The sound of our company’s phone ringing is always a good sign. It is a sign that we are still alive and kicking, that someone is out there who wishes to connect, and a sign that we need to deliver on our promise of world-class customer service. The question then is how effective is this level of service? It quickly became a topic of conversation in a recent staff meeting.
Phone Trees Are Dead
Our team created an innovative pesticide in the form of a cellulose insulation. It has revolutionized the pest management and wildlife industry. EPA-registered TAP® Pest Control Insulation not only controls pests and helps create a more robust thermal envelope for the home in which it is installed, TAP® also provides steady revenue in a multi-program format for the season when pest pressure is at its least. In short, TAP® Pest Control Insulation delivers and outperforms most insulation on the market today.
Therefore, why would our company opt to use a cold and inhuman answering service to greet our valued providers, potential clients, and homeowners who call us for help and insight? This question was recently asked in a planning meeting and the revelation that followed was really interesting. It was determined that the phone tree (programmed greeting and options menu on our phone system) was doing us a service internally but not rewarding those who needed us most.
Time for a Change
The team quickly determined that a change was in order. When an individual phones our office moving forward, they are to be greeted by a live, warm professional equipped to respond and assist as needed. Not rocket science, is it? No, but the results were almost instantaneous.
The feedback gained from callers was upbeat and very complimentary. It was obvious that they felt more appreciated and valued. Removing the phone tree took the responsibility to navigate to the right company department or employee from the caller and gave it to the individual who answered the call. After all, our employees are the ones who have the answers and can assist when called upon.
Moving Forward
The simple discussion regarding our phone system and the way we address callers has shed light on other areas that can be improved by considering two very important and business-critical items:
- A human element to our service delivery
- A reminder that our clients are the reason we do what we do
Over the past few weeks, our team has really began to appreciate the focus being placed back on our customers. Now, each time the phone rings, we are all ready to answer and compete to win the caller over.
Want to see our customer service for yourself? Contact us at (770) 766-6050 between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM EST Monday through Friday. Outside of those times, feel free to Contact Us via our website.