Good customer service goes a long way. How often have you chosen a business simply because they’re available, helpful, and kind? Turns out, 89% of consumers feel the same way. One way to help you boost your customer service support is by leveraging an after-hours call answering service. Maximizing business hours ensures you can provide first-rate customer service even during off-hours like late nights, weekends, and holidays.

While voicemail and chatbot have their perks, for most customers who want instant gratification, nothing beats speaking with a live person.

Comparing automated answering and after-hours call answering services is comparing automation version human interaction.

Availability

An automated answering service closes and ensures calls go straight to a recording, which can feel impersonal and frustrate the customer. On the other hand, providing an after-hours answering service is like having a friendly night owl on duty. They’re there 24/7, ready to answer calls, and ensure you never miss a chance to connect with a potential client or help out a valued customer.

Personal Touch

An automated call service often has impersonal greetings. If it’s a voicemail or a chatbot, there’s no opportunity to address the customer’s concern in real time. Alternatively, an after-hours service comes with trained agents to greet customers, gather information, address concerns, or dispatch the call to the right person. An agent can also discern the urgency of the situation.

Cost

But an automated answering service is budget-friendly, right? Yes, it’s cheaper, but it doesn’t do the job, so you waste time and resources. After-hours service might cost more, but it offers many features, making it a worthwhile investment.

Optimization Tips

Elevate your customer support even after regular hours with these techniques:

• Create a clear script. Get involved in making a detailed script outlining how you want your service provider to handle calls on your behalf. Provide a clear directive to avoid miscommunication, from the intro greetings to the outro and everything in between. Provide a guideline on how the agents gather and disseminate information. Have a protocol for patching calls. Give your service provider as much information as you can to ensure accuracy.
• Ask for detailed call logs. Outsourcing your after-hours call services means letting others handle the work, not abandoning it altogether. Ask for detailed call logs with the caller’s name, contact information, and concern. The log must also include the actions taken to resolve the issue. The call logs enable you to track call volume, measure the efficiency of the service, and identify consumer trends.
• Communicate regularly. Plan regular meetings to ensure everyone is on the same page, tackle new solutions, and resolve any issues.

Technological Enhancements

Technology keeps an after-hours call answering service running like a well-oiled machine.

• Integration with CRM System: Incorporating your existing system with what your service providers use ensures that the agents have all the necessary information, including previous concerns, at their fingertips. This means no more starting from scratch or scrambling to find past interactions.
• Cloud-Based Platform: This ensures the availability of pertinent information regardless of where your remote after-hours call answering service provider is located. Cloud-based platforms also minimize digital clutter. Files and logs are stored, organized, and accessible, optimizing knowledge-sharing.
• Automated Scheduler: This software is great for clients who want to schedule (or reschedule) an appointment on their own. It allows users to input their availability and automatically reserve a slot.

Ensuring all calls are answered, regardless of time, shows that you always have your customers covered. After-hours call answering service is a commitment to accessibility, trust, and loyalty. All contribute to business growth.

Let On Call Centre help you with your after-hours call answering service needs. Contact us to learn more.