BlogTime by Time Communications

Who Is Watching Your Back?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:06:00 +0000

It is a great feeling to know that someone has your back. We all know things happen that can be out of our control. If you own a business, having a back-up plan can mean the difference between keeping a client or losing that client.

At Time Communications, we strive to do everything we can to ensure that if you have an issue in which you are unable to communicate with your clients, be it a phone outage, power outage or any other issue, we will be there for you. Your business and clients are important to you. And they are important to us as well.

When you are heading home from a day at the office, who will handle those after-hours emergency situations? Time Communications will. If there is a storm in your area and your phone lines go down, who will answer the calls when your clients are trying to reach you? Time Communications will. When you are running a large sale and have several calls coming in that you may not be staffed for, who will take those overflow calls? Time Communications will.

Our staff is generously trained to assist you and your clients with any unforeseen issues or high call volume you may expect. Each and every member of our team genuinely cares for your clients and callers. If you provide an empathetic service to your clients, we can accommodate as such. Do you provide any troubleshooting or customer service to your clients? If so, our staff would be able to assist with that as well. We are also able to place orders for your business after hours using our system, your website or your software.

Time Communications is extremely versatile. Each day, our staff helps your callers contact their on call doctor, fix a power outage, order a product you have to offer, or fix a leaking pipe under their sink; depending on the service your business provides. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We answer your calls with a smile on our face and a smile in our voice.

Put Some Buzz in Your Website

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:14:00 +0000

You have no doubt seen the “Click to talk to me Live” botton on many web sites, or you may even been a user of this quick service approach to customer service by using the bottom. Regardless of you have used it or just seen it, it may be time to take a look at your web site and see if it couldn’t use the benefits of the “Click to talk to me Live” feature.

What it allows your web visitors to do is speak with a customer service person at the same time they are on your web site.

Benefits? Well, there are many, the biggest being you have a potential product or service buyer that has questions. Rather than email you directly and waiting for an answer, which in some cases could take days or longer, they are immediately speaking with someone who can help them out.

The “Click to talk to me Live” feature can turn shoppers into buyers.

Call Centers like Time Communications can provide everything you need to make your web site a larger part of your overall marketing plan. Adding a low cost feature like this to your web site will more than pay for itself from day one.

How Patient Needs are Met Using a 24 Hour Medical Call Center

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTime) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:07:00 +0000

Medical patient’s needs are critical no matter what time of day it is, or even if it is a weekend or holiday. Their questions need to be addressed immediately, and a 24 hour medical call center is capable of answering their important questions and directing their emergencies appropriately. Using a 24 hour medical call center is a flexible and cost effective means for patient communication needs after hours, or when the regular staff is busy with patient care or other calls.

Patient’s emergency needs are communicated immediately to doctors by calls, voice mail, pagers, or e-mail according to the planned procedure. Other patient needs that can be addressed are appointment scheduling, information updating, prescription refills and referral needs. These can all be handled professionally by a 24 hour medical call center, and will follow a specific format customized by the physician client.

Patient service representatives are trained and experienced with the medical knowledge to speak to patients to get all of the information needed. Call centers are also trained to be compliant with HIPAA regulations for patient confidentiality. When patients have a live response, they feel that their doctors care about them in their time of need. With a 24 hour medical call center, patients have a connection to their doctors at all times.

Choose a call center that provides telecommunication services and offers 24 hour medical call center services. Make sure their customer service representatives will respond to patients knowledgeably, promptly and accurately while adhering to all regulatory requirements including HIPAA.

Grace Enderlein is a freelance writer and editor. “How Patient Needs are Met Using a 24 Hour Medical Call Center” notes how capably this service aids patients. Timecommunications.biz offers call center services.

Reasons Inbound Call Center Services Lead to Satisfied Customers

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTime) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:41:00 +0000

The customer is always the first priority to a business, and their approval ultimately dictates their success. Using inbound call center services assures that the customer is pleased by allowing consistent quality interactions, prompt responses and the technological capability to gather information to serve them better.

