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How to Avoid Missed Calls at Work

With 75% of customers annoyed when they cannot contact a real person, you can guess how they feel about not even getting through at all. Missed calls are the bane of any small business, and it is important to reduce them to as few as possible. So, how can you go about that while remaining professional and without overburdening yourself?

The following are a few solutions you can try. Each one has its own benefits, so make sure you find the one that best suits your needs.

Call Queueing

Nobody likes to be in a call queue, but sometimes it is the only way to handle a sudden influx of phone calls. If you are offering a discount, or some other time-sensitive benefit to customers, this can happen more often than otherwise.

Call queueing allows you to know how many people are waiting at any time and can also give you clarity on how popular you are. The downside, though, is it wastes customers’ time and often causes them to resent contacting you. This can often lead to them jumping to a competitor.

Call Forwarding

If people call outside of your opening times, they may still want to deal with a human. Leaving answering machine messages is not always good enough, especially if there is an emergency.

You could set up call forwarding to your cellphone and deal with the issue at any time of the day. The problem with this is that it does not leave you with any “downtime”, especially if many customers all have a similar issue at the same time. You might need to put any forwarded calls into an answering machine to deal with the problem after all.

Train Customer Service Staff

Instead of you dealing with the customers, you could hire and train staff to perform this role for you. While this gives you dedicated staff who can handle the issue, it will cost you not only wages but also time for hiring and onboarding. Not everyone has the budget, nor the capacity, to choose this option.

Hire a Professional Answering Service

A dedicated service can prevent missed business calls by being available at any time of the day. They can also scale to your needs, depending on the number of calls you get in a short space of time.

Any service you hire should also be able to use your own branding and company voice. This might even involve using a standardized greeting to help people know they called you.

Such services are often much cheaper than in-house staff and come pre-trained in professional call handling. Thus, you do need not to concern yourself with issues like training.

Avoid Missed Calls Forever

It is obvious that missed calls are one of the most troubling concepts for a small business. With these solutions, you now have several options available for how to move forward. Still, we want to help you get the best for your customers.

We provide call answering services to help you avoid missed calls at work and ensure your clients get the treatment and answers they need. So, give us a call today and learn more about how we can help you avoid lost calls in the future.

A Short Guide to Inbound Call Center Solutions

Welcome to a world where customer service and business efficiency go hand in hand!

Did you know that 77% of customers want quick help? They expect customer service staff to know what they want and to solve their queries. Customers choose businesses that meet these requirements.

Good customer service is essential in today’s fast and connected world. Businesses in different industries like healthcare, travel, and back-office support need it.

Inbound call center solutions are not new, but they have changed a lot in the past few years. Technology advances and customer-focused services have made them more efficient, cost-effective, and flexible.

But, handling many calls can take away from important tasks and reduce efficiency. The good news is inbound call center solutions can help. Learn more about these inbound center solutions here.

Driving Customer Loyalty and Service Excellence

Customers should be able to trust call center solutions and get excellent service. Tools in the call center help customers have better, more personalized experiences.

This involves the following:

  • Providing prompt and personalized support
  • Listening to customer feedback
  • Going the extra mile to exceed expectations

By prioritizing customer satisfaction, businesses can cultivate a loyal customer base. One that keeps coming back and becomes a brand advocate.

Remember, happy customers are more likely to become repeat customers. This leads to long-term success for your business.

Enhancing Efficiency and Cutting Costs

Call center solutions are a powerful tool for increasing productivity while decreasing overheads. These tools allow companies to streamline their customer service operations. They do this by automating tasks like the following:

  • Call distribution
  • Interactive voice response
  • Self-service

This automation improves operational efficiency and production. It does this by reducing manual effort and streamlining operations. Call center systems also feature real-time analytics and reporting.

This helps companies pinpoint the following:

  • Problem areas
  • Optimizing resource use
  • Making data-informed decisions

Businesses can save a lot of money and make better use of their resources if they maximize efficiency and eliminate costs.

