With statistics suggesting that only three in ten callers leave a message on an answering machine, it is no surprise that 24/7 telephone answering services have become a mainstay of many British companies. Here are some of the key reasons driving this trend, and its value to UK businesses.
International callers
The importance of international markets has been a powerful driving force behind the growth of 24/7 telephone services. International trade added £367 billion to the UK economy in 2019, an increase of seven percent on the previous year. This shows that increasing numbers of businesses have clients who operate outside traditional UK opening hours. As such, it is vital for any company conducting trade overseas to consider themselves a 24/7 organisation, whatever the formal UK office hours may be.
24/7 telephone answering services are the most reliable and cost-effective solution to ensuring that no call, day or night, goes unanswered.
Unexpected audiences
Even if your organisation is not distinctly international in terms of the customers you target, your supply chain may be. In addition, websites, social media, and online advertising mean that any caller, anywhere, may want to enquire about your services. Software platforms such as a CRM can help to identify how many visitors to your site are located overseas, and it’s crucial that these potential callers have a way to get in touch.
With 24/7 telephone answering, anyone can leave an enquiry. This will be passed to you so that it can be responded to during normal opening hours.
The professional touch
A phone call is often the first point of contact customers will have with your company, and the professionalism with which you come across can make a significant difference to a positive outcome. As 24/7 telephone services have become increasingly popular, being able to take calls outside office hours now represents a baseline level of care that many customers have come to expect. Showing your customers that they are important to you no matter what time of day or night, sends a very clear message about where the priorities of your company lie.
With a 24/7 telephone answering service, the call is handled by a friendly, trained receptionist who can guarantee your customer care.
It's not just about the night-time
There is much more to a 24 7 telephone answering service than having a permanent night-time receptionist. There are many times during the day when having extra help with answering the phones can be crucial. Unexpected staff shortages, and seasonal influxes can all drain productivity and lead to calls being missed.
A receptionist service can help during times of high or variable demand, leaving you free to focus on providing your services, uninterrupted.
What are 'opening hours' anyway?
As the world increasingly globalises and works from home on flexible hours and split shifts, the notion of ‘opening hours’ is rapidly becoming obsolete. While shop and office doors may close, customers live in an era where a locked door no longer means an expected lack of contact. For customers and suppliers, this means a much more straightforward path to market. For companies, it means being able to extend potential sales reach, even when the office is shut.
Now well-established, the most trusted and cost-effective solution is a 24/7 telephone answering service that keeps both sides connected around the clock.
Find our more
At Answer4u, we offer flexible, friendly, and professional receptionist services. To make sure that your organisation can be reached by its full audience, 24/7, sign up for one of our call handling or virtual assistant packages today!
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