Small businesses, including local service providers, often assume that voicemail is enough to capture callers beyond working hours and on holidays. That’s often an expensive mistake. Customers aren’t interested in leaving a message or waiting for callbacks, and in most cases, if your business isn’t available, they will choose the next available option. A good alternative is a live answering service. If you research well and select the best virtual receptionist, your business will never have to bother about availability on nights, weekends, and holidays. Unfortunately, many small business owners misunderstand live answering services. In this guide, we are sharing a few myths and facts.
Myth 1: This is Only for Big Businesses
Wrong! Providers like Signpost now offer live receptionists and agents for small and growing businesses, including those who offer services. Signpost currently has hundreds of clients, and their agents are based in the United States. Yes, the solution is more used by bigger companies, but benefits remain the same.
Myth 2: It’s Just Expensive Voicemail
Again, voicemail is all about leaving messages. There is no direct communication with the caller. Live answering services, on the other hand, have agents who talk to callers, respond to questions, and schedule services. The two options are exact opposites in that context. Voicemail also cannot distinguish between a genuine and spam call.
Myth 3: Outsourced Receptionists Won’t Know the Business
Live agents are trained for handling calls for different clients, and that process starts with sharing scripts, intake forms, and FAQs. In other words, these virtual receptionists will adhere to the protocols you share, including services, pricing, and hours. There will be consistency in responses, because the information in the knowledge base or system is the same. If you need to update details, the process is equally simple.
Myth 4: Not Worth Unless The Call Volume is High
As a small business, each incoming call is critical for you. No matter whether the caller is an existing customer or a potential one, you have to ensure they get a response. Even if you don’t have a high call volume on regular days, there is a risk of losing calls on weekends and holidays.
Myth 5: Live Receptionists Can’t Handle Urgent Calls
This is a myth. The fact is, receptionists are given escalation rules, which they will follow for all urgent and emergency calls. If someone is calling for a broken roof or needs help with a major power failure, the live agent will consider what’s best and will forward the call to the next available technician. Your team will only get calls that are relevant and important.
Myth 6: Customers Will Know
Receptionists will greet your callers using your business name, scripts, and greetings. There is no way someone will know that they are not talking to in-house staff. Of course, you have to select a live answering service you can trust, but there is no reason to worry that the responses will look outsourced.
Myth 7: Live Answering Services Have Fixed Hours
One of the first reasons why many small businesses use live answering services is availability. Top providers ensure their agents are available 24/7, even on weekends and holidays. You will only agree to pay to an outsourced team when you know there is no need to hire additional staff.
Transform Your Customer Care Today
Gone are the days when small businesses had no way to compete with bigger names. Today, with better customer support and timely services, it is possible to carve a niche. It all starts with choosing a live answering service that will simplify customer care, which will also ensure your team has the time to focus on core operations.