Professional call centers have a highly trained staff, and can communicate with customers in a knowledgeable fashion about company products and services. Their professionalism coupled with a live response 24 hours a day, 7 days a week states to a customer that a company is easy to work with and accommodating to their needs.

Consumers are demanding, and expect a live operator available to them around their busy schedules. An inbound call center service provides this and more, including support after hours and during heavy call volume times. Customers feel valued with the company interaction and extra time spent on calls. Studies have shown that outsourced call center’s loss ratio of calls is better than average because of the high quality interactions.

Customer satisfaction also results from an inbound call center’s practical ability to collect information and use it to better serve customers. Call centers have the technical capability to build customer profiles. This information can be used to segment customers and anticipate their needs, and this personalization leads to customer satisfaction and can also allow for cross sell and up sell opportunities.

Choose an answering service that provides inbound call center services with enthusiastic employees who represent companies professionally. Look for one which has a commitment to technology, which has led them to offer the most powerful communication systems available to serve their customers.

Grace Enderlein is a freelance writer and editor. “Reasons Inbound Call Centers Lead to Satisfied Customers” notes the excellent capability of call center services which are offered by Timecommunications.biz.

Texting, Tweeting & Talking

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:51:00 +0000

It is hard to pick up a newspaper or watch television without reading or hearing about the social networking phenomena that is now reaching into the business community.

The question is whether it is worthwhile for small-business owners and advertisers to invest time, money and effort into the social media platforms on the Internet. It is a question that has yet to be answered succinctly, but many small business owners have decided not to wait it out, and rather to begin using these social tools to promote their businesses. At that point, another question arises. Which social media platform should be used? Internet users have more than 400 social media platforms to consider.

Wading through these options can be confusing for small business owners, and it may help them to use a tested social media advertising strategy. To that end, there are six essential platforms that, when combined, will escalate your social advertising campaign on search engines.

A targeted social media strategy incorporates not only social tools, but also your website and PPC campaigns in order to dominate the first page of search engine results. Essentially this formula will make you the only choice as far as the searcher and Google are concerned.

The first step is to set up a LinkedIn account for your business. Linked In is a popular business profile social media that ranks very well in search engines and allows you to send event updates to business associates. If you choose one main search phrase in your LinkedIn profile and use it frequently, it will boost your rankings in the search engines.

The next step is to set up a page for your business on Facebook using the same search phrase. It is possible to connect your blog to your Facebook page so that posts show on your wall. You can use Facebook to invite people to corporate events, send messages, and share photos and videos.

Another social community you will want to use is MySpace which also ranks very well in the search engines. Once again, use the same search phrase in your profile so that your MySpace ranks high in the search engines for that phrase.

The next step is to create a corporate YouTube account. You Tube is the main video-sharing platform where you can publish client video testimonials how to videos and any other type of link bait which will lure people back to your Web site. Once again, be sure to use the keyword search phrase in your video title and description.

As you may have already heard, every small business should have a corporate blog because search engines love blogs. They have plenty of content and are easy for the spiders to crawl and categorize online. Blogs usually contain a lot of educational information that attracts visitors and elicits trust in online shoppers. Once again, try to use the same search phrase in your blog titles and content, while still making it readable and useful.

Finally, set up a Twitter account. Twitter is a microbloging site that limits posts to 140 characters. Use the same keyword phrase in your Tweets. You can add a Twitter plugin which will update your Facebook wall with your tweets. Best of all, Twitter posts rank well in the search engines.

With the combination of these six social advertising platforms, your keyword phrase has a much better chance of dominating the first page of Google.

H1N1 - What happens when it makes a visit to your office?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:49:00 +0000

The Center for Disease Control estimates that the H1N1 flu virus may affect 3 out of 10 people this year. Is your office properly staffed to have 1/3 of its workers missing? Preplanning can prevent a major disruption.

Planning contingency plans for this year’s flu season makes a lot of sense. If the Swine Flu hit your state in the spring, it is likely that it will hit again harder this winter, and linger through March. Most employees who contract the flu are out of work for at least five days.

