In today’s world, we rely on machines and technology for nearly everything. From ordering a pizza to scheduling an appointment with your auto mechanic, it seems like you can do just about anything from your smartphone or tablet. While it may seem like Americans today are shying away from having real conversations, either face to face or over the phone, the truth is that no one really enjoys talking to a robot, especially when they want to address a concern. Did you know that even in today’s world of text messaging and email, an estimated 61% of Americans would still rather receive customer service over the phone? While it might seem easier and more convenient to implement an automated answering service, most people prefer talking to an actual human being which you can easily provide by using a live telephone answering service. Why, you ask? Read on for our top three reasons people would rather talk to a person than a machine:
1. You Don’t Have to Repeat Yourself
How many times have you read off a long, multi-digit account number only to have the robot who answered the phone respond with, “I’m sorry, I didn’t get that”? It’s frustrating to have to repeat your responses over and over again until you’re literally shouting into the phone (the robot can’t detect your volume, by the way). A trained operator at a live telephone answering service. on the other hand, is likely to be able to tell the difference between a “five” and a “nine”.
2. A Person Can Make You Happy
Typically, machines are terrible at conveying emotion. But, for people, emotions are what we do best. Sure a machine can say they hope you have a great day, but how can they possibly mean it? When a real live person from a quality answering service wishes you a great day or says they’re happy that they could help you out, it can really turn your day around.
3. They Won’t Mispronounce Your Hometown
If you want to speak with customer service, chances are you have an issue that you would like to be addressed swiftly. If that’s the case, you may not be in the best of moods. When an automated telephone answering service butchers the pronunciation of your hometown, you’re likely to get even more angry. This may not be an issue if you’re from Springfield, but what about those poor souls who live in Charlevoix? Or Ypsilanti?
If the above reasons aren’t enough to convince you to ditch the machine and invest in a live telephone answering service, maybe the numbers will. After having a great customer service experience, an estimated 81% of consumers said they would return to purchase from that business. In addition, an estimated 55% of consumers say that they would actually pay for better customer service. By providing a live phone answering service, you are not only giving your customers a real live human to talk to, you are giving them a quality customer service experience that they will remember and share within their personal network.
