Communication is absolutely critical when it comes to running a successful business. The Merriam Webster definition of communication is “the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviours to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone else”. How are you communicating with your customers? Particularly for micro, small and medium sized businesses. In this day and age you want your business to be as accessible as possible. But how best should you structure this accessibility? One of the very best ways to make yourself and your team very accessible is to make sure that you are contactable via telephone. What have your team capacity to handle – in terms of calls? For many running smaller businesses, the hurdle of telephone answering can become a big problem.
When there is a knock on your door? Who answers your phone calls?
Professional
When dealing with a one person operation, there is huge pressure on that person to deliver. But also huge risk from the customers point of view if they can’t, even if not through their own fault. Having the appearance of an addition staff member adds credibility. In the Harvard Business Review, there was an article “To Keep Your Customers, Keep It Simple”, the article looks at what drives consumer behaviour. The article looks at surveys/reports in relation to what makes consumers “sticky” – likely to follow through on an intended purchase, buy again and recommend to others. The biggest driver of “stickiness” by far above price, perception, interaction was “decision simplicity”. The ease with which consumers can gather trustworthy information about a product and/or service and confidently weigh their purchase options. So in essence consumers want simplicity. Communication is critical, your communications with customers says a lot about your business. Boils down to that old saying less is more. How does your website compare to a competitors? Do they answer their own phone?
Kendlebell Naas – The Perfect Call Answer
Capacity
For some smaller businesses answering the calls is not necessarily a problem. Maybe they do manage to answer all calls, but the calls drain a huge amount of time. Smaller businesses can be shorter on time. Plus the distraction of the call, the refocus recovery afterwards, the removal from “core” or invoiceable work. Also dealing with a high volume of routine calls can be also be energy sapping. Especially if similar queries keep popping up. The knock on effect of this is, small business owners tend to “dodge” calls aka lose business, as some will try to operate solely online. “You can book via the website” and so on, some customers do not want to book via a website! They want to call and speak to a team member. Some sole traders resort to running their businesses using only their mobile phone. This may even prove to be perfectly functional day to day, for them. But does appear to possible customers as unprofessional. Communication is critical, you miss a call here, don’t listen to a voicemail there, perhaps not enough to lose a current client but certainly enough to lose a prospective client.
Our Personal Assistant Teams will answer your phones, as you direct.
A mobile landline
Whatever about visibly operating from a mobile phone and actually operating from a mobile phone, like with many things perception is reality. Have a landline on your website point it into your mobile or into a call answering service, either way the perception is you have an established business, initially with the number alone. Plus this also provides you a landline number to print on stationery and vehicles. Because even if a possible client is on your website planning to send you an email and they see that you have no landline number, that is a negative cunctation against your business. With having a landline listed you are consciously communicating with the customers – this is an established reputable business.
What happens when you are in a business meeting – perhaps trying to close a deal and your mobile rings?
Trust
Strong relationships, whether personal or economic, are built on trust. Often in a era of google business/adwords a possible customers first interaction with a business might be via an advert or website. Does the website look trustworthy? Is there a landline number? If you ring is the call answered? Is there a physical address? A recent Dale Carnegie study indicated that trust is “very” or “extremely” important to 73% of consumers for building relationships with salespeople. Is a website any different? Is your website not a salesperson? The same study found that 71% of respondents said they would rather buy from a salesperson they trusted over one who gave them the lowest price.
Free Trial & Our Services
Kendlebell Naas provide a customisable call answering service, very much focused on the quality of the service we provide to our customers. If you would like to avail of our two week, no cost, no obligation, no risk free trial, check it out here. Why do we our a free trial? To enable us to build a trusting relationship with you and so you can see the benefits of our services in real life. Our team of dedicated Personal Assistants become part of your team. Plus our customisable services will enable you and your team to work smarter while saving you money and time.
Kendlebell Naas – The Perfect Answer.
Kendlebell Naas – The Perfect Call Answer
