important to be as prompt as possible in anything you do over the phone, to keep the customer informed and interested.

Be polite

Even though this should be given, it’s easy to become stressed at work and not always answer a call in a courteous way. With each new call, take a deep breath and smile as you speak. You would like to think your customer is smiling with you.

Building a rapport with a customer not only improves their experience but it also improves yours. Interacting with others is key in client building, as forming relationships with customers makes life that little bit easier when your politeness is reciprocated.

As you’re speaking over the phone, you can’t pick up on things like body language or facial expressions, so by setting a polite tone from the offset can go a long way.
Using your manners is the easiest way to construct a polite conversation.

Be helpful

However, no matter how prompt or polite you are, if you aren’t being helpful, is there really any structure to your call?

As stated previously, being knowledgeable in your line of work is what is going to win your customer over. If you show you can help them, then they are more likely to become your customer. Even if you don’t know the answer straight away, just be upfront with them. A customer will appreciate your honesty, especially if you can resolve it eventually- then you’ve both learnt something new.

If you can’t find the answer, ask someone else who can, or even take a few notes. As long as you are able to get back to them with the answer, they will appreciate how helpful you’ve been by going that extra mile.

The art of conversation

Good phone etiquette doesn’t stop here. Being able to answer a call is just the start. If you’re serious about building a rapport, then you want your conversation to flow.

Before you even consider answering the phone, you may want to prepare a brief outline on how you’re going to answer.

This could be from introducing yourself and the company you’re answering for, down to asking who you are speaking with. By engaging in this initial interaction, it shows your customer that you are not only prepared, but that you’re interested in them. If your customer feels valued, they will want to start a conversation.

The art of a good conversation almost feels like a dying subject in this world of technology. With channels such as e-mail and twitter, whatever happened to a good old chat on the phone?

Message Direct can offer a best-of-both-worlds service – providing the technology of tomorrow with the courtesy and personality of yesterday. To find out how we can help, take a look at our services.

All staff are trained to the highest level of professionalism, to ensure call handling improves your customers experience.

Message Direct has been recognized as one of Top Virtual Receptionist Companies by DesignRush.

Related questions

How do you end a call?

Even though the conversation is flowing well, you’re still on the clock and time is money. You have to consider other customers calls and not spend lengthy periods on one call.
Even though interrupting can be seen as rude, if you go about it in a polite way, your customer will understand.

As the conversation draws to a close, try to avoid asking any further questions to prompt more talking. After they have said their piece, just thank them for their time and end the call politely. Making a lasting impression is just as important as the first. You want your customer to get off the phone with a smile.

How can I sound professional over the phone

• Sit up straight with your spine relaxed
• Chin tilted up to clear your airwaves.
• Speak loudly enough that you can be heard.
• Take control of a situation.
• Focus on your listeners needs.
• Clear and concise wording.
• Use body language to encourage your own speech.
• Use specific wording from your business sector.

The post How Call Handling Can Help Improve the Customer Experience appeared first on Message Direct.

Call answering for your small business can easily be managed by utilising a call taking service. Having an extra pair of hands to take care of the admin work could relieve any stresses you may be undergoing.

Finding the time to get the ball rolling and answer the phone to new (and existing) customers can be time consuming; some calls may even go unanswered. Although multi-tasking is somewhat time efficient, it can also take the focus away from important tasks.

Luckily, there is a solution here. A solution that doesn’t involve sifting through application forms to find your perfect candidate, nor does it make you worry about the costs of wages and holiday pay. Finding a new employee is a mammoth task in itself, not to mention the cost.

By using a call answering service, you can ensure that staff are trained to the best of their ability to meet your business needs.

Managing your incoming calls

By utilising a call answering service, you can have someone directly answer for your business, on your behalf. You can have access to around the clock service, 7 days a week. This is great for any international transactions, as time zones are no longer an issue when there’s always someone at the end of the phone.

It works in the sense that when a customer makes a call, it will come up with your company’s name and any prompts you wish for the customer to be greeted with. It basically comes across that you have staff working in your office, without being in the office.

