In this brief article, I am going to outline 14 call answering questions that we are regularly asked. They explain why users often wax lyrical about the diversity, flexibility and intelligence call answering services have added to their organisations’ effectiveness.
I hope the fourteen different aspects give you pause for thought and encourage you to consider the positive impact using telephone answering services could have on your business.
How does call answering work? Screen popping and customer service
At Paperclip, when we answer your calls your caller believes we are part of your team. This is achieved using ‘screen popping’ technology.
When an incoming call is received the system automatically recognises that it is one of your calls and ‘pops’ your details on the screen of the Paperclip team member answering it. The screen provides a huge amount of information – more about that later – including the greeting you have asked us to use. For example:‘Good morning, this is Company XYZ, Anne speaking. How may I help you?’
In this way, the caller is reassured they are speaking to somebody who can help them.
One of the many reasons people enjoy working in call answering is that they spend their day helping clients and their callers; answering questions, reassuring them, connecting them with the right person and more.
Most of us recognise, however frustrated we may be, that the world is imperfect, that systems fail from time to time, that things change. We just want our voice, our question, our comment to be heard. This is the essence of customer service.
Call answering, powered by screen popping, enable your customers to have their voice heard.
If I use call answering will I need to change my number?
Some of the most common call answering questions are about changing your number.
When you use call answering, from your customer’s perspective there is no change. They dial your usual number.
When using telephone answering services, you can either divert all your calls (a full divert) or divert calls after an agreed period of time, for example, 15 seconds (a delayed divert).
A delayed divert gives you the opportunity to answer the call first. If you are busy, the call is diverted to Paperclip who answer on your behalf (see ‘Screen Popping’).
Creating a call diversion is simple and straightforward. It takes a couple of minutes. We will talk you through it step-by-step.
When you decide to use Paperclip’s services, we issue you with a unique identifier. This is the number to which your calls are diverted and which enables our system to recognise that the incoming call is for your business.
Can I divert more than one phone number to Paperclip?
Many of Paperclip’s clients have multiple regional offices each with their own phone number: solicitors’ practices, estate agents, healthcare providers and more.
If you have multiple offices you have the option of diverting all numbers, including your mobile phones, to Paperclip. Calls could be answered with a generic greeting, such as: ‘Hello, this is Company XYZ, Anne speaking. How may I help you?’
Alternatively, you may wish to preserve the identity and personality of your different offices. In this case, each office (or mobile phone) would be issued with a unique identifier (the number to which incoming calls are diverted). In this case, the greeting that screen pops on the Paperclip operative’s screen could be: ‘Hello, this is Company XYZ’s Manchester office, Anne speaking. How may I help you?’
If you have any call answering questions about call diverts simply call us on 01246 418181 and we’d be happy to help.
Can each member of our team have the option as to how they want their calls to be handled?
For the purposes of this section, I am going to use a law firm as an example to represent any organisation in any sector.
Law firms often employ a large number of solicitors and paralegals working across different areas of law. Each specialism may require Paperclip to handle its calls in a certain way; Partners may want their calls handled differently from other members of staff; the practice may have a ‘new enquiries’ team with existing clients being handled by specific solicitors.
The systems used by Paperclip mean that each member of your team, should you wish it to be the case, can decide to have their incoming calls handled in a specific way. Calls can be put through immediately; calls can be put through to an assistant; Paperclip can request specific information from the caller and then send through a message by text or email (or both!).
You don’t have to have one ‘rule’ fits all. Call answering servces can flex to the needs of your organisation and your team.
Can the Paperclip team handle appointments, reservations and bookings?
In some ways the term ‘Call Answering Services’ is our own worst enemy: although I have yet to come up with a better term – and, believe me, I have tried!!
Answering your customers’ calls is just the starting point for what can be a simple operation, i.e. taking a message, transferring a call, or a more complex value-added transaction.
For many clients, Paperclip manages their appointments, reservations or bookings ‘diary’. For example,healthcare practices such as physiotherapists, osteopaths and opticians cannot be disturbed whilst they are consulting with a patient. For these clients, Paperclip has access to their practice management software (e.g. Cliniko, Jane, Nookal, Semble etc) and is able to arrange, cancel and reschedule appointments for callers whilst they are on the phone.
The medical practitioner can see, in real-time, the changes to their workload. Similar rules apply for hotels, restaurants, estate agents and more.
Can Paperclip take and fulfil orders for me over the phone?
As I stated in the previous section, the term ‘call answering services’ does Paperclip a disservice.
In some cases, Paperclip becomes the ‘commercial office’ for its clients: taking orders over the phone, communicating with suppliers, tracking despatches and more.
Maybe a client testimonial is the easiest way to describe what we do:
‘I run a successful glazing business. I have worked with Paperclip for many years.
I have trained the Paperclip team so they are able to explain to potential customers how to measure window sizes accurately.
Paperclip takes and logs my customers’ orders. They then place a back-to-back order with the manufacturer and check to ensure the delivery of glazing is as promised.
All my team has to do is fit it.’
Maybe we can provide a similar service for you?
Will I have to remember when to switch call answering on and off?
For most Paperclip clients, their telephone answering services are always ‘on’, whether they are used or not. In other words, if all incoming calls are being answered by the client’s team then our telephone answering services are dormant. However, the moment the client’s phones get busy, Paperclip steps in and answers the call.