However, for employers that is just the tip of the iceberg for flu-related absences. Employers must manage the absences and schedule work projects around die-hard employees who return to work when still ill and then have a relapse. There are also employees who need to take days off to care for a sick young child or an elderly parent.

Fly season also takes a toll on productivity. Employees on medication loose focus and can not concentrate. Insurance company estimates place the cost of sick employees continuing to work at 4 times as expensive as the cost of absent employees.

So how can employers prepare for the flu to strike their workforce? Here are a few common sense ideas:

· Encourage employees to wash their hands more often.
· Encourage employees to get a flu shot from their physicians. The vaccine for Swine Flu may not be available until after November, but the normal flu vaccine is available now.
· Subsidize the cost of the flu shot for all employees who receive it.
· Encourage employees to take several days off to recover from the flu at home.
· Create flexible work schedules so that employees can work from home while taking care of sick dependants. This can keep a project on schedule.
· Make staffing contingency plans. A call center or temporary staffing agency can keep work running smoothly and actually save the company money.

Give Time Communications a call to discuss ways your company can prepare for the upcoming flu season so that you will not be left in the cold.

Cost Effective Uses for a 24 Hour Answering Service

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTime) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:40:00 +0000

Using a 24 Hour Answering Service is a cost effective way to communicate with customers. Answering service representatives are highly trained professionals who can answer calls the way a business wants them to be answered, and it pleases customers because of the prompt and direct correspondence. The cost savings of a 24 Hour Answering Service vs. handling calls in house are significant, and there are many uses for the service.

If a business chooses to establish their own in house staff for 24 Hour Answering Services, there are many costs involved. In addition to the time it takes to recruit and hire a staff, there are start up resources, equipment needs, and space preparations to be made to accommodate personnel. Salary and benefit costs for customer service representatives are considerable, and the staff needs to be trained and managed. Positions need to be filled for the training and management of the staff, furthering the time and dollar investment.

When using an outsourced 24 Hour Answering Service, it is not just having the individual agents who are already trained and prepared to take calls almost immediately, but the management is already in place. It also increases efficiency working with an answering service because they can customize a plan based upon a company’s needs and budget.Some of the cost effective uses for an answering service are overflow, weekend and holiday coverage, dispatch services, regular hours receptionist, medical service, and message delivery.

Grace Enderlein is a freelance writer and editor. “Cost Effective Uses for a 24 Hour Answering Service” outlines the cost advantages of using an answering service provided by Timecommunication.com.

Inbound Call Center Services Aid Real Estate Businesses

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTime) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:10:00 +0000

Using a live operator to answer calls for a real estate business instead of voicemail,answering machines, or automationincreases leads and leaves customers satisfied. Utilizing inbound call center services can be the difference between obtaining and losing customers. Live coverage for their office phones makes a great impression for potential and existing clients, and a business can lose calls if a live operator does not pick up.

Real estate agents are constantly out their offices dealing with showings, closings, and client meetings. Customers deserve a live response, and using an inbound call center service projects a professional image. They can act as a personal secretary for a real estate agent, at a small fraction of the cost of hiring one. Using a service makes live communication available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for customers.

Real estate is a competitive business, especially in a challenged economy, so every tool to gain an advantage over a competitor is helpful. There is a significant home inventory on the market, and there are qualified buyers out there. They just may be more difficult to find, so it is a disappointing loss if a lead falls through because a machine answered their call. A real estate business needs a competitive edge, and every interaction with customers needs to be personalized and productive.

There are many companies today providing inbound call center services. These companies handles inbound call center services and can aid in the real estate business by handling customers professionally and warmly. These companies supply live agents who can deal with leads knowledgeably, and can also send requested information by mail or email. Their representatives can take calls and then email, fax, or transfer the call, or follow any customized instructions.

Grace Enderlein is a freelance writer and editor. “Inbound Call Center Services Aid Real Estate Businesses” notes the competitive advantage that a live call center service provided by Timecommunication.com gives a real estate business

How Companies Can Use Call Centers for Disasters and Disaster Recovery

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTime) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 05:57:00 +0000

There are times during unexpected circumstances that a company or organization needs more assistance than they can possibly handle. During a disaster or a disaster recovery mission when more hands are needed then are available a call center can step in to handle call overflow.

