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One third of small businesses, such as cleaning companies, are losing customers by failing to answer the phone, according to outsourced communications provider, Moneypenny.
In fact, relying on voice mail to do the job customers expect humans to do only leaves customers irritated and businesses appearing less than professional, which is why Moneypenny has launched a new online Call Calculator to show businesses what their answering gap is costing them.
The majority of businesses, like cleaning companies, in the UK are small with only one to nine employees, meaning full-time dedicated phone staff may not be viable. Most of these businesses realise incoming calls are vital to their success, but cannot answer literally every call, leaving around 33 per cent unanswered. Of these, 71 per cent go to voicemail and 29 per cent simply ring out. Approximately 69 per cent of the customers that go to voicemail will not leave a message.
Joanna Swash, MD of Moneypenny, explained: “Calls are still incredibly valuable to cleaning companies. Handled correctly, they can transform the way a business communicates with and relates to customers, which subsequently can be seen in their bottom line. Not handled correctly, if at all, means the loss of valuable leads. Today’s customers expect to be able to communicate with businesses immediately, and proper call answering is vital to making that first impression positive.”
When the phone is answered, Moneypenny adds that the person answering the call should be friendly, clear and easily understandable, an active and attentive listener, and convey a positive attitude that isn’t dismissive. One study showed 19 per cent of surveyed callers wouldn’t do business with a company based on their first phone call impressions, and that 31 per cent of callers felt their call wasn’t valued by the small business.
To help cleaning companies decide whether call answering is right for them, Moneypenny’s Call Calculator can indicate how many calls they are missing a week, and how much it could be costing them. The tool helps businesses gain insight into what their dedicated receptionists could do to help fill their answering gap.
