Here are some reasons live answering services outperform automation and why your business should strongly consider getting one.
Why Live Answering Services Beat Automation Every Time
Do want a good indication of how a person feels about a particular business? Just ask them what they think of their call system. Is there an actual human being on the other end who’s friendly, helpful, and doesn’t keep you on the line forever? Or is there a robotic voice guiding you into an endless cycle of prompts and “sorry, I didn’t get that” types of responses.I don’t want to bash automated answering services altogether. I mean, they do have their place. They’re inexpensive, require minimal maintenance, don’t take vacations, and can be setup to work 24/7.Good luck finding a human being willing to work with conditions like those.If your business doesn’t focus much on customer interactions and call volumes are relatively small, then sure, go for the standard automated system. But if you want your business to leave a lasting impression on each and every person who calls in, you can’t beat having a real person for them to talk to.Here are some reasons live answering services outperform automation and why your business should strongly consider getting one:
They’re so much more efficient
Not only is it nicer talking to an actual person, but they’re much better at answering more complex questions.
Humans are more compassionate than machines
This one should go without saying. Which is more likely to calm an angry caller or comfort someone in distress – a caring, human being with empathy… or a prerecorded voice that only repeats certain phrases based on a script? I’ll let you answer that.
Less expensive than hiring more staff
I know at the beginning of this post I said automated systems are much cheaper, and that’s still true. But, if you want to go with a live person to answer calls and can’t afford to hire more full-time or part-time employees, then a live answering service is the perfect route. Costs vary quite a bit depending on the company you use and the types of services you offer, but they’ll save you a lot of money in the long run.
Calls are handled much faster
A lot of the time, the caller has no idea what department they’re needing or who they should be speaking to. Instead of going through dozens of prompts and potentially getting transferred from place to place, a live person can quickly determine who the caller should be talking to and get them to the right person the first time.
Conclusion
Obviously, when it comes to choosing a live answering service or an automated one, the answer is subjective. What works for your business might not work for another, and vice versa. It does go without saying that a human being can outperform a computer regarding providing natural communication every step of the way.Sure, artificial intelligence is advancing, but until it gets to the point where it’s impossible to tell the difference between a person and a machine, the person will always win.
