Running a business can be a grind. It’s important to take some time away so you stay refreshed. Don’t worry, you won’t miss anything. You’ll be in good hands.
It’s probably safe to say that your small business takes up the majority of your time. But all that hard work and time you put in is rewarding. Of course, at some point even a superhuman like yourself needs to take a break.
Your company needs you to be sharp and operating at peak levels to lead your team to success. However, your family and friends need your time too. If you don’t find a way to create a healthy balance, your loved ones might be encouraged to throw that constantly ringing cell phone of yours right out the window. There’s a time to talk shop and a time to get really serious about planning that vacation. When you finally take that four-day weekend or holiday, you want to get the most out of your down time so you return refreshed. However, deep down you can’t help thinking, “What if?”
What if something happens? What if someone gets sick? What if I’m needed? What if I miss that important phone call?
You are in charge because you take your responsibilities for managing success and planning very seriously. But maybe you’re asking the wrong questions. Try these five “what if” questions before you stress:
1) What if I had a professional answering service handle my calls while I was out of the office or on vacation?
A team of well-trained customer care specialists can support your clients and keep them happy while you’re away. Friendly virtual receptionists can act as an extension of your business to make sure you never miss an opportunity to provide exceptional customer service or capture new sales leads. You can develop a list of proper responses in a customized script and if necessary, appropriate call escalation contingencies will be followed based on your instruction.
2) What if my company could answer the phone 24 hours a day?
Unless you already have the extra staffing to accomplish this, you’re probably like a lot of other small business owners who aren’t even aware how many opportunities they are missing after regular business hours. Put an affordable 24 hour answering service on the job while you’re away and you’ll gain some new insight about your business. Most likely, by the time you get back, you will learn that there is a lot of value in having someone answer your phones 24 hours a day. With data like that, you could make some informed decisions about what your company really needs.
3) What if emergencies were monitored, tracked and responded to correctly while you were away?
Professionals know how to follow a process. In the event they aren’t able to resolve the caller’s issue themselves, a great answering service can identify the right person within your organization to contact, and that person can solve the problem. It’s possible for confirmation and coordination to happen between your client, your response team and your answering service. In the end, it’s more likely that call did not require you to be notified, because you have a fantastic team. However, if you must check in while you’re supposed to be relaxing, all calls handled by the answering service are logged in your online account that you can manage from anywhere.
4) What if a call answering service was part of my disaster recovery planning?
Many companies don’t have a bulletproof backup plan for when their phone lines or power goes down. When you are away from the office or on vacation, it might be impossible for you to react to these crippling situations. Bad weather could prevent your team from coming to the office or completely cut off the team from the tools they need to keep your business operating. This can be one of the greatest assets of having an “on demand” call center service at the ready. No calls get missed, your customers are still taken care of, and your priorities are met.
5) What if it didn’t cost that much for peace of mind
Whether you’re headed home to be with your family for the night or going on vacation for a week, peace of mind is the goal. If handling every customer call in a helpful, professional manner is priceless, and there is an affordable, pay-for-what-you-use option available that can cover your phones every night, weekend and on demand, it makes sense to explore this solution. Imagine the cost savings of not having to hire a new receptionist when yours quits unexpectedly. Better yet: imagine the savings of not having to hire a part or full time receptionist at all because you chose a professional service instead. Your in-house staff will always go to lunch, take a vacation of their own, or pop out to pick up a sick child. You could protect your business from all of these gaps in call coverage and enjoy your time away in peace with a professional phone answering service handling your calls.
Every manager, division or branch location needs this same peace of mind and backup resource. Enjoy a seamless relationship and be confident your customers get the attention they deserve whenever they need it. That’s when you can get the vacation you deserve, because you planned for it.
More posts you might want to check out:
3 Ways an After Hours Answering Service Builds Business
Give Yourself the Night Off With an Answering Service
How an Answering Service Will Fuel Your Passion