In the modern world, many businesses have replaced their live answering services with automated phone systems. These systems often prompt users to state the issue they are having, or press a number on their keypad that corresponds to the desired option. Although automated phone systems were created to make businesses more efficient and to reduce wage expenses, they have had a negative influence on customer satisfaction.
Problems with Automated Phone Systems
Automated phone systems ultimately inconvenience customers and the business itself. One of the main problems with these systems is that customers are usually calling with a very specific issue. The options that are offered by automated systems are often too broad, and customers end up selecting the closest category possible in hopes that their questions can be answered.
A second problem is that customers will do whatever it takes to eventually be transferred to a live employee. They will select irrelevant options, and end up speaking to someone from the wrong department entirely. The time spent transferring the caller to the relevant department, where the caller will likely have to re-explain the issue, actually harms the efficiency of a business.
Benefits of a Live Answering System
The most important difference between a live answering service and an automated system is that at the end of the call, an employee can ask whether or not the customer has any further questions. In doing this, an employee can ensure that the customer is completely satisfied with the service provided. When limited to an automated system, a customer may feel it is more convenient to hang up and call back with a separate issue. Another benefit is that employees who answer live calls have a larger range of abilities than an automated system. For example, if a customer needed a new debit card because their chip had stopped working, they could explain the issue, ask for a new one to be sent, and even ask the employee to change their address simultaneously. In this scenario, the customer could also ask the live employee when they would receive the new card, which would be impossible with an automated system unless that answer had been pre-programmed.
Overall, though automated phone systems do reduce the amount that businesses spend on wages, they inconvenience the customer. Without the ability to ask any questions that come to mind and receive live feedback, a customer will never be fully satisfied. Furthermore, a customer’s first instinct is often to bypass automated systems, harming the overall efficiency of the business.