Unlocking Growth Potential

Solutions for call centers are crucial in helping companies’ growth potential. Businesses can improve the following:

  • Their customer service
  • Streamline their sales operations
  • Attract new clients by using these technologies

Businesses use the following call center systems’ capabilities:

  • Intelligent call routing
  • CRM integration
  • Real-time analytics

The above capabilities can help a business do the following:

  • Boost customer satisfaction
  • Find upselling and cross-selling possibilities
  • Increase sales performance

In addition, these tools improve lead management. This makes it easier for companies to cultivate leads and ultimately turn them into paying clients. Businesses, by using call center solutions to their full advantage, can do the following:

  • Boost income
  • Broaden their customer base
  • Cement their position in the market

Growth potential is a key goal for businesses seeking long-term success.

Inbound Call Center Solutions: The Path to Success!

Inbound call center solutions pave the way to success by offering exceptional service. By using the tips above, companies can improve and grow. Use the potential of inbound call centers to thrive in today’s competitive landscape.

Visit us today and unlock the path to success for your business. Experience efficient call handling, personalized support, and enhanced customer satisfaction. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to take your customer service to new heights.

Top Reasons to Use a Small Business Answering Service

While most calls you take will be during work time, data shows more people call outside normal business hours these days than ever before. As a small business, you cannot afford to miss out on any phone call, but you cannot be available every second of the day. So, how do you deal with customers in a friendly and personable way when you are not even there?

This article will help you understand the benefits of a small business answering service. As you read on, consider what one might be able to do for you and what it might mean for you to help customers even when you are not working.

Professional Image

One of the best benefits of an answering service is its focus on providing a pitch-perfect response to any caller at all times of the day. Using your branding, such as any custom greeting you might use, they can present your business as the epitome of professionalism.

Such a service can handle your customers with the grace and candor of a highly-trained client relations expert. Callers will then feel valued. This will lead to many more return clients and a much better reputation over time.

Round-the-Clock Availability

As a small business, you cannot always afford to have people on the clock at every moment. Depending on your company, you might need to offer support at all times of the day, and an answering service can do this for you.

If you work in the healthcare or travel industries, emergencies could even occur at any time of day, or in any time zone. Using an answering service means you do not miss these calls. It also gives customers the assurance they need that they will receive five-star treatment at any time of the day.

Cost-Effective Customer Service

Training staff to handle calls can mean taking a large chunk out of both your day and also your budget. Even then, during the training period, they will not be at full capacity yet. This is without talking about the infrastructure needs, hiring process, and other work in-house staff would need to perform.

By using an answering service, you can have the assurance that a professional will answer the call at the drop of a hat. You will also not have to invest as much of your time and budget into getting them up-to-speed, as they will receive training from the service instead.

Scalable Services

As mentioned above, growing a customer service team can take a lot of time and money. In a similar vein, if you need to downscale, that comes with its own issues.

Working with a dedicated answering service means anyone you no longer need will move onto a different role instead. You will not need to pay out redundancy, nor do you need to handle HR concerns. The service handles everything.

Hire a Small Business Answering Service

The above benefits should help you understand why a small business answering service is exactly what you need. Still, you might want to know a little more before investing.

We can help answer any questions you might have about what an answering service provider can do for you. So, get in touch and we will help you on the road to better customer service today.

Virtual Business Phone Service: What Is It and How Does It Work?

Are you tired of missing out on important business calls because nobody is available to answer them? It’s a frustrating situation faced by many small and medium-sized businesses. But what if there was a way to fix this problem without the need to hire a large team of receptionists or invest in expensive call centers.

Enter the virtual business phone service—a potential game-changer for your business. With this solution, you can handle your phone calls with professionalism and efficiency. This can help ensure that more opportunities are seized and no call goes unanswered.

But how does it actually work? Stay with us as we look closer at this fascinating service and discover how it has the power to transform your business.

Understanding Virtual Business Phone Services

As digital communication evolves, the way businesses communicate is shifting. At the heart of this shift is the virtual business phone service. But what is it and how does it work?

A virtual business phone service offers a unique virtual number for your business. This isn’t tied to a specific phone line or location. Instead, when someone dials this number, the call is forwarded to an actual phone line of your choice.

Now, here’s where the magic happens. These calls aren’t answered by an automated system, but by a virtual receptionist.

