In the HVAC industry, customer demand varies as dramatically as the seasons themselves. While the summer and winter months are often bustling with new business, the spring and fall months may run a bit slower. Of course, HVAC emergencies know no off-season, which is why it’s important to offer 24/7 support to customers. For small businesses, such round-the-clock service demands can be intimidating. With the help of an HVAC answering service, you can meet caller expectations while ensuring your team maintains a healthy work/life balance.
Missed calls and miscommunication can lead to costly errors, customer dissatisfaction and — ultimately — lower profits. Reviews are more important than ever before too, and one missed call or bad customer experience can lead to a weakened reputation online. In turn, this means missing out on future HVAC business opportunities. After all, we’re less likely to refer our friends and family when we’ve had a subpar customer experience ourselves.
With that in mind, let’s discuss how using an HVAC answering service can prevent these problems and help you experience a successful through every season.
THE PERILS OF MISSING HVAC BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
HVAC owners know that phone calls are still the lifeblood of any business. Missing an incoming call can have seriously negative consequences. Many, if not most, callers will simply move on to the next HVAC company if their call goes unanswered. That not only can cost your business one job, but also a lucrative lifetime relationship. HVAC business opportunities have to be nurtured. One missed call can mean missing out on a job that might have defined your quarterly revenue report.
Voicemail is one solution that some HVAC businesses try using to solve this problem. Yet it’s a deeply imperfect solution. Many customers will simply hang up once they hear a voicemail greeting. Instead of leaving a message and waiting for a callback, many prospective customers will simply dial up your competition. Fortune Magazine, in fact, published research that claims that 80-percent of business callers choose not to leave a voicemail message.
That’s a fairly staggering number — and it represents an enormous amount of potential lost business for HVAC owners who rely on voicemail or other imperfect call handling methods. HVAC business opportunities don’t grow on trees and neglecting your phone for even a few hours could have a serious impact on your bottom line. At the same time, staffing challenges can make it difficult to answer every single inbound call. When your budget is tight, it can be hard to justify paying a receptionist to wait around for the phone to ring – especially during the dull overnight hours.
SO WHAT’S THE ANSWER?
If you’re an HVAC business owner who wants to capitalize on all the seasonal inquiries, a professional answering service is a smart solution. Opting for an HVAC answering service ensures you’ll never miss calls or opportunities. Additionally, it means that when you do receive a call, all of the information is processed accurately and efficiently — something that prevents miscommunication from occurring. This prevents costly errors that might cause you to lose a job or can damage your reputation.
HVAC answering services also provides something voicemail never can: a warm, personalized human touch. By greeting customers in this manner, you can deepen relationships, build trust and establish accessibility. Customers who deal with a person rather than a machine respond in a more positive manner.
Because an answering service for HVAC companies isn’t limited to traditional business hours, you’ll be able to capture leads that might have previously been out of reach. Shift workers and busy professionals often find it hard to make phone calls about their HVAC system between nine and five. By offering around the clock service for your callers, you’ll more easily connect with prospective clients and existing customers. What’s more, bilingual receptionists can bridge the gap between your team and customers who are more comfortable speaking Spanish.
Finally, an HVAC answering service allows you to focus on other areas of your business. Instead of worrying about answering and returning calls at all hours of the day, business owners and employees can add value in other areas. Instead of having to station someone on the phone during extremely busy periods, business owners can strategically deploy their resources in other places. HVAC business opportunities deserve the full attention of a professional, resourceful and helpful representative, which is why we’re so passionate about connecting with each of your callers. An answering service removes the need to ever worry about scheduling someone to answer the phone, or covering for that person when they need time off.
OTHER KEY BENEFITS
The customer experience counts for a lot these days. If you’re hoping to stand out from the competition and carve out a loyal customer base, an HVAC call center can go a long way in connecting you with clients. Customer service agents work from customized call scripts to ensure they match your company’s preferred language, policies, and procedures. In many cases, callers have no idea they’re speaking with an HVAC virtual receptionist when they dial your business. After being treated to a quality conversation about their questions, concerns, and appointment scheduling, customers will hang up delighted with the outcome of their call. In turn, they may even decide to write a positive review of your business online or refer a friend who could use your service as well.
By leveling up your customer experience, you help build a better reputation for your business around town. Positive reviews often beget more new business – you open your organization up to a whole new customer base just by partnering with an answering service for HVAC. Since our virtual receptionists are bilingual, you can also break down common communication barriers between your office team and your clientele. Our country is growing increasingly diverse, and offering customer support in English just doesn’t cut it anymore. Win over new customers no matter their preferred language with the help of MAP Communications.
24/7 HVAC INDUSTRY EXPERTISE
HVAC emergencies rarely occur at a convenient moment. Instead, air conditioners break in the middle of a heat wave, and heaters break amidst a major winter storm. Calling upon an HVAC call center in the middle of such a situation can be incredibly stressful. That’s why we offer 24/7 support. No matter the circumstances, our virtual receptionists can calmly address caller concerns and use their HVAC industry expertise to weigh in on the situation. Our experienced team knows what constitutes an emergency and what can’t wait until traditional business hours. Depending on your preferences, we’ll work to understand the situation at hand and forward on only the most pressing of emergencies to the on-call service technician. This helps ensure a healthy work/life balance for your entire team.
You might be surprised at how much it means to have a comforting, reassuring voice answer your call in your hour of need. Simply speaking with someone who understands HVAC jargon can help ease the worried minds of callers. An answering service for HVAC companies can do so much more than merely stem the tide of inbound calls after you’ve gone home for the night. We provide a steady, reliable presence in what can be a chaotic industry. That kind of dependability won’t go unnoticed by your customer base.
Flexibility is another important perk of a partnership with an answering service for HVAC. Turn coverage on and off as needed – you’ll only pay for the calls we take on your behalf. This is an economical way to maintain a presence for your customers without shelling out expensive overtime pay.
THE TAKEAWAY
If you’re an HVAC business owner, phone calls are important to your company year-round. Don’t let another HVAC business opportunity slip away. By setting up an HVAC answering service today, you’ll be better prepared for any seasonal uptick in business that’s headed your way. Contact MAP Communications to start your free 7-day trial.
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