Outsourced switchboards and hybrid working
One of the impacts of Covid has been to break the shackles of traditional working arrangements. The majority of businesses Paperclip works with now have, to a greater or lesser degree, some form of hybrid, home, decentralised working model. In many cases, these businesses have chosen to switch to an outsourced switchboard or outsourced receptionist approach.
How does an outsourced switchboard work?
The best way to explain how an outsourced switchboard works is to use the example of a busy regional law firm with multiple offices offering services across different legal specialisms. Local phone numbers build trust, and it is likely that each office will have its own unique number. In turn, each member of the team – partner, associate, solicitor, trainee, paralegal, office management – has their own extension and, in most cases, a business mobile on which they can be contacted.
The purest form of an outsourced switchboard involves all the calls to the many different numbers used by the law firm being diverted (‘full divert’) to an outsourced switchboard provider like Paperclip. When a diverted call is received by the Paperclip operator, their screen ‘pops’ with the details of the number being called. This allows the operator to answer the call as though they were a member of the law firm’s team: ‘Good morning. Smith Bentley, Manchester. How can I help you today?’. The greeting to be used would be discussed and approved during the set-up phase. It is an integral part of Paperclip’s training programme that when we answer your call, we are part of your team. The caller will not be aware they are speaking to an outsourced switchboard provider.
Each lawyer can have specific call actions
Once Paperclip’s outsourced switchboard operator has identified the specific needs of the caller, they are then ready to action the call. Law firms are a good example in this regard because, typically, each solicitor will have defined their specific preferences for how a call should be actioned if it is for them. Instructions could include simply taking a message, putting the call through to the office extension (or home number), transferring the call to another member of the team, putting the call through to a mobile number if there is no answer on the landline and so on.
Handling potential new clients
In some cases, the caller may be a potential new client for the law firm’s services. Rules will have been agreed at set-up between the law firm and the outsourced switchboard as to how such calls are to be treated. In some circumstances, for example, a call from a police station requesting a duty solicitor, it is critical that the call is routed correctly as there is the danger that the opportunity could be lost. Conveyancing is another area in which capturing the initial call is vital to winning the work.
VIP and blocked caller lists
With outsourced switchboard providers like Paperclip, clients can specify a VIP list of callers who, for example, are immediately and automatically put through. There is also the option to create a list of ‘blocked numbers’ with instructions that calls from these callers are not to be put through under any circumstances. In both cases – VIP list and Blocked list – the lists are dynamic and can change considerably over time.
There are additional services that an outsourced switchboard provider like Paperclip can deliver range from answering callers’ FAQs – office opening hours, specialisms offered etc all the way through to arranging phone and physical appointments requiring access to the law firm’s practice management software.
The benefits of an outsourced switchboard
So, what are the benefits of an outsourced switchboard? As you’d expect, the benefits vary from client to client. For some, having an outsourced switchboard frees up internal resources, provides a quieter and less disruptive work environment, and allows internal reception staff to focus on welcoming visitors and administrative tasks. By switching from a fixed cost, in-house reception team, to a variable cost, outsourced switchboard, there is a very real chance that businesses could achieve a reduction in their operating costs.
There is also a definite commercial and customer service benefit from using an outsourced switchboard provider. Firstly, outsourced switchboard providers like Paperclip ensure you capture every call, every sales opportunity. Secondly, many callers, particularly those with a customer service issue, simply want to be heard, to explain the challenge they are facing, and know that it is in the pipeline to be resolved. One of the mantras that Paperclip lives by is: ‘Being heard is so close to being loved that for most people they are almost indistinguishable.
Many businesses are struggling to fill vacant receptionist posts. Covid has brought with it huge volatility in staff turnover. Furthermore, for many law firms, business has never been brisker. They are struggling to scale up at short notice to cope with demand. Outsourced switchboards can help businesses cope with peak flows with calls unanswered within an agreed time frame being diverted to the outsourced switchboard provider.
Would an outsourced switchboard work for your law firm?
Outsourced switchboards provide an alternative approach to call handling from the traditional in-house reception desk. Maybe they could work for your law firm? Get in touch today for more information.
If you enjoyed this article, you may like:
- The Telephone Communications Workbook
- How 6 different businesses answer the phone
- The impact of Covid19 on customer Service
- Voicemail – the pros and cons of ‘…leaving a message after the tone’
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.