They are able to take calls, answer queries, schedule appointments or any other requests you wish to put across.

The level of knowledge and professionalism is second to none from the operators available and in addition to this, you will always have an account manager on hand to ensure a smooth service.

Message taking

Another additional option available for you, could be message taking. After your customers have been dealt with in an efficient manner, you have the choice of how you wish your messages to be taken and processed. These come in the forms of SMS, email or even fax.

Being a small business, a message taking service could be ideal for you.

Overflow call handling

Another ideal option, for your small thriving business, is overflow call handling (find out more). This has the choice of being switched on for peak seasons of business when you just need extra support. The level of professionalism is always kept throughout, to ensure consistency when multiple calls are coming through. This again, allows for you to focus on the task in hand whilst others deal with the high demand of calls.

Personal benefits

Whilst others are dealing with the demands of calls, this allows you to take a step back and concentrate on what is important.

Running a one person or small business is hard work, and you certainly need time to recharge your batteries. Utilising a call answering service will give you piece of mind that your clients are being looked after whilst you can take a much needed day off. If you’re not firing on all cylinders, this may be reflective in your work.

Even having calls diverted or messages taken, it allows you time to take lunch breaks and to leave the office at a reasonable time. Once you get someone to answer your calls for you, you’ll never look back.

Related questions

What is a virtual receptionist?

A virtual receptionist is a presence in your business, who deals with administrative tasks, without being physically present. Often working remotely or for an organisation, they will be set up to take calls, greet clients and schedule appointments etc. They can be brief in both simple and complex tasks, depending how you wish your needs to be met.

How should you answer a professional call?

There are numerous psychological studies on how you should answer a business call, but the best way is to really keep it simple and not overcomplicate things. You supposedly only make an impression on someone within the first 7 seconds, so here are a few things to remember:

• Don’t let the phone go over 2/3 rings if possible.
• Prepare a professional greeting.
• State your name and who you work for.
• Clear and concise wording.
• Be friendly, ask who’s calling to build rapport.

The post Call Answering for Your Small Business: How it Works appeared first on Message Direct.

It’s only natural that most people, and probably including your own business, work on a 9-5 basis. So, when a customer wishes to make an inquiry outside of their office hours, it’s far from ideal when they aren’t able to. As a customer, you’d probably consider other options to get the inquiry dealt with.

However, if this customer is loyal to you, then they are less likely to seek a rival company if they are happy with your services.

Why is customer loyalty important?

Customer loyalty is defined as the act of choosing your company’s product over a competitor, even if your prices may be higher. A loyal customer isn’t swayed by availability and lower pricing, as they are more than satisfied with the level or service they are currently receiving. This customer is more likely to return to your services time and time again, and also recommend to others.

Having regular and loyal customers are basically the basis of your business. They increase your profit, give your company a good name and are the glue of keeping business constantly flowing.

However, in order to keep your customers loyal, you need to ensure you are providing the best services possible.

A key point here is your accessibility to a customer. If a customer needs to contact you outside of your business hours, you still want to make sure this can be dealt with in an effective manner. And one way to promote this idea, is a messaging taking service (here’s how ours works).

Utilising a call answering service

By having a method in place to take out of hours messages, you will potentially never let your customer down in their time of need. With live receptionists around the clock 7 days a week, no customer will go unnoticed and will be left feeling positive about their query.

The staff are trained to the highest quality in their industry, with experience across numerous sectors. In addition to this, you will always have your own personal accounts manager on hand, with an extensive knowledge of your business. This provides a smooth service and any further support that may be needed.

This is all for peace of mind, so you know that your customers are always being looked after, on and off the clock.

And let’s face it, customers always expect you to be available.

With today’s society being highly technological, most platforms are accessible in the forms of twitter, live web chats and s on. Having a call answering service is one step ahead of the game here. You aren’t waiting for someone to type back on a screen, but you’re getting the opportunity to engage with someone over the phone.

This can also be said for customers who maybe don’t use forms of technology and would prefer this over the phone interaction.

There really are endless advantages of having a message taking service for your customer loyalty.

