The Verdict is In - Your Customers Hate Automated Voice Systems

Are you currently using an automated voice system to handle your phone calls? Are you wondering why people call and hang up without attempting to make their way through the crazy routes that the system gives them in order to finally reach their destination even if it’s something as simple as a voice mailbox?

How many times have you hung up from calling your local company rather than dealing with a system that is confusing? Most of the time these systems are in place to try and minimize response time for a caller but they also end up being the furthest thing from user friendly for the caller. Now the most important question to ask is if you really want to subject your own clientele to that type of treatment or would you rather have them happy with speaking to a live person?

The idea is great, trying to reduce the time it takes to properly handle a call but if your clients are getting lost in the routing of the system it’s not going to help its going to hurt. The idea is great, a system that is in place 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year round even with holidays. It is able to answer the phone, directing the call but never takes sick days and works as quickly as possible. The problem is that the call is only routing as quick as the caller is making the proper sections within the system.

The sad fact is, most places do not properly maintain the system to keep it user friendly or a person refuses to even try one. So now the question is why you keep torturing your clients with the only option of talking to a machine rather than a human?

There are some auto attendants that do not play nice when it comes to those of us who are fast talkers, you will constantly here the “Please Repeat” when you are attempting to make a selection. Many of the AVS’s or AA’s out there do use some type of automatic speech recognition software but the issue is that sometimes it’s harder for the system to hear what you are trying to say as none are perfect.

Just imagine it now; you have already wasted five minutes as you start to realize how much you miss speaking to real people rather than an automated system. Of course it’s much better for your sanity to speak with a real person rather than a machine to start with but you wonder why you even bothered, then it dawns on you and you hang up.

We have all been there and it’s really nothing new. At least with a human, if they ask you to repeat yourself it’s because you may have muffled your voice on accident blocking the receiver of the phone, not because it’s a machine that seems to only understand the basic words of the English language (or worse yet, you are speaking to a system that is in a foreign language).

The Importance Of Making A Great First Impression

We always hear that a first impression is important but why? We hear both in our personal lives, in our business worlds and everywhere in-between the two. A first impression is going to last a lifetime and this applies for the personal side of an individual as well as the business side. For personal reasons it could be the person you are courting for marriage, the banker who is about to give you a loan for your first home or even your child’s first grade teacher.

What happens when you need to make a first impression within the business world? Is it for your boss, your employees’ or your potential clients? Making a good first impression lets others know that you can and will know what to do, when to do it and how to do it.

They need to know that they are able to put their full trust into you and the company you represent for their needs. Are you going to have any issues meeting their needs? Are you able to back what you say when you give your word?

Even meeting a person for the first time either by phone conference you still need to remember that first impressions do count. You always want to make sure the person you are making a connection with will feel at ease with you, having a positive image of you. Even when you meet with someone for the first time you can do little things that can go a long way to help create this positive image.

If you are treating the person as if you are meeting someone you have known for years, rather than being timid it’s going to be a great icebreaker. Are you welcoming and friendly? Simple things like having a welcoming voice can go a very long way in extending the handshake (even a virtual handshake) to a person who has just met you. What you say is just as important as how you say it. Remember that knowing what your role is and making sure the other party has complete faith in your work is part of the deal. If they think they are reaching out to the wrong contact they will end up passing you over for the person who can help them.

First impressions are more important than most anyone can think. Within moments a person can summarize you and know if they plan to continue the conversation (let alone the business) with your organization. You need to be able to give top notch information to make sure they are fully satisfied with what you can bring to the table.

Keep in mind that some will base their judgments’ alone on person appearances (what they can see: attire, manners, eye contact) and others can do the same with only your voice (the tone, if you are paying attention, can they hear the confidence in your voice). In person or over the phone someone can always take a first impression of you – make sure you are doing your best to give them exactly what they deserve, your best.

10 Reasons Your Company Can Benefit From A Call Center

Is your company growth reaching the volumes that there are not enough hands in the office to answer all of the calls that are flooding your lines? You never want to turn business away but what else can you do? What exactly is a call center (known also as a call centre) and how can you benefit from one?