Call overflow can be handled with a call center with speed, responsiveness, and simplicity. During a disaster and disaster recovery there is no time to waste. The call center live operators are ready 24/7 and are professionally trained and well educated representatives. They are trained to work responsively as if extension of your company or organization.

No one knows what to expect during a disaster and disaster recovery but the best thing is to be prepared for the unexpected. Having the call center ready to handle the call overflow can mean that your calls will not go unanswered at a time of need.

How Live Operators Improve Customer Service and Customer Perceptions

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTime) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 05:27:00 +0000

In an age of automated answering and one-way voice mail conversations, it’s reassuring to know there are still dedicated people, live operators, ready to answer your caller's questions and point them in the right direction.

You can hear it when a live operator answers your calls, you can almost hear then smile. You can feel it as you witness people again and again making the extra effort to do their best. Your customers will appreciate the quality and special care they get from a live operator. It will reinforce that you care about your customers and it will show in your customer satisfaction time and time again.

Who wouldn’t rather speak with a live operator then with an automated voice? A live operator takes the extra time to listen carefully to your callers. They think about the caller's needs and ask the right questions to verify information. Most importantly, they work hard to insure you receive the information when, and how, you need it. Live operators improve your customer service ratings. There is doubt that your customers will get quality customer service from a professionally trained live operator. Customer perception and quality customer service will keep your business on top.

5 Unique Ways You Can Save and Make Money by Outsourcing to An Expert!

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTime) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 06:19:00 +0000

In the next set of blog posts I’ll outline how many companies can cut costs and improve sales even in a down economy! The idea is to capitalize on efficiencies so that you can concentrate on the areas your company does best. It makes sense to outsource, save money and increase sales and customer satisfaction all at the same time.

I’ll focus each blog post on a specific service that Time Communications offers in the hope that you will find a solution to one of your needs here, and take advantage of our cost savings to increase business for you.

Save With a 24 Hour Answering Service

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTime) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 06:12:00 +0000

When a professional courteous person ALWAYS answers your phone, even during the holidays and weekends, you will save money. An employee will never be as dependable as your phone answering service because it is always on time and never calls in sick. This means no more wasted days interviewing a receptionist only to find that they are going to quit a couple of months later.

This also means you will no longer need a receptionist on the payroll. That saves you money right away. With a phone answering service the customer can call in the middle of the night and get a real person on the line, so you never have another missed call.

Take a look at some of the benefits of 24/7/365 customer service support.

Dispatch of service, emergency, or technical support personnel.
After hours, weekend, holiday, overflow coverage.
Dedicated receptionist during normal business hours.
Live operator answering service.
Medical service bureau.
Message delivery service.
Toll-free telephone answering service.

Employee Time and Attendance Tracking

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTime) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 06:11:00 +0000

Now, more than ever, it has become necessary to manage time and attendance accurately. The traditional time clock does not meet the needs of the modern work environment, where employees frequently work from home or multiple locations.
Consider an unbiased third party, available around the clock, to help you gather, track, and trend information.

Do you need to know ahead of time who will be late or absent, for optimal utilization of your resources and manpower?

We can be your time clock, allowing your employees an avenue to “punch in or out” or have a way to call in sick/late if needed. We’ll set up a dedicated line for your employees to call when they expect to be late or absent. We will gather the data you are looking for, create the desired reports, and send those reports to you using the delivery method and frequency of your choice.

Best of all, our service will quickly pay for itself in time savings, reduction of time theft and elimination of payroll errors.

Engage a Virtual Receptionist

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTime) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 06:06:00 +0000

A virtual receptionist lets your customers think they are talking with your front desk instead of a remote location. It also makes smaller companies seem larger, and eliminates the costs associated with hiring a receptionist. Virtual receptionist services eliminate missed calls by allowing 24/7 live agents to take the calls that your staff misses, either while on another call, busy with a project, or away from their work area. Virtual receptionists can work with e-mail, fax or call transfers. The options are endless.