The benefits for your business

As said before, promoting customer loyalty and benefiting your business really go hand in hand. The more loyal clientele base you build up, the more potential that your business will thrive.

With making it easier for customers to contact you, will encourage your reputation as an accessible company.

Rather than having to take time during their lunch breaks, or being on hold during that 9-5 period, they can be at ease knowing that they are able to contact you any time of day. The flexibility of this can give your customers faith in what you do, therefore allowing them to return in future, which overall increases potential profit.

Furthermore, to this point, the increase of profit correlates with fewer missed calls. For example, if a new (or existing) customer were to call out of hours and it was missed, this a customer potentially lost, however, with a message taking service in place, this encourages the level of new business.

Speaking of new business, if this is the case for your new company, by showing customers you are available 24/7 represents a real level of professionalism. Being constantly accessible is telling your customers that you invest in areas that benefits them.

Giving your customers what they need, to ensure their loyalty, is a great basis to maximise profit.

Related questions

How do you track customer loyalty?

In order to know that your customers are in fact loyal, there are methods of finding out what they think of your services and how likely they are to recommend to a friend.

This can be done using a Net promoter score (NPS) which uses a survey rating certain aspects of your services on a scale of 1-10. Scores of 9 and 10 represent that individuals would promote your services and refer to a friend. If scores are lower, you can also include comment sections to improve your services.

How to maintain customer loyalty?

This can be an expansive topic, as there are many avenues to explore in order to maintain customer loyalty. It’s always important to look after your existing customers, as well as your new ones. A few points to consider when maintaining loyalty can range from the following:

• Consistence of employees’ approach
• Mystery shoppers for checking purposes
• Being resourceful
• Staying in touch
• Under promise and over deliver
• Credibility
• Accessibility
• Rewards
• General attitude

The post How a Message Taking Service Can Increase Customer Loyalty appeared first on Message Direct.

A virtual receptionist is a huge benefit to a remote business, from a cost- effective perspective down to their flexibility.

The whole point of going remote, is to be remote. By cutting out the middleman you want to be able to work wherever you want and when you want.

Becoming your own boss is a great opportunity.

At some point in your life you may have felt overworked and undervalued being employed by someone else, but now you have a clean slate to make your own rules.

Technology has a massive input on this as it allows you to work remotely from sitting at a new office space at home or taking your laptop to the local coffee shop. You can work in a space that suits you, which ultimately causes a somewhat stress-free environment.

In addition to this, is to really embrace technology in all its glory. As exciting as starting your own business can be, it can be hard work going it alone. So, why not get yourself a virtual receptionist?

What is a virtual receptionist?

Even though it says virtual, a virtual receptionist is in fact a real person, but who receptions through a computer-based programme. They still do the usual such as taking calls and enquires whilst giving the same professional, empathetic approach as a real-life receptionist.

However, they probably go that extra mile as they could also be remotely working like yourself. Say a customer is calling your business line, instead of going directly to you, it will go to your virtual receptionist. The receptionist will have the details of your company flag up, along with any greeting you wish for them to use. They have the options to forward the call to yourself or any other parties you may include in your details.

This is a huge benefit to your new remote working style, as it’s basically like having an assistant, but without the hassle of actually employing an assistant.

As the first interaction of your company, you can trust that the collective of virtual receptionists available to you come with exceptional customer service qualities, alongside commercial qualities to suit your business. These include:

Communication skills- not only with customers but with yourself

• English speaking- No language barriers
• Knowledgeable- Of your services
• Industry experience- General and specific experience
• Initiative- How to deal with issues/ frustrated customers
• Flexibility- Always on hand
• Professionalism- Customer service skills
• Adaptability- To an arrange of clientele
• Friendly- Warm approach, able to build rapport

You can find out more about our Virtual Receptionist Services by clicking here.

24/7 Services

Alongside having an impressive skill set, one of the main benefits of a virtual receptionist is that they are literally available at all times. Just because your business hours are closed, shouldn’t mean your customers have to miss out. The virtual receptionist community work round the clock to ensure your business is continuously flowing. If one virtual receptionist is already currently taking a call for you, this will just be passed to another colleague, which means your customers will never be sent to voicemail, if you don’t want them to be.

