Marketing & Sales Office Administration

4 Practical Ways Answering Services Can Benefit eCommerce

Written by Zane Todd

The quality of customer service plays a vital role in the growth and sustainability of a business. Positive word of mouth and excellent communication is important for the marketing strategy of any e-commerce business. It raises trust levels among potential buyers and pre-existing customers. The nature of e-commerce business makes positive word of mouth especially impactful.

As the owner of an e-commerce business, a large portion of your time is generally spent on marketing to drive sales. Money is what keeps the engine of the business running. There is no time to waste when it comes to answering calls and solving customer queries. Many small business owners find that they are spending too much time and money manning phone lines, or paying their staff to do so.

A live phone answering service provides a solution to all of this and more. It lightens the burden of accurately representing your business at all times.

Let’s take a look at the importance of a live answering service for your e-commerce business.

1. Increased productivity

With the time-consuming duty of attending to phone calls out of the way, your employees can concentrate on other tasks which drive the growth of your business. Answering calls interrupts workflow and is an irritating distraction that lowers personal and employee productivity.

For small e-commerce businesses that only have a handful of employees, asking your team to handle phone calls while carrying out their primary duties may lead to your company losing money, as it is not easy to efficiently multitask.

A live answering service will solve this issue.

2. Avoid missed opportunities

Every business owner will face scenarios where the phone seems to be ringing all day long. Answering services are a great tool for alleviating the pressure on you and your employees .

Answering services can handle thousands of customer interactions each day. They can significantly help to improve your customer service and give each caller the attention  they deserve. Customers who are placed on hold or are directed to voicemail will be disappointed with your service and more likely than not simply contact a competing e-commerce business instead.

3. Lower costs

Hiring permanent  employees to handle phone calls professionally is an expensive endeavour. For instance, you have to pay for their health insurance, leave allowances, overtime and more. You also need to invest in a costly onboarding/training program to ensure that they represent your business adequately.

You will also need to purchase equipment such as computers, phones and headsets.. Live phone answering services will save you the expenses listed above.

Small groups of people run the majority of e-commerce businesses. A live phone answering service will save you money and free up employees for more specialised work. Simply put, you are outsourcing the job to reduce expenses while being able to focus on more important work.

4. Personalised customer service

As the owner of an e-commerce business, you need to be authentic to build credibility among customers. New customers may be sceptical or concerned.. Some common concerns are:

  • Information about order delivery status
  • The quality of your customer service
  • Return and refund policies

It is crucial for e-commerce businesses to hire a live phone answering service as customers tend to be more comfortable and trusting when they are talking to a human. This is a bulletproof method to portray how professional you are while giving your brand a human touch.

The members of a 24/7 answering service will answer all queries in a professional manner and since they’re not machines, quick decisions and modifications can be made depending on the specific customer query. This is an essential step in building a loyal customer base.

Strong first impressions are essential when it comes to attracting customers to your business. It is crucial to be professional and focused on customer service as it increases the credibility of your service.

Customers have to perceive your e-commerce business as established, trustworthy and customer-centric before they get on board. A live phone answering service will significantly help your cause and bring growth to your business. If the customers are satisfied and happy your business will attain new depths of success.

“The opinions expressed by BizWitty Contributors are their own, not those of BizCover and should not be relied upon in place of appropriate professional advice. Please read our full disclaimer."

About the author

Zane Todd

I am Zane Todd, a freelance writer, and an independent blogger who writes about modern technology, globalisation, and home improvement. I aspire to make a difference in society and the world we live in.