Is it time to expand your business to ensure all of your calls can be answered in an efficient manner? There are generally two choices that you have to help provide this benefit. You may choose to hire a call answering service or a new receptionist for your business. It is important to consider several different factors to help you make this decision for your operations. Here are a few tips for choosing whether you need call answering or a new receptionist.

Consider your Budget

First and foremost, you will want to consider your budget when you need help choosing between call answering or a new receptionist. A new receptionist will require you to pay the salary of a full-time employee. You will also have to consider the expenses of marketing the opening, training a new receptionist, and performing other functions. If you want to reduce your expenses, a call answering service may be the way to go.

What is your Call Volume?

There are only so many calls that a receptionist can take in a day. If you have an extremely high volume of calls, you may need to consider outsourcing this burden. By outsourcing to a call answering service, you will have more flexibility to handle fluctuating volumes of calls.

Call Complexity

What kind of calls will have to be answered by your receptionist or call answering service? Does it require an expert to handle the calls? If the calls are extremely complex, you will need to ensure that you work with someone involved in the industry. For example, our clinical triage services help you to ensure your calls are answered by individuals with knowledge in the medical industry.

After Hours Call Frequency

Do you often have to answer your calls after your working hours? You can’t expect your receptionist to work around the clock. If you often have after hours calls, you may want to work with a call answering service for 24/7 support.

Necessary Experience

An individual that is experienced in customer service will be better able to provide customer service. Your receptionist may have multiple tasks to balance, which can detract from their ability to provide superior customer service. A call answering service, however, only answers your calls. This enables them to gain much more experience in customer service.

Training Time

A receptionist will require training. When you work with a call answering service, the burden of training will fall onto the company. They also have a cohesive work force, so your call answering won’t be disrupted when a new employee has to be trained.

Reliability

It is a fact of life that occasionally employees get sick and are unable to work. In addition, they may need vacation time or other extra time off. When your receptionist needs to take a day off of work, you might be left high and dry. Call answering services help to ensure that you have reliable call answering, even if a single employee calls in sick.

In many cases, a call answering service can be a more efficient solution to your operation’s needs than a new receptionist. It is important to think about the many different factors in your situation to make the best decision for your business. From appointment scheduling to our daytime answering services, we have the solution to meet your needs. For more information about how to choose whether to hire a call answering service or a new receptionist, contact us at Care XM today!