Automated answering services are now a societal norm, making life easier for many small business owners. However, they can have some drawbacks and may lead to you losing some sales. If your web presence is good and your marketing efforts show leads coming in but you haven’t gotten any new business, it may be time to ask yourself if your phone system is costing you business.

Answering the phone is one of the most important things you can do to close a sale. Roughly 85% of people who get a business’s answering machine will move on to the next company. Sure, they could leave a voicemail, but there’s no guarantee you’ll call back, so it’s easier to move on to the next business on their list. In fact, 30-50% of sales will go to the business that answers a client first. In this case, if you aren’t first, you really could be last.

The short answer is probably. Approximately 67% of people hang up out of frustration because they can’t talk to a real person, and 72% of callers will hang up if they get an automated answering service.

If someone from your business doesn’t answer your customer’s call, they will likely call one of your competitors next.

Additionally, you don’t want to leave your customers on hold for very long. 53% of customers will only stay on hold for up to 5 minutes.

While you may not need to have a professional receptionist, all of your employees do at least need to practice some basic guidelines and courtesies when answering the business phone. Around 74% of customers have admitted to calling a competitor after a negative phone experience. This can include anything from long hold times to a lack of professionalism. The phone is often the first impression customers get of your business’s customer service, so it needs to be a good one.

In short, the quicker you can get back to your customers, the better. If you return a customer’s call within 5 minutes of missing them, you are 100 times more likely to get a hold of them than if you wait 30 minutes to call them back. Similarly, you are twenty-one times more likely to close that lead than at the 30-minute mark. Quick responses make your customers feel important and heard, hopefully keeping them engaged in the sales process longer.

The best phone system for any business, big or small, is easy to use, simple to train your team on, and allows potential customers to reach out in multiple ways. At Creekmore, we want to help your small business capture and convert more leads. We can help you do that with Interactions! Our all-in-one messaging platform lets you connect with leads through texting, video chat, live chat, and even social media. We offer one-on-one training and ongoing support for you and your entire team as long as you need!

Lead management is streamlined, messaging is easier, and everything is in one place. Video chatting lets you capture leads while on the go, and you’ll never miss a call with an automated receptionist! Talk with Creekmore about all-in-one business messaging today!

Want to learn more? Contact us today to find the right marketing solutions for your business. We work with businesses of various sizes and across industries. Our personal approach and our years of experience set us apart! Schedule a free consultation with our team today! Creekmore Marketing & Design is based in Lexington, KY, and we proudly serve businesses in the US and Canada!