Do you need to save more time, and the overtime money that you have been paying out for far too long? No matter how much you try you can not be in the office 24/7/365 and neither can your employees so saving time is important just like saving funds are. What if there is a place available to handle such a request that you need along with the level of service you would give? If you try to have your local employees’ work extra hours to man the phones it’s going to cost more, you want to save money not lose it.

When you decide to launch a large advertising campaign are you going to be prepared for the growth that comes along with it? What happens if you go from “decent sales” to “an explosion of sales” to the point you cannot keep up with the demand?

All hands on deck – even if you have a dozen employees dedicated to answering all calls, what happens during peak time? The time when the phone lines flood and you still do not have enough hands to answer those phones. Having a full staff dedicated within a call center means there will always be more available “just in case” rather than having a potential client on hold for 20 minutes waiting for someone’s line to free up they disappear with disappointment of never be answered at the same time you lose a sale.

Some people still want to talk to a real person, not an automated system that gets confusing and not someone who cannot really help them. If you can still provide real support with real people clients will always be appreciative of this.

Is your office in your home? Do you need to sound a little more professional even when you deal mostly with the back end issues and not the hands on day to day issues of your clients? Why not take the time to hire a professional call center to deal directly with your calls so that you can spend more time doing what you do best, the management.

You could be all management but you still need someone who is all customer service oriented. This still allows you to be hands on in taking care of your normal duties and allows the customer to get the information they need before ordering with your company.

The other possibility is that inquires vary between different positions within your company that you just may not have enough people to handle the call needs, then what train more people? A call center can be equipped from the start to handle all phone inquires needs; no matter the level of support may be needed.

Teledirect: Until The Star Trek Transporter is Invented

The Internet, it turns out, is not a series of connected tubes. And since it is electronic, it cannot be used to move physical products – at least, not on its own.

But at Teledirect we can make the Internet seem that way to you. We’ve thought through the most efficient way to get from a click to a shipment. So from your business’ point of view – and your customer’s – “the Internet” ships the product like magic, when you work with Teledirect.com.

Along with integrated sales staff and software, Teledirect.com offers lead management and order fulfillment for your website. Same-day shipping? No problem. Teledirect can store and ship your product through its two dedicated shipping bays, and turn electronic requests into deliveries. Our web based software will display and track all your requests, so you’re never “in the dark.”

Customer satisfaction is all we do at Teledirect. From lead management and live phone calls to interactive voice software, from providing 800 numbers to shipping physical product, Teledirect is building the smartest way to serve your customers with each new technology.

In the end, often what a customer wants comes in a box or an envelope, not in an e-mail or a download. Teledirect has been around since 1961, growing smarter with each new innovation. If you have customers, we have a way to serve them better.

What we won’t do is try to bend your business to one technology we happen to know well, as some of the startups do. We have the experience and expertise to organically integrate order fulfillment, live call-centers, interactive voice software, web-based tools, Internet and phone lead management, and much more, to create the perfect “magic” solution for your needs once the customer clicks the “submit” button on your website or calls your 800 number.

Take a look around www.Teledirect.com. More likely than not, we can make your life easier and more productive. Whether you’re planning an event, creating a customer service and sales force, or even carving out your piece of the auto sales pie, we’ll put the sharpest technological edge on your "Enterprise".

It’s what we’ve been doing for nearly five decades – so you don’t have to!

May Webinars

Don’t miss out! Learn how TeleDirect can assist with your company’s success plan. Join us at our upcoming webinars by registering at the links below.

Work The Lead Webinar:
Lead Capture, Appointment Setting, Order Entry, Live Transfer, On Call

Date: Thursday, May 13th
Time: 11am PST/ 12 pm MST/ 1 pm CST/ 2 pm EST
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/306755507


On Demand Pledge System Webinars:
Real Time Call Reports, Script Changes, Pledge Data

Date: Thursday, May 20th
Time: 11am PST/ 12 pm MST/ 1 pm CST/ 2 pm EST
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/533242698


Operational Webinar:
CSR Quality Control, Tracking Progress and Communications

Date: Thursday, May 27th
Time: 11am PST/ 12 pm MST/ 1 pm CST/ 2 pm EST
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/974390258


Call our Business Consultants
800-480-5745
TeleDirect Call Centers™
www.teledirect.com


View what clients have to say: http://www.teledirectcallcenterreviews.com

People Who Need People

Ask a few people what they think about a fully automated automated voice system as a customer service tool.