You can tailor your experience to what best suits your remote needs. In this sense, you can choose what hours you wish for your receptionist to be on call and whether you want a voicemail in place, the flexibility really is in your hands.

With the magic of technology, you can also determine the likes of call screening, call transferring and forwarding of emergency calls. The possibilities are endless with benefiting your remote business.

The advantages

As already mentioned, having a virtual receptionist can offer great potential in organising your business. By having a style guide in place, you can set out a criteria for your virtual receptionists to follow, so every time they take a request, it is handled in a similar manner. Customers appreciate consistency, even if this is being greeted in the same way or to have their queries dealt with an equal level of standard each time.

This can also be said in the terms of feedback, as by setting out your receptionist criteria to encourage feedback, this can help any improvements when starting a new remote business.

But one of the biggest advantages, is the cost. With different plans available and an unlimited contact point of staff, you can really modify your receptionist to suit your needs. You may be new in the remote working world and only have limited funds to spend, which makes this an ideal option. You don’t have to worry about paying a full-time member of staff a salary, but instead you can choose as and when you want your receptionist to work.

Having a virtual receptionist really is the way forward in the remote business world.

Related questions

How much does a virtual receptionist cost?

This can really depend on what you wish to use your receptionist for, in terms or availability etc. However, it should be noted that it is considerably less than a real-life receptionist. A typical receptionist can earn on average, £18,000 per year, whereas a virtual receptionist can cost you half of this, but again depending on the conditions you wish them to perform. Something to also take into consideration is that you won’t be paying holiday or sick pay to a virtual receptionist.

Message Direct are able to offer a Free Trial on our virtual receptionist services.

Does a virtual receptionist work from home?

This can really vary depending on the role. Some can work in offices for larger companies, and others can work remotely. If you have a specific receptionist, you may have more contact in person if needs be.

The post How a Remote Business Can Benefit Using a Virtual Receptionist appeared first on Message Direct.

But how to answer the phone professionally at your business is something you need to get right. Here are our top 10 tips for answering the phone professionally in your business.

How to answer a phone call professionally

1. Answer the phone quickly

Leaving the caller waiting can be frustrating and can get the conversation off to a bad start. Have a rule in place which states how long a phone should ring before it’s picked up.

Most customer expect a business to answer their phones in as little as five rings. Create that rule, make everyone aware, and you could reduce customer frustration and stop losing out on potential business.

2. The first few seconds count

Customers will make an impression of your company within just a few seconds of speaking to your staff. In fact, a recent study from Forbes revealed that businesses only have 7 seconds to make a good impression – we talk in more depth about this in our guide on what to look for in a virtual receptionist.

It’s hard to make an impression when there is no face to face contact, so they way in which you answer the phone is going to be critical to how the customer perceives you and your business.

3. Be polite and friendly

Which brings us onto the most obvious of tips, but you would be surprised at how many businesses get this wrong; be polite and friendly!

Even if you struggle to answer your caller’s query or complaint, having a polite and friendly manner can potentially offset any potential irritation on the customer side. A friendly manner alone will get you a long way with your caller.

4. Smile when you pick up the phone

Smile when you are talking. Even though the caller can’t see you, the simple act of smiling will come through in your tone of voice.

This can really help you sound warm and enthusiastic and is a critical aspect on how to answer calls more professionally in any business.

5. Identify yourself as well as the other person

By clearly telling the caller your name and business, it can help to clarify that they have called the right number. It’s best to introduce the business and yourself when you answer. For example, a professional answer to an incoming business call could be:

“Good morning. This is (business name). You’re speaking to (your name). How may I help you?”

6. Speak clearly

You want the recipient to be able to understand everything that is being said without any confusion, in the most professional manner.

When you answer the phone you are representing the company so speak clearly with clarity.

7. Always stay positive

If you find yourself faced with a question you don’t know the answer to, tell them that you can find the answer they need, even if that means arranging to call them back.

A caller would much rather hear a positive response than a simple negative.

Avoid any negative language and leave the caller with the confidence that you can help them with their query.