Face it; hiring a receptionist is expensive. You have to pay a salary, employer taxes, benefits, recruitment costs, retention costs, and training costs. You have to provide and maintain office space, computer, software, phones, copiers, faxes and furniture. The alternative is to hire a virtual receptionist at a fraction of the cost, saving money while maintaining the level of service you expect for your customers.

Remember that your virtual receptionist will not need to leave for lunches and vacations! Save money on benefits, taxes, and insurance so that you can focus on what you do best! A virtual receptionist can connect the caller directly to you no matter where you are, or we can "text" the message to your wireless device, email it, or place the message on voice mail for you to retrieve at your convenience.

Outsource Your Help Desk

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTime) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 06:01:00 +0000

If toll charges are costing your company an arm and a leg, you can save thousands of dollars annually on long-distance charges by streamlining your help desk and support services. Provide your customers, partners, and suppliers with 24/7 support on technical issues, and you will increase customer satisfaction levels and customer loyalty. Try using an online customer-service tool that enables your website visitors to communicate with customer service personnel using text chat or voice over IP.

Customers can click on a help button, which rings the computer of one of your help representatives. Then the customer can chat, speak, or leave an e-mail asking for help. Most customers choose the chat feature.

Call center agents can provide answers to commonly asked questions, built on a logic tree. This database of “Frequently Asked Questions” can be modified at any time to meet your company’s needs.

This can be a huge time-saver for your customer service department; giving technicians much needed time to spend on more difficult issues. If we’re unable to solve your caller’s problem we can forward a message to you or, if necessary, we can connect the caller directly to you. In either case we will assure the caller that the right person, with the right answers, will get back to them shortly.

Use Web Based Order Taking Services

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTime) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 05:54:00 +0000

One misconception about order taking is that “if you want a job done right, you’ve got to do it yourself”! Order taking can easily be outsourced, freeing your valuable staff for more essential functions. This cost saving measure is easy to implement and can be done quickly.

Make sure you choose an order taking service that works on a 24/7/365 basis, with the capacity and capability to handle any call volume and any size of product catalog - from a single product to large catalog orders. You will probably want an order taking service which will work through your existing e-commerce website or using your own proprietary system so that there is no duplication of data entry or possibility of errors.

You can train call center agents on all your products to ensure that every order is complete, including shipping/handling, credit card verification and validation, cross-selling, up-selling, state taxes and billing information. The idea is to increase the percentage of calls that convert into actual sales, so you can also explain the use of cross-sells and up sells to these call center agents.

Messages can be delivered to different departments within your company, depending on the nature of the call (i.e., place an order, check on the status of an order, customer returns and callback requests) thus streamlining sales and fulfillment channels.

With some input from you and a scripted frequently asked questions document, call center agents can answer questions related to your business both easily and thoroughly, increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of your customers’ calls, and saving you money!

Benefits of Using an Answering Service in Tough Economic Times

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTime) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:36:00 +0000

Using an answering service can be a money saving and profitable option for a business during tough economic times. Companies are looking for cost-cutting measures for every area of their business, while at the same time realizing that maintaining customer satisfaction is critical for their survival. Using an answering service saves money, and increases customer satisfaction.

Financially supporting an in-house answering service staff has become too cost prohibitive for some businesses. Even if a company can survive with an internal staff, outsourcing an answering center costs a fraction of what permanent employees do. Comparing variables such as call length, number of calls per hour, and staffing and administrative costs shows that the expenditure is considerably less using an outsourced answering service. There are also significant costs associated with permanent employees including hiring, training, and supervising.

Customers are the number one priority, and keeping them happy with responsiveness and professionalism will lead to customer retention and increased business. An answering center staff is highly trained to represent a company knowledgeably, and promote products and services expertly. The prompt response time and constant availability of operators increases customer approval by allowing more interaction with customers. An outsourced answering service staff should be taught to promote the desired company image through extensive instruction. The staff standards should be high with elevated expectations for education and training.