These receptionists work remotely, but to your callers, it seems as though they’re sitting right in your office. And they are very useful! They can do the following, and more:

  • Answer your calls professionally
  • Take messages
  • Schedule appointments
  • Provide necessary information on request

Key Features and Benefits of Virtual Business Phone Services

A virtual business phone service has several features that give it an edge. It’s flexible, allowing businesses to manage their calls from anywhere at any time. It’s also scalable, meaning it can grow with your business, whether you’re expanding or downsizing.

But the benefits of these services extend beyond flexibility and scalability. Cost-effectiveness is a significant advantage. Traditional receptionist services can be costly, but a virtual service eliminates overheads such as office space or additional hardware.

In addition, the professionalism a virtual receptionist provides is invaluable. They are trained to handle different types of calls, ensuring your business always appears competent and responsive. It’s an easy way to elevate your customer service game.

Choosing the Right Virtual Business Phone Service: The XACT Advantage

Finding the right virtual business phone service is crucial because not all services are the same. It’s important to select one that suits your unique business requirements.

At XACT, we offer more than just a virtual business number. We provide a complete customer contact solution that covers phone, chat, email, and internet support. Our virtual receptionists are highly skilled and trained to represent your company seamlessly, handling your calls with professionalism and efficiency.

Choosing a virtual business phone service means finding a partner who can support you in serving your customers and stakeholders better. With XACT, you’re choosing a committed partner dedicated to the success of your business.

Making Your Business Communication Better with XACT

We’ve dug deep into the details of a virtual business phone service. We’ve looked at what they do, why they’re helpful, and how they operate. These services are more than just a passing trend – they’re crucial for any business wanting to keep their communication smooth and efficient.

At XACT, we’re experts in providing customer contact solutions that fit your business just right. Our virtual receptionists are always ready to ensure your clients get professional help.

Thinking of leveling up? Contact us today. Let’s talk about how we can help with your customer contact needs.

Upselling Techniques: How to Harness Email to Sell More

In 2022, small business owners spent over $600 billion on digital advertising. It’s no secret that the Internet is one of the most powerful tools that businesses can leverage. This is especially true when it comes to running an email campaign.

There are certain upselling techniques you can take advantage of with email marketing, and it’s essential to understand how to make use of them. Let’s explore your options.

Use Personalization

Personalization is one of the best ways you can take your email marketing performance to new heights.

This is especially true when you incorporate personalization based on goals. In general, content that is crafted for mass appeal will have the same impact on a customer as something tailored to them. A great example would be to send an email about problems or ongoing projects they might have.

You can then provide insight into the solutions you offer.

Establish Customer Progress

Helping your customers keep track of their progress is essential when it comes to getting the most out of marketing email management. To clarify, you could remind your customers how much time or money they saved by using your service.

This is something that many brands incorporate, and it’s one of the most effective ways to keep your customers interested in your brand. Visual elements are notably effective, as well. You could include a progress bar in your emails, for example.

Make sure that this information is accurate so that it feels more personalized.

Streamline Upgrading

Upgrading to a new tier of service should be one of your main priorities during your outbound email marketing campaigns.

Depending on the services that you offer, this could prove to be a substantial increase in revenue. It will also allow you to maximize your customer lifetime value.

However, you’ll need to make upgrading as easy as possible for your customers. The best way to use this technique is to send emails when the customer already plans on making a purchase. A common scenario could involve sending an email with suggestions on what customers should add to their online shopping cart.

You could also send an email before the renewal of the billing cycle that details the benefits of upgrading to the next tier of service.

Take Advantage of Purchase Momentum

After someone makes a purchase, they are fully engaged with your brand. So, this serves as a great time to provide additional offers.

This will allow you to both upsell and cross-sell, something that can exponentially increase the amount of money they spend. Keep in mind that this only works if your offers include products or services that they will find useful. So, don’t haphazardly usher them to buy things they don’t need.

Leverage These Upselling Techniques

Under the right circumstances, using these upselling techniques can help take your company’s performance to the next level. Just be sure to consider the info in this guide so you can avoid problems you may have otherwise encountered.

Reach out to us at XACT today to get started. Our team of professional staff can walk you through our premier customer service solutions.