Answering calls, scheduling appointments, sending messages, and providing live customer assistance are more than just core functions of your business – they’re also opportunities to enhance brand perception and customer loyalty and expand your client base.

A virtual assistant lends your business a bit of legitimacy and the illusion of size. A telephone answering service is important even in your company’s infancy because it gives you a good brand perception. Because with many services you can provide your virtual receptionist with custom scripts, you can maintain any brand voice and personality you may have already created online or elsewhere.

Here are a few more reasons why your small business should be using a telephone answering service.

Never miss a sales lead

Sales calls are the lifeblood of your business. What’s the point of spending money on marketing or any other aspect of your business if you’re not going to make yourself accessible to your clients? Getting just one sale a month through your telephone answering service could mean it pays for itself.

Save money on hiring a receptionist

Telephone answering services represent a huge saving in comparison to handling your calls in-house. You not only avoid paying a salary, you also save on the costs associated with having someone in the office.

Act like a blowfish

Known as the blowfish effect, making your business look bigger and more professional is a great way to stand out in a crowded marketplace. For micro businesses, this is especially helpful in enhancing the perception of having a fully manned office. With brand perception high on the agenda for many small businesses, replicating the sleek and seamless service of a larger organization is becoming increasingly desirable.

Impress every single caller

In a competitive market, it’s important to “WOW” each and every client. As consumers, we seek and expect to be wowed, and as business owners, it’s our job to compel customers to talk, tweet and share their experience with us. Our receptionists have the confidence, knowledge and positive can-do attitude to make an unforgettable experience.

Free up time for your team to generate revenue

Even during office hours, dealing with the flow of inbound calls can be extremely time-consuming and distracting. A phone answering service can handle of the day-to-day enquiries, allowing your team to concentrate on growing your business.

Personal touch

Answering machines should be banned for small businesses. It can reflect poorly on your business, while making it look disorganized and can even turn customers off before they’ve had the chance to even get through to you. A call answering service means that whenever they call, potential clients get through to an actual person.

Increase productivity of your staff

Research has shown that calls are the single biggest distraction people face in the workplace. When you are constantly having your workflow interrupted, it breaks your momentum. The time wasted isn’t the time it takes to answer the call, it’s all the time it takes to get yourself back into the swing of work.

Book appointments and manage your calendar

Many telephone answering services can also do other tasks, such as acting as a switchboard to transfer calls to the appropriate people. Even better, some virtual receptionists can be trained to use your calendar and diary software, which means they book, cancel and rearrange appointments for you. This is an excellent way to cut down on time-consuming administration.

Contact Us if you’re interested in enhancing your brand perception.