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What You Need to Know about Hiring a Call Center.

A recent post on a popular contractor locating service website asked this question: “Why are contractors so bad at calling people back?” He posted that 70% of the contractors he had contacted failed to call him back. Time for an uncomfortable confession: Sashco fields this same question multiple times every week. We hear, “You gave me the names of these contractors, but none of them are calling me back. Why?” Having more calls than you know what to do with is a great “problem” to have. So, how can you ensure that you respond to every legit call? Maybe it’s time to consider the help of a call service to handle incoming calls and scheduling. We are talking about the pros and cons and how to know if hiring a call service is right for your business.
 

Is your phone ringing off the hook? Are you struggling to manage calls and scheduling while still working in the field? Spending far too much time “after hours” following up on missed calls (or just not calling them back because, at some point in time, sleep is necessary)? When your business gets to this point, it can be helpful to consider hiring a call center to take incoming calls and handle scheduling. Here are a few of the upsides and downsides to consider when making your decision.
 

The Pros

Cost Efficiency
When you consider the overall cost of hiring an employee to take calls, a call center is usually less expensive. Hiring an employee requires the cost of insurance, salary, and has tax implications.
 
It Saves Time
You are already busy, otherwise, you wouldn’t be reading this article. Interviewing, hiring, and training employees requires a significant investment of time. You need to make sure these employees have the skills to handle interpersonal communication, gain knowledge about the company and products, and solve customer problems. An outsourced call center can take some of this weight off your shoulders so you can refocus your time on all the other tasks that require your attention.
 
It Increases Flexibility
Vacation, what’s that? Sound familiar? If you are like many business owners, the thought of “getting away” is a far-fetched idea that seems unattainable because the business always needs you. A call center can help provide some of the freedom and flexibility you desire. Most services only charge for the calls they take so you don’t have to worry about unnecessary expenses. You also don’t have to worry about missed calls while you’re away. Beach anyone?
 
 

The Cons

Less Technical Knowledge
Call center employees will definitely not be able to answer questions about log home restoration and maintenance. They can be a great resource for managing calls, but the reality remains – you will still need to handle technical calls yourself.
 
May Be Less Committed to Customer Satisfaction
Let’s face it, nobody cares more about your business than you. While a good call center will still be focused on providing great customer care, their motivation isn’t as clearly defined as yours.
 
You Have Less Control
While you do have control over which call center you hire, you have no control over who they hire. There is a certain amount of “letting go” that must occur. You may find some of the employees hired at these call centers are unfit for the job. Unfortunately, you don’t have much say in the situation.
 
These are just a few of the factors to consider. At the end of the day, perhaps hiring an actual employee, even if only part-time, makes more sense. You can train that person yourself. No matter what, answering and returning calls says more about your business than many like to admit, so commit today to answering and returning phone calls — one way or another.

Interested in more business tips? Take part in a Zero Failures Business Focus seminar to boost your business skills.