The world is completely different now than it was a mere decade ago, and all it takes is a quick look around us to realize this fact. The internet, fast connectivity, smartphones, mobile apps, social media, and websites are just a few of the technological innovations that have changed the way businesses need to operate in order to keep their customers happy.
Nowadays, it seems almost unthinkable to run a business without offering things like online customer service, varied shipping options, and virtual catalogs. Rather than operating in a strictly local capacity, businesses now have the opportunity to become global enterprises — even small and medium ones.
But to do so, you need to be able to interact with customers at any time of the day. Yes, you read that right — your business needs to operate 24/7 if you want to experience significant growth.
How can 24/7 operations help your business beat its competitors?
If you’re running a small business, it may seem excessive to keep your operations going all day, everyday. It can also seem impossibly expensive to achieve this; however, you can reap many benefits by investing in 24-hour operations.
Your customers’ satisfaction will go up
Customers want to feel like your business has their back, and providing quick and easy customer service can achieve just that. Investing in 24/7 customer service shows customers that you are committed to providing a positive experience for them rather than simply trying to sell products.
Achieving a high degree of customer satisfaction could potentially transform your business. Happy clients will be more likely to turn into loyal, returning customers who will continue to bring revenue into your business — additionally, these clients will also be more prone to recommending your services, which can make your customer base grow exponentially. After all, we are all more willing to try out a new shop or service if it has been recommended to us by someone we trust.
You won’t miss out on any potential sales
The world doesn’t work exclusively during office hours anymore. In order to make a positive impact on your revenue, you need to be able to complete transactions at any time. This can be complicated if you only run a brick and mortar shop, since keeping your doors open 24/7 can cost a lot of money without increasing your sales significantly.
However, even a simple website with an integrated shopping platform can ensure that customers will be able to find your products and place orders even when your business is closed for the night. Keep in mind that any online shop can benefit from 24/7 live customer service, since it will allow customers to solve possible doubts immediately, instead of having to turn to a different provider for assistance.
You will expand your geographic reach
If your business is only reachable during your business hours, potential customers from different time zones and locations may find it cumbersome to try to communicate with you in order to make a purchase or inquire about your services.
But if your customer service line is open 24 hours a day, it will be much more convenient for people to call you from other cities, states, and even different countries. This way, they will know that your business is able to adapt to their needs and schedule, rather than expecting them to adjust to a rigid schedule.
You will have backup in case of emergencies
Do you know what to do if your staff is unable to get to work due to an emergency? Unexpected events happen everyday, and in many cases, they can disrupt your workflow and your ability to provide top-notch customer service. This can lead to lost sales, unhappy customers, and inefficient operations which can ruin an entire work day — or more.
Fortunately, there are simple strategies that can keep your business available under any circumstance. Thanks to these precautions, your customers will still be able to contact your business, even if you and your staff have to deal with an unexpected emergency.
But how will my small business be able to offer 24/7 support?
Great question! Running a small business and offering innovative 24/7 customer service may seem impossible at first. How could you ever have staff working around the clock on a limited budget?
Don’t despair! The solution is actually much simpler than you may think. Virtual answering services are easy to customize, affordable, and they can help you provide 24/7 customer service in a straightforward and effective manner. These services make it easy for you to set up a remote call center that will keep your phone lines accessible and handled by professional operators around the clock, no matter what else happens during the day.