You, as the client, don’t have to switch telephone answering on or off. It’s always there ready to help when needed.
Can I ensure that some callers are always put through to me?
When a Paperclip team member answers a call, the screen pops with the details of that client. It’s how we are able, for the duration of that call, to become part of your team.
As a client you have the opportunity to provide Paperclip with a list of VIP numbers (sometimes referred to as a ‘green list’). These are important numbers which are automatically put straight through to you. Such numbers could include your accountant, bank manager, solicitor, key suppliers, family members or other.
The VIP list is just one feature that enables Paperclip to provide you with a flexible and tailored service. The VIP list can be updated at any time.
What happens if I want to block a certain caller from bothering me?
Previously, I explained how clients often provide Paperclip with a VIP list of numbers that are automatically put straight through.
The other side of the coin, are numbers which you never want put through: your Block list.
When a call comes through from a number on your Block list there are several ways in which it can be handled. Paperclip can answer, take a message, but not transfer the call. Paperclip can let the phone ring until the caller rings off. Or, Paperclip can simply disconnect the call. We are guided by your instructions.
If instructed, Paperclip can also ensure you don’t receive any sales calls. This alone can save you considerable time each month which you can devote to more productive activities.
How flexible are you when you answer a call to my business?
Some Paperclip clients are tightly prescriptive in the way they ask us to handle their calls.
For example, one of Paperclip’s IT Support Services clients is very prescriptive about how we record the information provided by callers as this is then automatically fed into their CRM system. The CRM system, in turn, raises a ‘ticket’ for the caller. This secondary process will only function correctly if the exact information-recording procedure is followed.
Other clients are happy for our response to be led by the nature of the call. For example, one of Paperclip’s clients is a supplier of high value consumer products. This client’s callers could be wanting to place an order, have a query about a product they have purchased, be looking to confirm delivery details or some other request. The client has given us the flexibility to answer a broad range of FAQs and to help the caller through the process of ordering online. Any technical issues, however, are transferred directly to a technician in the client’s team.
Can you prioritise and categorise my messages?
If you have been engrossed in some major business activity such as preparing a tender, negotiating a contract, or writing a report you may find numerous messages waiting for you when you come up for air.
A service offered by Paperclip is the categorising and prioritising of messages in line with instructions provided by the client. This ensures you respond to the most important matters first and avoid wasting valuable time wading through multiple messages before taking action.
For one client that receives a large proportion of orders for its high-value products over the phone, Paperclip provides an identifier for all messages relating to ‘orders’. The client is then able to prioritise its response to those messages.
Can you provide call answering for my business? We're unique!
It may be a cliché, but every Paperclip client is unique. This is what makes our job so interesting.
Each client tends to approach Paperclip because they have a business problem or challenge that is impacting on their ability to operate effectively. As clients come to trust Paperclip and the services it offers, they often change their business processes to embrace the efficiencies, speed and cost savings we can offer.
One of our longest-standing clients is in financial services. When we speak to our client’s prospective customers we collect a range of information that is of assistance to them. This includes identifying the Google Map coordinates of the caller’s property: the caller’s property value is fundamental to the financial services provided by our client.
By asking Paperclip to undertake the simple action of identifying the Google Map co-ordinates, the financial services provider can focus his time on more important and valuable matters.
Maybe there is ‘something special’ we can do for your business that can improve your effectiveness?
I want to add live chat to my website. Can you provide live chat services too?
If you are on a web page and an icon appears asking whether you need any help, this is Live Chat. Live Chat is often referred to as webchat.
Live Chat is basically a visual, text-driven ‘telephone call’. Your customer asks a question and you respond.
Paperclip can provide Live Chat for your website. It’s a simple process. Firstly we work with you to decide on the design and format of your Live Chat icon (avatar) that appears on screen. We then send you some code to install the icon on your website. Alternatively, our Digital Systems Manager can do this for you remotely.
How much will call answering cost me?
When I speak to potential customers, it often becomes clear that one of the reasons they have not tried telephone answering before is that they overestimated how much it is likely to cost.
Paperclip’s approach is that, after a low monthly charge to cover service maintenance (lines, IT support, software licences etc), you only pay for the time you use. There’s no requirement to buy a bundle of calls each month, you simply pay for the time taken by Paperclip’s team to deal with your calls.
Each month Paperclip clients receive details of the time their calls have taken and the number of calls received. Our goal is to ensure clients stay with us for as long as possible, we are very proud of our client retention record, and we work with them to ensure we continue to answer calls as quickly and effectively as possible whilst dealing with all callers in a professional, friendly and helpful manner.
Paperclip has created a free online Quotation Generator on its website to enable you to work out how much call answering is likely to cost your business.
If you still have questions about call answering, simply give the Paperclip team a ring on 01246 418 181
I hope the fourteen questions and answers in this article encourage you to consider using call answering for your business. If you still have questions, simply call the Paperclip team on 01246 418 181.
I am happy to have a conversation with you to discuss the specific challenges and opportunities you are seeking to address, to see whether call answering services can help.
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Hi, I’m Anne Batty, Managing Director of Paperclip. I am passionate about customer service. I believe enduring relationships are built on being open, transparent and trustworthy.
I love questions. So, if you have a question relating to telephone answering – pricing, technical, scope and more – I would love to hear from you at anne@paperclip.co.uk or 01246 418181.
Paperclip’s clients enjoy working with us. I know you will too.