Business owners today are being asked to do more with less. There is constant pressure to improve performance, maintain growth, and increase those numbers. From large companies to independent contractors, business growth is a top priority.
Although there are various strategies and tactics you can implement to grow your business without increasing fixed costs, they’re only going to be helpful if they can successfully do one of three things:
- Increase your customer base
- Increase the size of your transactions
- Increase the purchasing frequency
By default, most businesses focus on increasing the number of customers. Getting more people to buy your products or services is the most logical place to begin when you need to bring in new business. Here are additional tips that you will help you grow your business, without adding more overhead:
1. Outsourced Call Answering
If you’re getting to a point in the growth of your organization where you’re struggling to meet an increasing call volume, outsourcing telephone answering service could be just the thing you need.
It is very important for a business to ensure that all of the customer calls that come in are handled properly. With rapid growth, it will get difficult to keep up with the call volume.
To become successful, you need to integrate services that can alleviate any strain without increasing your fixed cost, such as the above. There are also some other benefits that come along with outsourcing call answering. These include:
- A Guaranteed warm welcome
You only get one opportunity to make a first impression. When you choose a professional telephone answering service, you’ll be providing the best possible response to customer inquiries every time.
Whether it’s a prospective client, an information request, a complaint, or a general inquiry, your mind will be at ease knowing that your customers’ calls will never be going to an answering machine, and that they are spoken to in a way that aligns with the policy of your organization.
- Access to the best tech systems
Most telephone answering services make use of the latest technological infrastructure to meet the growing demands of customers. Not only is this equipment expensive, but it also needs expertise to properly operate it.
Your telephone answering service provider will use their proprietor systems to handle large call volumes.
- Better efficiency and productivity
The call answering service will help you to manage your business better. You’ll be able to free up resources to work on more important business products and services.
You will notice an improvement in performance as you offload the customer handling side of things to an expert team. This will also lead to higher sales and deals, helping you increase your bottom line.
- Higher return rate
You will improve your chances of meeting your sales targets when you outsource your call answering. Calls from existing and potential clients will no longer filter through a long voice mail. The person answering customers calls will reassure them and schedule a suitable appointment time.
Call answering services have experts who are trained in the art of connecting and empathizing with clients. Your customers will appreciate dealing with someone capable of handling their request and will want to come back for more in the future. Retaining a client is cheaper than looking for new clients.
- Your employees will be happy
When employees are not forced to perform tasks they don’t specialize in, it will reduce burnout and fatigue.
2. Virtual Receptionist
The customer service department is the first line of contact a client has. Unfortunately, some businesses are not able to afford full-time receptionists and customer service representatives. This is where a virtual receptionist comes in.
This system can be a cost-effective way for businesses to get access to better customer service without increasing their fixed costs. You could need a virtual receptionist for various reasons, including:
- Calls are answered during working hours
With a virtual receptionist, you will not have to worry about the receptionist going on break or on vacation. Your phone lines will always be answered during your working hours. Companies find it difficult for their phones to be answered by someone all week because workers go to lunch and bathroom breaks.
When your receptionist goes on vacation, you’ll have to hire someone else to fill in the gap, which can cause problems since he/she is not familiar with your products and services. A good virtual receptionist service can address all of these issues since they are always available when needed. For instance, you can have your phone lines diverted to the virtual receptionist during these breaks and vacations.
- Always great customer service
A virtual receptionist can make sure that customer calls are answered properly. The virtual receptionist can be trained on how you want calls to be answered so that your customers get a great customer service experience, no matter who is answering their calls.
- Better time management
Using a virtual receptionist can be very beneficial to your time. Rather than being tied to your desk all day, you can have your calls taken for you. You can receive notices with messages so that you can stay in touch with what’s been happening.
- Maintain a professional brand image
When calls are answered professionally and fast, it gives customers a good impression. The virtual receptionist will answer your calls in the name of your company and will either take a message or transfer the call to the right person within the organization.
3. Diary Management
If your business is growing fast, diary management can be useful. Your diary is key to how you operate your business and is vital to your success. If you are struggling to manage your diary, consider outsourcing your diary management.
An efficient and organized diary helps ensure you’re able to run your day to day processes effectively. Outsourcing your diary to a professional service will free up your time to look after your clients. Benefits of diary management include:
- Better in-house scheduling
A third-party diary management team will not only ensure that all appointments and meetings are scheduled efficiently, but they will also make sure that your office calendar is properly organized.
- Better performance levels
Administration duties can consume time. Outsourcing diary management can ensure that your employees have the time to continue providing clients with high-quality services.
Conclusion
While focusing on growth, a business has to manage their costs as they grow. Using an outsourced company like Kbell.ie to help you cope with additional calls, out of hours calls and indeed telephone cover during holidays and sickness or lunch cover will make a difference and lower your costs!