8. Need to call them back?

If you do need to call them back, either ell them when you can do it, or more importantly, check with them what a good time for them is.

And follow up on your promise.

A quick way to alienate your customers is to promise them a call back, and then not deliver on it.

9. Make quick and professional transfers

If the call is specifically for another person, tell the caller that you can check if they are available, and transfer them quickly.

If the right person isn’t available, it’s worth taking a message to pass on at a later time.

10. Learn how to answer the phone systems smoothly

A failed transfer can cause accidental hang ups which can be frustrating for the other person.

Arrange a professional answerphone system in case their call cannot be taken and make sure it is returned.

Conclusion

No matter how large or small your company, every single member of staff should be trained properly on how to answer the phone professionally at your business.

You never know when a customer can call, and it might not always be your customer service team or receptionist who take the call. That’s why it’s imperative that professional call answering is something everybody can do.

The manner by which you answer the phone will often be the first time a new customer will ever get an impression of you, and if done badly, it can be the last.

If you don’t have the time to answering the phone professionally, or perhaps just need some more support, take a look at our virtual receptionist services.

We can handle the calls for you, ensuring that your customers always talk to a professional and friendly speaker.

The post How to Answer the Phone Professionally: 10 Tips for Businesses appeared first on Message Direct.

There is a huge variance in quality within the market, so it’s critical to understand what the keys thinks to look for in a virtual receptionist service are.

We’ve outlined the key considerations below that you should always think about before making a final decision on what virtual receptionist company to choose.

1. Friendly and warm

As the first point of contact for your clients and potential customers, your virtual receptionist needs to be friendly and warm.

According to Forbes, you only have 7 seconds within which to make a great first impression, with other research even suggesting that a tenth of a second is all it takes.

This is made even harder over the phone, where there is no face to face contact. Facial impressions are a key indicator of trust, so your virtual receptionist will need to rely on their voice alone to make a good impression.

There was also a survey conducted in 2017 which found that the second most common quality customers want when phoning a business is friendliness.

Customers want a friendly answer from someone who has knowledge of the business and is able to understand an issue and resolve it as quickly as possible.

Any service you choose needs to have staff that are able to convey a friendly tone over the phone, in a trustworthy and professional manner.

If they cannot portray this, there’s every chance you could lose out on potential business.

Did you know? At Message Direct, we will be more than happy to let you listen in to a test call to find out how our virtual receptionists handle customers.

2. Professionalism

As well as being friendly and warm, it’s also key that anybody answering the phone on behalf of your business is professional.

You want customers or potential business leads who are phoning your business, to be greeted in a highly professional manner.

Did you know? Message Direct has our commitment to answering all calls within 6 seconds, we also offer our clients a dedicated account manager that you can rely on; this person is always on hand to ensure that your service remains smooth.

3. Availability at all times

If your business is only open for limited hours throughout the day, you’ll want to look for a virtual receptionist who can cater to your customers’ needs when you aren’t available.

Did you know? With Message Direct’s 24/7 phone answering service, your calls can be answered round the clock.

4. Knowledge and industry experience

When someone answers the phone on behalf of your business, they’re going to need to have a good knowledge about your industry.

Our receptionists all have extensive experience serving a wide range of industries; our clients include everything from carpenters to website builders, with a wide range of sectors in between.

Did you know? You can ask for examples of the different clients we work for, plus talk to one of our staff members to find out just how experienced they are in your industry.

5. Seamless integration with your business

The best virtual receptionist services are ones that will integrate seamlessly into your company.

From the moment the phone is answered to the final action, the customer should have no idea that they are talking with someone not directly employed inside of your business.

Did you know? At Message Direct we will provide you with a virtual receptionist who will be trained to know your business inside and out so they can offer a seamless customer experience.

6. Cost considerations

Cost will often be a deciding factor in choosing a virtual receptionist service. Whilst using a virtual service will be significantly cheaper than a full-time in-house receptionist, it is still a cost that impacts your bottom line.

However, a virtual receptionist will save you money in staffing and overheads with no need to pay for full-time staff, office space, pension allowances, and other associated costs.

