the business ladder

A survey organised by YouGov, on behalf of NewVoiceMedia, suggested that SMEs are neglecting to make sure that incoming telephone calls are dealt with in the correct manner. 

Long waits and being put through to the wrong person are both failures that can leave long-term customers of companies becoming aggravated, an issue especially important as first impressions become increasingly significant.

Nearly three quarters of all SMEs are lacking in the correct service levels that allow them to understand the correct way to handle calls. Furthermore, the survey suggests, they are unable to manage calls to their offices, in particular ensuring that those calls are taken effectively.

For many, the only guidance provided for them was how many rings they should wait before answering the phone, with no further training given.

The CEO at NewVoiceMedia, Jonathan Grant, said: “This type of measurement doesn’t really get to the heart of the problem.

“What’s the point in answering the phone quickly if you can’t respond to the caller’s query effectively? They will still end up with a negative feeling about the company.

“We’re calling for change: we want company bosses nationwide to do a mystery shop to see if they are completely satisfied with the way in which calls are dealt with inside their organisation. Only if we lead from the top will we radically improve the telephone experience for customers.”

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