The Business Phone Call is [Still] Important

Connecting to customers now happens primarily on social media and online, through email and chats. Many times a customer issue can be solved in one of these formats, but sometimes, a good old fashioned phone call is needed. Do your employees know how to talk to customers on the phone? It wouldn’t be shocking if their phone skills need work if their primary focus is online customer service.

Below are some reasons to keep the phone lines connected and make sure your employees know how to handle customer calls. And, if you feel the phones need a dedicated team, Ruby might be your saving grace.

Your Brand Image

Whether you have an eCommerce site or provide services to customers, website visitors are more likely to trust brands that have a contact number and are available to take phone calls. Businesses don’t include a phone number can face a decrease in sales. While email is convenient, many customers want to work with a company that they can speak to over the phone. People expect (and appreciated) instant, personalized service, and a contact form just doesn’t cut it, which makes the phone call really necessary. It can be daunting to put a credit card number into a site without speaking to a real person. View your phone as an additional sales tool and credibility indicator.

Define Lead Quality

As competition increases, collecting leads is not as easy as it once was. And not all leads are the quality your business wants or needs. But, that doesn’t change the fact the phone call is statistically proven to help sales. Did you know that nearly two-thirds (65%) of potential customers want to reach brands by phone? And that phone calls are on track to influence more than $1 trillion in consumer spending in 2019? These stats are reason enough to focus on business phone calls over other forms of communications.

Being able to have a conversation over the phone offers better insight into information about a prospect besides their name, email, and company. Lead phone calls can tell you what products or services a potential customer is interested in, what their budget is (if applicable), what they expect from your business, and the types of results they’re anticipating. All this information will help you or your sales team better understand the quality of the customers coming to your business.

Solve Problems Faster

Customer problems are easier to solve over the phone. It’s much easier for a client to vocalize an issue in detail and it helps to avoid long email threads and miscommunications that can happen in writing. Speaking over the phone is often the best option for issues like scheduling appointments, airing customer service issues, and answering questions. This can save hours of frustration for both the customer and your business.

Ruby is Your Business Phone Problem Solver

Ruby is passionate about helping small businesses grow. They provide personalized, innovative services that help turn callers and online visitors into clients by delivering exceptional experiences.

Ruby’s business model is built around a culture of caring — for employees and customers —and creating meaningful connections and impactful experiences that win trust and build loyalty. Ten thousand small businesses in different markets across the country, from attorneys, roofers, marketing firms to non-profits and everything in between trust Ruby to be the frontline of their business.

“”Our mission is to keep that human connection alive. Today, people work from home and in different geographic locations, and people lose real human touch. We understand that’s the value we provide.” – Ruby CEO, Jill Nelson

Ruby offers a suite of services, including Virtual Receptionists, integrated Live Chat, OnSite Receptionists, Live Call Answering, and more. Ruby’s receptionists give you peace of mind by delivering their award-winning customer service, allowing you to focus on your business.

Author - Morgan Gertler