Live Answering Service vs. Voicemail
By Chris Moschella
9/20/2008
During my 20 years in the telephone answering service business I’ve seen a lot of changes. Back in the 1980s, when I first got started, we were adapting to the incredible “Call Forwarding” feature that the Bell Companies had released. Prior to this feature having an answering service was costly and required that you maintain special equipment such as Call Diverters. As soon as we became comfortable with this small miracle of technology someone came up with “Voicemail”. Most of my associates in the business were filled with fear that this new service would eliminate the need for live telephone answering service. Here we are 20 years later, most of the fear gone, and the live TAS business goes on. It is my belief that every new piece of technology needs to be embraced, not feared. It is true that many of our potential clients choose to use an automated system. Our job is to inform business owners and managers of the benefits of using a live service as opposed to a standalone voicemail solution.
First, let’s talk ROI. Whether you are a doctor’s office or a multinational sales organization, you probably have a budget for marketing. Most of us spend money on marketing and then try to establish our ROI based on sales. If the marketing produces sales, and our business is profitable, we usually call it a success. If we want more sales, we throw more money at marketing. While this concept works, it usually ignores the potential for more sales by increasing the conversion rate of the existing campaign. If you use a voicemail system to answer your phones, consider the following facts:
80% of callers who receive a voicemail system hang up. – Fortune Magazine 6/2006
Callers responding to print, media, or telemarketing campaigns are 8 times more likely to leave their information with a live representative than in a voicemail box.
– Sales Digest 12/ 2007
A survey conducted by ABC Advertising and released to the New York Times showed the following results. 10,000 consumers were surveyed.
If responding to a TV, Radio, or Print Advertising how likely are you to leave your name and telephone number in an answering machine:
68% - Not likely
21% - Likely
11% - Unsure
Numbers like this are the reason that we do not fear voicemail, but rather use it as a tool to reduce costs and improve the overall caller experience. If you’re using a voicemail to answer your primary business line you should consider what a 68% increase in your lead conversion would do for your business. Would it justify the cost of a live operator?