Everything You Should Know About Call Routing

When you have a question or concern for a business, you do not want the answering system to put you on hold. The prospect of bouncing from one representative to another is also frustrating. Well-designed call routing service provides better customer service while utilizing your staff efficiently.

What Is Phone Routing?

Years ago, incoming phone calls would go to a receptionist or operator, and this employee would connect them to the proper sales rep or customer service staff member. This call router system only worked during official business hours.

However, the business world has become more complicated. A single company may have branches across the country or around the world. Efficiently handling phone calls means a call router service that can deal with several time zones.

Customer expectations have also changed. Your clients often expect to have someone route calls throughout the day and night. Finding an in-house solution to meet these needs will require the expense of new staff members and modified schedules.

Using a service to route calls takes the pressure off the business. A team of trained receptionists will take information, transfer calls and connect clients to your staff 24 hours a day. At AnswerHero, our call routing service lets you decide how you want calls handled.

The Benefits of Call Routing Systems

Everyone has had the frustrating experience of a simple inquiry turning into an extended ordeal. Most customers do not have patience for wasted time.

The typical person will hang up within a minute of being put on hold. A call router makes certain that your clients speak to a live person within seconds of dialing your number. Then, the call routing service connects them to the employees they need.

Phone routing will also benefit your staff. Depending on your rules for the system, you can evenly distribute calls among your sales representatives. You can also make certain that product-specific questions go to the employees with the right knowledge base. Handling calls more efficiently helps your staff handle more customer needs each day.

Rules for Call Routing Systems

The rules for a call router vary from business to business. However, there are some common strategies that companies employ.

The most frequent rules for these systems revolve around time. If you have remote employees on both coasts, a time-based strategy will expand the window for customer service. You can send calls to the east coast when it is early on the west coast. Reversing the rule will expand your service hours further into the evening without overtime.

Expertise is another factor in establishing phone rules. When a couple of your employees specialize in a service or product, you can make certain that all inquiries go directly to them. This improves customer service by connecting clients to experts quickly.

The Spanish-speaking population in the United States is growing fast. Language-based phone routing rules also offer better customer service. Customers who have a primary language other than English will appreciate connecting with someone who can understand them and represent their concerns.

Working With a Bilingual Communications Service

What rules would you use to make connections with your customers? At AnswerHero, we want to provide businesses with the communications support they need to thrive. To learn more about our bilingual call-answering services, visit our website or contact us today.