What is a warm transfer & why is it important?

Building a brand is vital to the long-term success of a business. A brand isn’t just a logo and a colour scheme. A brand is a manifestation of your values and aspirations as a company and how you personify them to deliver your service or product.

You can build a brand with advertising, through storytelling and by creating a digital presence, but it won’t be robust or meaningful if your customer service is lacking.

The importance of a human touch

In today’s online marketplace, almost every industry is crowded, and competition is fierce. What can make your company stand out is to show warmth and build genuine, human relationships inside the business and with clients and customers.

Trust is a fundamental value proposition for any business. In a world that uses technology to communicate, the tools that connect us can also create a barrier that separates us from face-to-face communication. The way you treat customers and how you make them feel is a crucial element when it comes to your brand, reputation and ultimately, the success of your business.

Our research showed that one in three business calls are missed. This statistic is not only bad for your bottom line because callers will often go on to call a direct competitor; it is also bad for your brand. People don’t like to be ignored, and they don’t like to feel like they’re chasing a business. People want to feel like their custom, and their call is valued and appreciated.

One way to make your callers feel appreciated and create a great first impression is to use a telephone answering service with a dedicated receptionist. If a call is answered promptly by a polite and highly professional receptionist, the experience provided to the caller is far superior the that offered by an automated voicemail message.

The ability to relate to your customers, be it on the phone or live chat, is a crucial variable in your business’s reputation. If callers and visitors are treated poorly, then they will be left with a bad impression of your company.

What is a warm transfer?

A warm transfer provides a much better caller experience. A warm transfer occurs when one employee answers a call and then transfers the call to a different employee but passes on any relevant information so that the caller does not have to repeat themselves. The original employee will speak to the caller again to introduce the next person who will handle the call and assist the caller.

What are the benefits of a warm transfer?

In a world of one-click purchases and high-speed internet connections, customers can be highly impatient and become frustrated very quickly. One of the annoying things that can often occur when you call a company is that you have to speak to multiple people and explain the same thing repeatedly.

Emotions often drive people’s perceptions and behaviour. The first thing they will remember about your business is how they were made to feel when they interacted with or contacted your company.

With a cold transfer (also called a blind transfer) – a receptionist or agent will pass the caller onto a ringing line or directly to another employee without any introduction. The caller will often be forced to reintroduce themselves and outline the reason for the call again.

A warm transfer provides a much better customer experience. Whereas a cold transfer is often a negative experience, a warm transfer can often be a highly positive one.

Imagine calling a local builder; after two rings, someone answers:

“Good morning, you’re through to Amanda at Example Building Service; how can I help you today?”

You go onto explain that you need a quote on a new kitchen and outbuilding for a home office. The receptionist then puts you through to the relevant employee, tells him what the call is about and then quickly comes back on the phone:

“Hi again, Mr Smith; I have Steve on the line for you now; he’s happy to run you through the process and set up a visit. Have a wonderful day, bye now!”

If the receptionist’s tone is genuine and warm, then the warm transfer and the overall experience can be a highly positive one for the caller. The alternatives, for example – a builder answering a call halfway through an important job, the call being missed completely or a cold transfer with no introduction, on the other hand, can be frustrating and confusing.

Live chat & warm transfers

Live chat can act similarly to the phone as a customer service tool. For example, if someone was to go to a construction company website and ask a specific question that needed to be dealt with by an account manager, the live chat agent could contact the manager, then warm transfer the client within the live chat widget. Alternatively, the agent could pass on the relevant message and information to the account manager and ask them to call the client back on the phone.

With Moneypenny’s Live Chat service, you can improve the functionality of your website and enhance your level of customer service overnight. We give you a dedicated UK-based agent who will be hand-picked to match your business’s requirements. Outside of regular working hours, a small team of highly-trained agents will assist any website visitors, regardless of the time or the day of the week. With customisable live chat widgets, an online reporting portal, an overflow service option and a free trial, you can increase your customer service and generate leads while you sleep.

Why use a telephone answering service?

With Moneypenny’s Telephone Answering service, you can enjoy all the benefits of an in-house, full-time receptionist for a fraction of the cost. The only UK-based service to give you a dedicated receptionist, you will increase your productivity while improving customer service and support.

Phone calls are a vital source of sales leads for most businesses, but with the number of spam and scam calls increasing year on year, they can also be a highly annoying distraction. Research has shown that a single interruption, such as an unwanted phone call, can take, on average, 23 minutes to recover from! Not only that, but distractions and interruptions have been shown to increase the number of errors made and heighten stress levels.

With Moneypenny, you can let us impress your callers while you focus on the work at hand. With the option to upgrade to 24/7 support, you can relax in the evenings and weekends, too, without having to listen out for your phone constantly.

With Moneypenny, you can also benefit from:

– A landline or freephone number for your mobile phone

– Caller recognition

– Calendar integration

– Moneypenny app

– Online reporting portal

– No lengthy contracts

– A 7-day free trial (no payment information required)

For more information about how to set up your free trial, click here.