It’s also important to consider what the true cost to your business of missing calls could be – we’ve detailed some of this in our article about the impact of missing business calls.

Did you know? At Message Direct we offer a free trial of our virtual receptionist services and don’t charge any set-up fees to new customers.

7. Communication with your business

Yes, your virtual receptionist must be able to communicate professionally and efficiently with callers, but just as importantly, they must be able to relay information back to you.

If you have a good relationship with your virtual receptionist, and they can communicate promptly and coherently, you will be able to make the most from your time together.

Did you know? With Message Direct you will get a dedicated account manager that you can rely on; this person is always on hand to ensure that your service remains smooth. 

8. Native English speakers 

There are numerous examples in the press where customers have had poor call centre experiences due to language issues. 

In fact, there does seem to be a shift in attitudes, with some major businesses now switching back to British-based providers.

Why?

It’s because it’s imperative that your clients can clearly understand what your virtual receptionist is saying – and this isn’t always the case with offshore services.

Did you know? Message Direct is a UK-based service with none of our calls being handled outside of our south coast location.

9. Capable of taking the initiative

A good virtual receptionist should be able to think on their feet and deal with any situation that might come their way.

For example, get a feel for how the operator would handle an angry customer or a problem with your product or service that is tough to answer.

Did you know? Our virtual receptionists go through one of the most in-depth training periods of any provider in the UK, meaning they are renowned for their ability to problem solve.

10. Flexibility and adaptability 

Virtual receptionists don’t just answer the phone. They can also follow-up with customers, make appointments, and even pitch additional services to your customers where relevant.

Compare this to how a normal answering service works, and you get the added value of a receptionist who can not only save you time, but also improve your bottom line.

Did you know? 99% of new customers stay with Message Direct at the end of their free trial period.

11. Trusted and established

Our last tip on what to look for in a virtual receptionist is all about trust and reputation.

There are many virtual receptionist services that have emerged over the last couple of years who have limited experience in the industry.

It’s important to work with a reputable, trusted, and established service who aren’t going to disappear overnight leaving you in the lurch. 

Did you know? Message Direct has been offering virtual receptionist services for over 25 years, building a reputation as one of the best in the business.

Conclusion

Finding the best virtual receptionist for your business can be hard, due to the disparity in quality and cost with providers in the UK.

However, at Message Direct we are confident that you won’t find anyone better and are able to offer you a free trial today.

If you want to free up your time, reduce staffing costs, protect your company’s reputation, and work with a service with over 25 years of experience, contact us today.

The post What to Look for in a Virtual Receptionist: 11 Critical Factors appeared first on Message Direct.

This is particularly true with regards to business enquiries, whether a customer has made a complaint or another enterprise has reached out to you. Imagine the situation: a loyal customer approaches your business with an important enquiry, but the details of the deal aren’t recorded properly. In this case, not only has your business lost out on a potentially fantastic partnership, but your reputation has also been tarnished.

Understandably, it can be difficult to record messages accurately every time. It may be that your dedicated receptionist is off sick or you’re just too busy to answer the phone, but tackling the issue of missed calls should be one of your priorities. Fortunately, we at Message Direct have designed the perfect solution to deal with call overflow, so you have the time and energy to deal with the more important aspects of your business.

Our dedicated message taking service has been designed to take the stress of call handling out of your working day. Our operators have been trained to the highest standard, and are experts in dealing with calls politely and efficiently. Your calls are just as important to us as they are to you, so you can rest assured that we’ll represent your business as best as we can. We’re specialists in message taking so you don’t have to be!

We understand that every business is different, which is why we’ll send you your messages in the most convenient way for you. Our message taking service offers a range of delivery options, whether you’d prefer to receive your messages via email, SMS text message or fax. It is of the utmost importance to us that your messages reach you immediately, so we’ll send them over as soon as we receive them.

Are you ready to revolutionise your business’ call handling process? Visit our website to see how we could help you with our virtual receptionist services and message taking.

The post Why Accuracy Matters When Message Taking appeared first on Message Direct.

