Rightfully so, American consumers are obsessed with getting the best price on their purchases, but many of clients have realized that’s not the only way they should shop. In fact most of our clients had a “cheap answering service” before they contacted us.
When shopping for a mortgage loan we carefully examine programs and interest rates. If looking for a new outfit we might compare prices for the same or similar products at nearby stores. But is it really wise to shop this way when we are looking for service related purchases? Sure, anyone would take a fixed 4% interest rate over a fixed 7% interest rate, or buy an IZOD shirt for $35 as opposed to spending $50 for the same shirt in another retail store. But before you go for the cheapest answering service on the block here are some things you definitely should consider first.
You Get What You Pay For
If you own a service related business such as a law office or a contractor business you could ask yourself just one question, and that is “could I offer the lowest price in my market and offer the same quality of service as my competitors”. And the answer, of course, is no. For starters no one gets the best employees for lowest wages, and no one gets the best products or technology without spending a few extra dollars. Of course I am huge believer in shopping for the best prices but the old expression of “you get what you pay” is even truer in the service business. When selling products a retailer simply must compete on prices for the products they sell. If you plan to sell a similar product for more you simply must offer a better and more desirable product or you won’t be selling it at all.
I could take my wife to dinner on her birthday and I could spend $14 or I could spend $30, or even $75. So what could I realistically expect for $14? A steak or maybe some shrimp cocktail? Of course not, I can expect fast food that will not offer the dining experience or taste anything like what I would have expected had I invested a tad more. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to offer a fine meal in a truly exquisite setting for the same price as your local fast food store. As such is the case for any service related business.
Spend a “Little Less” Get a Lot Less
If you are looking to spend a little less on a cheap answering service you need to expect to get less, and also consider the effects it will have on your business. An answering service is a labor intensive industry and every inbound call requires paying a live operator to be available to answer calls. While I could spend hours talking about the negative impact of reduced prices on answering services I will sum it up by saying cheap call center services mean less business income and where there’s less income guess who feels the brunt of it? You guessed it, the call center employees do, and so do you. The agents taking the phone calls receive less overall compensation and benefits and obviously when this problem exists the turnover rates are huge and you end up with new inexperienced trainees answering your customer calls. We have not even begun to talk about the negative impacts of not owing modern technology or having back up locations and resources to support unexpected emergencies that can and will happen.
Don’t Get Sold By “Cheap” Talk
Most people don’t realize that the difference in hiring a professional answering service that delivers of whistles and bells may only cost an extra $1 or so per day, but it’s the difference in fast food or eating at the finest restaurant in town. While it’s important to keep your operating costs down no savings are truly savings if they cost you money in the long run. How does a cheap answering service cost you money? Again, I could go on and on here but for starters since these types of call centers are generally way understaffed in order to keep their costs down you can expect very long hold times, and we all know what happens when we hold too long. Click. One click is all it takes to lose that $25 you thought you were saving.
Research competitive answering service rates to find out how much the leading providers are charging and understand that you’re going to get what you pay for.
Go Visit That Cheap Call Center
Still not convinced that cheap is not always better? Take a drive to one and visit their facilities, look around, and you will be. Then, come visit us and discover for yourself the difference it makes when you work with a state of the art modern call center employing mostly long term highly trained agents to provide you with the best and most cost efficient service. Unhappy with your current cheap phone answering service? Try us free and experience the difference for yourself. You’ll be glad you did.
Here are some related articles you might be interested in:
5 Things You Can Cut From Your Budget That Cost More Than an Answering Service
How Much Does Poor Customer Service Cost Your Business? [Infographic]
Five Reasons Why Small Business Owners Love Their Answering Service
