Learn about the pros and cons of outsourcing phone answering

Advantages

• Time saving – The virtual receptionist will scope the calls to ensure your time isn’t wasted dealing with sales calls. They will also be able to take messages for you when you’re unavailable or give you time to prepare before taking a challenging call.
• No employee commitments – The cost of a full-time employee and managing HR obligations can be demanding. Outsources the telephone answering function will save you money spent on employee salaries.
• High Customer Service – Many clients get frustrated when they can’t get through to a company via telephone. Outsourcing to a virtual receptionist will mean your lines will always be covered during your office opening hour so important calls won’t be missed.

Disadvantages

• Lack of company knowledge – The virtual receptionist is often unlikely to understand your business so won’t be able to answer basic questions asked by incoming callers. This could lead to lost business and client frustration.
• Losing grip of what’s going on – Many business owners worry about not being kept in the loop about calls that are coming in. It can be a concern when calls are handled internally, let alone outsourced off site.
• No insight into quality control – When a potential client calls your number, it can be the first impression they of your company. It can be seen as a risk to trust a third party provider to represent your brand when you can’t personally monitor their performance.

Luckily many accountancy firms provide phone answering service and they will know the ins-and-outs of your business if they are already looking after your accounting needs.

Note: The information should not be construed as legal or other advice as it designed as an information source only © More Group 2018. All rights reserved.