Be realistic about your time

Without changing your routine or habits, spend a few days monitoring how you spend your time. You may believe that you only spend 30 minutes on emails, but in reality, that task is eating-up an hour or more of your day.

Gathering this info will give you the base you need to help you make changes to how you manage your time.

Plan ahead

Writing to-do lists is the bread and butter of self organisation. At the start of each day, or week, plan what tasks you’re going to be doing and allocate time to each task. Check in with your timetable periodically to ensure you’re not going too far off track.

Do one thing at a time

One major danger in a busy work environment is the risk of ‘half work’. This is when you might be part way through a task and you start doing something else. For example, if you open your emails part way through something, and in your inbox there are a few more things to add to your to-do list. This can often lead to both things you’re trying to do taking longer, and also you’ll be giving neither your full attention.

Outsource overflow call handling

By having the safety net of a professional call answering service, you are able to stick to the office hours you’ve previously committed to. The danger of not being able to answer the phone round the clock is that you may miss valuable sales opportunities or crucial customer service emergencies. The answer here is to get some backup. If a 24/7 call answering service, such as Message Direct, has you covered, you can still stick to your timetable without missing important messages and calls.

The post 5 top tips to stay on top of your personal time management appeared first on Message Direct.

The term customer loyalty refers to the act of a consumer choosing one company’s products and services consistently over their competitors. When your customers are loyal to your business, it will mean they are less likely to be easily swayed by special offers, or promotions your competitors run. Loyal customers aren’t easily swayed by price or availability. They would rather pay more and ensure the same quality service and products they have become familiar with.

Customer loyalty is the result of a business consistently meeting and exceeding consumer expectations. Customers who have had good experiences with a trustworthy company are likely to use their service again.

Why is customer loyalty important?

The benefits of customer loyalty can be observed at every level of your business. All the metrics you measure to check your company is thriving will be impacted by how many loyal customers you have. A business without loyal customers is unlikely to survive for very long. Getting new leads, securing new customers and setting up new clients is expensive. Repeat customers are a great way to ensure that the lifetime value of all your initial hard work is worth it. Keeping customers coming back for more is critical to business success. And it’s why short term profit grabs don’t work. Loyal customers are just better for business: they help you grow and they keep profits high.

Great customer service is paramount

Now we know what customer loyalty is, and how important it is for your business, we need to establish measures to ensure your business is doing everything it can to gain customer loyalty. One huge factor that will ensure people keep returning to your business is customer service. Helpful, straightforward and informed interactions with your business will make clients remember you for all the right reasons.

Utilising a call answering service can help

Our live receptionists offer round the clock coverage seven days a week to ensure that no calls are missed and customers are left with a positive experience of your business. Our employees have extensive experience serving a wide range of industries. With our service, your business will have a dedicated account manager that you can rely on, who is always on hand to ensure that your service remains smooth.

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In our quarter of a century in business, we’ve gained a huge amount of expertise in our field. That’s what keeps our brilliant customers using our service year after year. Our highly trained staff quickly cultivate relationships with each of the businesses we work with. This means that our professional phone answering service is personal and efficient for each of them.

We believe that a truly successful telephone answering service hinges on 3 key things.

• Reliable and flexible service

• Professional phone answering
• Ease of communication back to the client

At Message Direct these are 3 of the things we truly pride ourselves on. We believe this is a reason we have enjoyed 25 years of success.

Why choose Message Direct?

For those that can’t afford to employ a full-time receptionist or personal assistant, our live telephone answering service can be hugely useful. Small businesses and startups often lack the in-house staff needed to keep up with incoming calls, so by taking advantage of Message Direct’s call handling service, these small organisations can focus on the job in hand.

We offer a highly competitive and cost-effective alternative to handling calls in house. When a potential customer calls your telephone number, we will answer with your company name, within a matter of seconds, and relay the message or forward the call on to you, depending on preference.

With our 24-hour call answering coverage, callers will get through to your business as opposed to a voicemail message, enhancing your levels of customer service by replicating an in house receptionist.

Could your business benefit from professional call handling services from our experienced team? Visit https://www.message-direct.co.uk/our-services/message-taking/ for more information today.

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