Savvy business leaders know that a call answering service can provide much-needed customer support after regular working hours and during holidays.
They also know that choosing the right service provider isn’t always easy. It can be difficult for a business leader to decide whether they should hire a local receptionist service or outsource to a foreign provider. Houston-based businesses have been outsourcing call answering services overseas for a long time. But, this route can have serious disadvantages. Here are four reasons why choosing our Houston answering service to handle calls is smarter than working with a foreign answering service.
Customers Appreciate a Local Touch
When customers contact a business, they expect to speak with local representatives who understand their concerns. But, when business leaders choose a foreign service, customers sense something is off. Foreign operators can’t give directions to a business and they don’t understand the unique dynamics of life in Houston.
As a result, they often fall short when helping your customers. The ability to provide a local touch is one of the biggest reasons to choose our Houston  answering service. Selecting local services is becoming the norm for small and medium-sized businesses, too. In fact, many businesses have shifted back to using state-side call centers because business leaders know a local touch can make all the difference to their customers.
Local Answering Services Understand Real-Time Conditions
You likely know what it’s like to talk to a call center representative who is out of touch with conditions in your local area. Perhaps there has been a serious weather event or a city-wide power outage. The person on the other end of the line doesn’t know anything about this. They don’t know how this will affect the service you’re receiving. If the representative who answers customer calls doesn’t know what’s going on within the local area, customers may discredit the quality of the business. They’ll lose faith in the company’s ability to meet their unique needs. That’s no good for reputation management.
When you choose a local answering service like ours, your customers will talk to receptionists who know the conditions in the area. That understanding helps build trust. In the long term, that has positive impacts on customer loyalty and overall spending. It’s just one more way that your business can truly stay in touch with customer needs and demands.
It’s Easy to Speak with Local Receptionists
Many business leaders believe they can save money by outsourcing their call answering needs. Unfortunately, this usually isn’t the case. They often discover that there are hefty costs associated with doing business overseas. Cultural barriers between representatives and customers can lead to problems with communication. This can, in turn, compromise customer loyalty and spending.
Foreign representatives are unlikely to be familiar with an enterprise’s line of business. Of course, unfamiliar accents can also cause problems for customers. Many people, unfamiliar with an accent, will be unable to understand the representative over the phone. When business leaders make us their Houston phone answering service, they can rest assured that their customers won’t have to struggle to understand the receptionist they’re speaking to. Instead, they’ll be talking to locals. Just like them.
Choosing a Houston Answering Service Has Positive Impacts on the Local Economy
Local business leaders want their customers to shop local. Shopping local has a positive impact on a business’s bottom line. It has a positive impact on the local economy as a whole. It’s no different when choosing business-to-business service providers. By choosing a local company, business leaders contribute to the strength of the local economy. A great way for businesses to increase sales is by helping to build a stronger local economy.
If it’s time to choose a call answering service, consider going local. Remember that investing in local receptionists has benefits that go far beyond saving a few dollars. Going with a local company, such as ours is a great way to provide stellar customer service, ensure client satisfaction and feed the Houston economy. Working with a local partner simply makes good business sense.
Apply this to your small business
Remember:
- Customers notice when they’re dealing with someone local, and people inherently prefer speaking with others with whom they can relate.
- A local answering service will know how local weather conditions, events, and incidentals can affect your business, and will answer questions accordingly.
- You want your customers to feel at ease before they reach into their wallets. Your customer service representatives should have the common ground to be able to speak to them as a friend
- Your choice to hire local adds to the local economy. If businesses in other industries are doing better in your area, that’s more likely that others will be spending their money on your product or service.