How does Paperclip successfully compete with the plethora of call answering competitors in the UK?
Paperclip’s mantra is ‘professional, tailored, affordable’. As one would expect, Paperclip and other leading providers have a similar approach to being professional. Consequently, our potential competitive advantages fall into one of two pots: tailored service and affordability. In fact, I’d also add in a third ‘pot’ which would be culture which, for the purposes of this article, I have defined as ‘transparency and trust’.
Competition Affordability – call plan v minutes used
Let’s look at affordability first. Paperclip is very transparent about its approach to pricing; we have a quotation generator on our website where you can obtain a live estimate of monthly call costs based on your answers to two simple questions; How many incoming calls do you get each day?; What is the average length of a call? You may not know the answers to these questions, but you can use the Quotation Generator as often as you like to build up a picture of the possible cost to your organisation of using Paperclip’s call answering services.
Transparency is a core element of trust, a value that is fundamental to a successful outsourcing relationship.
Some other call-answering providers operate a call plan business model. With a call plan, for example, you might purchase a monthly package of 100 calls. Logic dictates, however, that it is unlikely you will use exactly 100 calls over that period. Consequently, although you pay for 100 calls, you may only use 75 of them. This means unit call costs with call plans may be relatively high.
Alternatively, with some suppliers, should you go over your monthly call allowance, the cost of additional calls may be significantly higher than the call plan rate.
Paperclip has adopted a different business model. With Paperclip, you only pay for the minutes you use. If we answer 75 calls on your behalf, you only pay for the minutes used on those 75 calls. Furthermore, the minute rate remains constant regardless of how many calls we answer.
Affordability – annual contract v rolling 30-day contract
Some call-answering providers operating a call plan business model (sometimes referred to as ‘call bundling’) require clients to sign up for a minimum fixed term. This may sometimes be as much as twelve months. Whilst the fixed contract approach is good for the call answering provider, it may not work well for you as the client.
Paperclip clients work on a rolling 30-day contract. We retain clients through quality, consistency and flexibility of service rather than contractual obligation. This approach feels fairer, aligns with Paperclip’s values, and reflects the commercial realities faced by most organisations. In business, things change.
Tailored service delivery
I believe that Paperclip’s offer challenges traditional expectations of the breadth and flexibility of service available from a call answering provider. To that extent, the terms ‘call answering’ or ‘reception services’ can be rather limiting. One of Paperclip’s marketing objectives is to redefine these terms.
When a prospective client comes to Paperclip, their perception of ‘call answering’ or ‘reception services’ is often stated as ‘You take messages and transfer calls don’t you?’. We do, but we provide so much more in addition to that. I’ve provided just a few examples below:
Tailored service – Law Firms
For example, with professional clients like law firms it is common practice for each fee earner to have tailored instructions as to how they wish their calls to be handled. This can range from messages, to transfer to an associate, to enter data into a CRM system and more.
Tailored service – Estate Agents
With estate agent clients, depending on the business model of the particular estate agent, the Paperclip team can record offers, book valuation visits for agents, organise individual and group viewings and more. As with many sectors, the aim is to free up qualified and experienced employees so they can concentrate on those activities that add most value.
Tailored service – Medical Therapist
With medical therapist clients, such as physiotherapists or podiatrists, a large proportion of calls relate to appointments; making them, rearranging them and cancelling them. There are a large number of medical practice management software packages used by medical therapists such as Cliniko, TM3 and Jane. Each of these packages has an appointments module. The Paperclip call handler accesses the module whilst they are speaking to a physiotherapy client’s patient and is able to handle the appointment request accordingly. This is not as straightforward as it sounds as each practice may have different instructions depending on the category into which the patient falls. For example, a practice may have extended appointments for first-time diagnosis visits.
Tailored service – Recruitment Company
Recruitment company clients often ask us to undertake an initial triage of candidates, particularly when large numbers of employees are needed at short notice. In such cases, we contact candidates to ensure they have completed the necessary forms and submitted an up-to-date CV. We then check submissions against the agreed criteria and forward the ‘qualified’ list to the agent.
The epitome of tailored service
One client that epitomises the Paperclip tailored approach was a retired gentleman who owned several prestigious vintage motor cars. He loved driving brides and grooms to and from their weddings; however, he didn’t really want to get involved in any other operational or commercial necessities. Consequently, Paperclip dealt with enquiries and quotations, checking the diary to verify availability. We tracked bookings at regular intervals to ensure the wedding arrangements had not changed. We issued invoices and ensured payment had been received before the event. We touched base a couple of days before the wedding to fine-tune requirements and, after the big day, we sent a thank you note to the newlyweds on behalf of the ‘driver’.
It is this agility and ability to flex at short notice that provides Paperclip with a competitive advantage.
The UK call answering sector benefits from Paperclip, and other leading providers, maintaining their standards
When I present at trade association meetings, networking events and similar, I am still surprised how many of the business owners in attendance remain unaware of call answering and reception services as an outsourcing option. It is imperative that Paperclip, and other leading providers, both maintain their standards and continue to actively promote the benefits of call answering.
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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.