Picture this. You’re standing in front of 1,000 people, and you ask them the question: “Who here enjoys listening to an automated recording when they call a customer service hotline?”
I’ll tell you what you’ll hear, crickets. Maybe a few grumbly laughs. I’ll tell you what you won’t see, any raised hands. Why? Say it with me… no one likes listening to or waiting for an automated answering service.
When your customers or prospects are calling you, it’s because they want to talk to you or your staff. They want to speak with a real person, who understands them and can help them. People don’t get that secure feeling that they’re looking for when they have a problem with an automated recording. Think about it this way; if they’re calling customer service, it isn’t because they want to tell you how great things are going. They’ve got a problem, and they’re asking for help.
You can’t be available 24 hours a day 7 days a week to answer calls and customer service questions, but hiring an answering service might be your next best decision. Answering services employ real people who can be available as much or as little as you need. They’re real people, trained as if they were an employee of your company to take care of business while you’re enjoying your time off, free of worry.
Some interesting facts to consider:
Studies show that 57% of people have admitted to bailing on a customer service call out of frustration, before even resolving the issue they were calling for in the first place.
50% of callers looking to make a purchase have hung up on an automated service mid-purchase because they didn’t feel comfortable giving their information to a machine.
75% of people have stated that they consider it highly annoying when they cannot speak to a real person.
When asked how many minutes the group would be willing to endure before needing to speak with a real person, 60% of the entire group said 2 minutes was all they’d wait. 29% said that anything over 2 minutes was unacceptable, and 75% of the GenX/Baby Boomer group said they wouldn’t even wait 2 minutes.
These numbers tell us that people all over the world are going through similar situations, which means many companies aren’t paying attention to their customer’s needs. Set yourself apart from your competition and give them a real person. Whether you’re available 24/7, have your calls forwarded, or hire an answering service, you’re guaranteed to see a significant increase in your sales if you make the switch.
