What does a caller expect when they dial your business number? They want a quick response and timely assistance. Each time a call goes to voicemail, you lose the chance to serve a customer or turn a potential lead into a paying customer. Considering the highly competitive landscape, especially for small businesses, it is rather foolish to take customer service for granted. Thankfully, AI has changed the game in the last couple of years, and today, you can get an AI receptionist from a service provider like signpost.com without spending a fortune. Let’s discuss more in this guide.
The High Cost of Missed Calls
Incoming calls include customers who often want to know more or have complaints that must be resolved. When calls go to voicemail, callers get annoyed and are less likely to call back, unless they have already paid for a product or service and cannot wait. There are also others who call to learn about products and services, and these are leads who can eventually add value to your business. No matter whether you sell products that require aftersales assistance or services that are in high demand, missing a call translates into lost revenue. Also, most callers who reach out by voicemail don’t share information or leave a message.
Understanding the Constraints of Your In-House Team
If your business is missing many calls, it is not just because the existing staff is incompetent. Front desk executives can only attend one call at a given time, and as a result, other callers either drop the line or are left waiting. Also, if your business experiences seasonal spikes in service demand or has multiple marketing campaigns for existing products, the call load will increase. However, the team is the same, and it is humanly impossible to be there for each caller. The front desk also has leaves, weekends, and holidays. If you decide to hire more people, you have to spend a lot on recruitment, training, benefits, and perks. That’s not a feasible choice for many small businesses with limited budgets.
How an AI Receptionist Addresses the Issue
AI receptionists are powered by machine learning and Natural Language Processing, and providers often also use voice synthesis to improve the outcome. Your AI receptionist can understand the intent of the caller and offer the right response. The benefits are real:
- AI can work 24/7, even on weekends and holidays, and even if your internal team isn’t around, AI can capture details.
- AI receptionists can also handle thousands or even millions of calls at once, which means callers don’t have to be in the queue.
- Another benefit is consistent customer support. The responses are accurate because AI refers to an existing and decided script.
- AI can also collect caller information and details, which can be used later for further training and connecting with leads.
- Compared to scaling a team, an AI receptionist doesn’t cost much. In fact, you can get monthly packages for as low as $45.
Concluding thoughts
If you want to cut down revenue losses due to missed calls, using an AI receptionist is no longer a choice, especially as more businesses adopt AI for customer care. Also, you can allow your staff to work more productively, as they will only handle calls that are critical or when a caller needs personal assistance. The setup process is easy, and many providers offer immediate support to ensure you can start taking calls using the AI receptionist in just ten minutes. Customer service is indispensable, and it’s time to adapt to the new norm. Check the features and pricing, and compare a few options before choosing an AI voice agent.
