Do I need a 24/7 telephone answering service?

Extending your answering hours could transform your business

The chances are, if you’re seeking an answer to this question, you probably do.

Do you start each morning with a raft of missed calls? Do your competitors offer 24/7 support for their clients and customers? Are you missing opportunities from callers who can’t reach out during normal business hours? If so, your business would certainly benefit from a 24-hour telephone answering service.

With a telephone answering service, you can be sure your callers are enjoying an incredible customer service experience, no matter the time or day they get in touch. No waiting, no frustration, just a professional receptionist taking your calls as if they were based in your business.

What kinds of businesses need to offer a 24-hour contact number?

• Emergency plumbers, electricians and building repair specialists
• Letting agents responsible for arranging emergency repairs
• Out-of-hours doctors and Accident & Emergency departments
• Out-of-hours dentists
• Animal rescue centres/charities and out-of-hours vets
• Fraud reporting departments within banks
• All-hours locksmiths
• Hotels and airlines
• International businesses with customers in different time zones
• Roadside recovery services and emergency car mechanics
• Anyone who wants to deliver red carpet service; law firms, private clinics, niche or high value services

What kinds of businesses would benefit from having a 24-hour contact number?

All businesses with customers who might want to speak to them would benefit from having someone available to answer calls 24-hours a day. The key is to balance that benefit with the cost it represents. If you own a florist serving local customers, it is unlikely that being unavailable outside of normal working hours would cause many issues. However, if you have an international client base or offer services that come with a sense of urgency – like internet repair – you would do well to consider a round-the-clock customer service line.

Limit the expense by using an outsourced answering service instead of your own in-house hire. With a telephone answering service you’ll only pay for calls taken, rather than the time spent waiting for the phone to ring.

What are the benefits of a telephone answering service?

Unlike a message-taking service or call centre, a professional telephone answering service assigns one person to your account – not just the ‘next available operator’. Your PA or receptionist will get to know you and take a full brief so they can understand the way you do business. They will answer calls in the way you request (usually a greeting that includes your business name), and get to know your regular callers just like any other member of your team.

There’s a wealth of other benefits, here’s just a few;

• Excellent customer service
• High quality brand experience
• Cost saving and scalable
• No missed opportunities
• Flexible – only there when needed
• Messages received right away

Try it FREE for one week

Moneypenny is the world’s leading outsourced communications provider, delivering telephone answering, live chat, switchboard and multichannel customer services for businesses of all sizes.

To find out how you will benefit from a 24 hour telephone answering service, experience our full service free for one week with no set-up costs and no obligation. Want to know more? Give us a call today on 0333 202 1005.