Chances are they'll say "not much." There is no more annoying, limiting, and easily dismissed customer service trend than the automated response system with no access to a live human. You know the "robo-calls" and "robo-answers" I'm talking about: branching decisions, each indicated by a number on a keypad, lead the caller through computer-generated recording after computer-generated recording, "world without end, amen."

People need people, and that includes your customers.

There is nothing wrong with an automated response system, provided that a customer is able to get the help he needs. Unfortunately, all too often, he cannot. That's why at Teledirect, we don't just provide you your own 1-800 toll free number or ring to number. We make sure it leads to a live human being.

Sure, some tasks are well-suited to automated response. That's why we offer DirectIVR, our speech-enabled, on-demand Interactive Voice Response system. But we never leave you without the option of a human backup. That's why DirectIVR is 100% backed by our 24/7 call center. As a Teledirect client, you never have to trap a caller.

People have been at the heart of everything we do at Teledirect.com since we started as an answering service back in 1988. Since then, within 20 seconds, Teledirect clients have had the option of presenting a live, cheerful, human being, ready to offer assistance.

Or, the client can request sorting via automated voice menus prior to one-on-one interaction. Then, our services open into a world of lead-tracking, provision of needed information, real-time reporting, and hot transfer of leads back to our clients, plus much more.

Have a look at our service packages at Teledirect.com - Seminar Edge, Work The Lead, and Pay Per Lead/Fill The Lot. Each makes it amazingly simple to handle everything from reservation systems to the needs of a thriving auto dealership, all using our highly trained customer service staff and a simple script development interface. We've learned the tough lessons about what works and what doesn't in a script, and you get our best practices as a starting point.

You just fill in your custom information, grab an available 800 number or ring to number, and get started with an instant sales force of real, live human beings without the cost of a dedicated customer service staff.

Then get that 800 number out there. Whether it means taking orders for your product, taking reservations for a meeting, or taking information for sales appointments, we've got you covered.

The Edge You Need In Today's Auto Market

First, The Bad News

New vehicle sales and leases have fallen from 16.9 million units in 2005 to 13.2 million in 2008, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. BTS doesn't have figures for 2009, but estimates are in the 10.4 million unit range - including the effect of a massive auto-sector bailout and the cash-for-clunkers program. Well over a third of your market has simply disappeared.

It's been a bloodbath.

Now, The Good News

The good news is that you are reading this. That means you are still in business, and still looking for ways to get and keep an edge. The auto sector is shaking out, from automakers to dealerships to used vehicle sales. Lots that survive will be the ones that use every possible tool to get the biggest piece of the shrinking pie.

That's why we created Pay Per Lead, Teledirect's live lead capture and appointment setting system.

Pay Per Lead: Some Great News

Pay Per Lead provides you with free toll-free numbers and ring to numbers, and once your customer calls, we really get to work. We provide the ideal customer service experience using a script you customize yourself, gather customer information, compile it for your use, and even provide directions to your dealership - or dealerships. You pay per lead, not per connected minute or per employee hour.

You get your leads by fax, e-mail, or online. You also get sales reports and real time lead reports so you can stay on top of your business 24/7.

Turning Great News Into Great Business

Getting started with Pay Per Lead is easy. Set up your account, grab a toll free number or ring to number, and edit the customer service script. Your script can be as specialized as your business, or can be as close to the starter script as you like.

Sign up to automatically hire an army of courteous customer service specialists, armed with modern tools and techniques. Visual customers can get Mapquest directions. "Old-fashioned" customers can get directions by voice. And you get the information you need to get back in touch with each lead.

Be That Guy

Tough times are going to leave the landscape littered with closed dealerships. But the survivors will be the innovators: leaner, smarter, and ready to do business for years to come.

Be that guy, with Pay Per Lead.