Ring … ring …
“You have reached the voicemail of ABC Entrepreneur. Please leave your name, number, and a detailed message with your—
Click.
The customer that got away is every small business owner’s nightmare. You did so much marketing and worked so hard to pull people in, only to lose them to a competitor because you didn’t have the chance to answer the phone at that particular moment.
If it makes you wonder whether hiring a receptionist service might improve your chances of wooing those callers to become customers, you’re not alone. While there are no reliable statistics about the number of companies using virtual receptionist services across the country, the agreement is that the trend is on the rise.
So how exactly does a virtual receptionist help convert callers? Read on to learn what makes the magic happen.
Table of Contents
Time-sensitive response.
There’s a reason that person called you at 3:30 and not an hour later when you’re available. It’s because that’s a good time for them, and they had a desire, at 3:29, to speak with someone who could provide them with what they needed.
Maybe they wanted to book an appointment right then: a receptionist can take care of that quickly and professionally.
Maybe they had a question about your hours that same day: a receptionist can answer their question and then turn around and let you know to expect someone later in the afternoon.
Maybe they had a complaint about your service and planned to write a negative review on Google if you didn’t address it right away: a receptionist can provide the kind of world-class attention that will help them calm down and express their frustration privately instead.
What do these all have in common? Timeliness. Making sales takes so many different skills, but a surprising amount of success comes down to immediate response. If nobody answers your phone, it’s simple enough to go down to the next business on the list.
Problem-solving skills.
“I’m sorry, we don’t have any appointments available on Wednesday, but we do have a last-minute opening this afternoon if you’re interested.”
No matter how much information you leave in your voicemail message or on your website, it will never solve problems like a human can. Part of converting callers is removing as many barriers as possible to the sale itself. Does the caller lack information about your product or service? Is the process of buying complicated? Is the caller stressed about spending the money and needing reassurance?
These aren’t huge, life-threatening circumstances, but it can be enough to stop someone from becoming a customer. A good receptionist can quickly figure out what your caller’s problem is and take steps to alleviate it.
Data collection.
Sometimes, even with a fantastic receptionist, a caller will need to be forwarded to voicemail. But no matter how many times you implore people to be detailed when they leave a message, they never leave enough information. Or they leave several minutes of information, none of which get to the root of what needs to be addressed. A receptionist is able to collect pertinent information from the caller before they record their message and send that information on to you. This gives you the data you need to be fully prepared when you call back, demonstrating a high level of customers service and professionalism.
A virtual receptionist can mean the difference between plenty of inquiries and plenty of business.
And isn’t more and better business what we all want? If you’re a skeptic, take a look at what all these customers have to say.
“Since I made the switch, I have noticed a significant increase in the number of bookings I have been receiving solely off of cold phone inquiries. This happened within the first month or so and the timing made it very clear to me that hiring these folks have already paid for itself.” -Randy D.
“When I signed up with Reliable Receptionist last February, my take-home income doubled! I haven’t looked back since! I would strongly recommend their service to any business.” -Otis L.
“If you are a business owner who is still answering your own phones, STOP. Call reliable receptionist immediately.” -Erica B.
With recommendations like that, what are you waiting for? Get in touch with Reliable Receptionist today.