Time Communications, Inc. answering services have been in business since 1972 in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota. Timecommunications.biz offers a highly trained and skilled staff, and they have the most powerful communication systems available. Their high quality services and expectations paired with excellent communications with clients results in money saving and increased profits.

Live Chat - Making Your Web Site Talk

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:53:00 +0000

Would you like to see an increase in your shopping carts making it to the check-out point and not get abandoned while on your site? Would you like to see an increase in the size of the order as your shopping carts check-out? I would imagine that answer to these questions is an absolute YES!

Let’s first examine why people leave your site without making a purchase. The bane of all ecommerce sites is the abandoned shopping cart, the incompleted transaction. Studies estimate that up to 75% of all shopping carts are abandoned before the sale is closed. All that effort and money, and you failed to close the sale.

Why the high number of abandoned shopping carts? The answer to that may lie in who is doing the shopping. For example, the "me" generation wants everything now, skimming over information; whereas older shoppers may take the time to read everything on the cart pages and expect to be assured that it's safe to do business with you. If your cart software is more than a couple of years old, chances are it's missing a lot of the features that are standard these days that shoppers expect. Like any online technology, carts have come a long way. For example, some shopping carts allow you to grab the email contact details of the customer early on in the checkout process, which then allows you to follow up with the person should he/she abandon the cart.
One of the easiest ways to increase your ecommerce profits is to add a feature that will allow real time interaction with your visitors and a real live person.

With a Live Chat feature your shoppers will be able to get questions answered before they get frustrated and leave your site. Live Chat is easy to place on your web site and with the assistance of a 24/7 call center you are never closed. Live Chat will help boost sales, helps to reassure your visitors and makes ecommerce more "human."

Another simple solution to the empty cart problem is to offer phone and ordering assistance. With an 800 telephone number connected to a 24/7 call center, assistance is always available.
This is particularly helpful with big ticket items. No matter how simple your cart is, some folks just won't get it. No matter what you do to show you're a legit business, some still won't trust you. Whether you offer Live Chat or an 800 telephone number to call, you will see an increase in sales as a result of offering these user-friendly services.

How To Hire Virtual Office Services

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:08:00 +0000

Virtual office is an ideal option for new and home based businesses, as they provide the appearance of a much larger organization, while allowing you to continue working from home. It is a perfect choice for business owners who need office space and business services as and when needed basis. It allows the small business owners to access all the benefits of having a private office space without the cost of opening a physical office.

For the small home-based business or the newly established organization, professional virtual offices offer a convenient and cost-effective way to create a professional image for your company. And for the established small business, virtual offices can provide the extra services and the sophisticated atmosphere that it needs to increase its productivity and profitability. The purpose of a professional virtual office service is to provide a professional business environment for your organization or an exclusive address for personal use.

Finding a virtual office service alternative to standard office setup is a growing trend across many different kinds of businesses. Using a virtual office service allows individuals to work from home while conducting most of their businesses over internet or phone. Virtual office is used to cover a range of activities. You can tailor your own virtual office solution from a variety of services.Virtual office services are unique services that can enhance your business image with a fraction of cost of full-time office space.

Using a 24/7 Telephone Answering Service is a Smart Choice-Answering your business calls reliably and in a professional manner, shows that you care about your customers. A virtual office receptionist service allows you the option to have your calls answered in the company’s name. With virtual office services, you do not have to worry that you might be missing important messages because a real person always answers the telephone with the number of your company, handle your mails, faxes and relay your messages as per your instructions. Phone answering service allows you to work from anywhere, giving your small business a competitive edge.You have to pay a nominal fee and rent the services as and when needed basis.

A 24/7 answering service will provide a dedicated phone number and voice mail with call forwarding services. During normal office hours, all calls will be answered by a virtual attendant in your company’s name. The line will never be busy and will never go unanswered. Your emails can also be answered by the answering service, allowing you to work on your core business "making money".

In the midst of an economic recession, the advantages of professional virtual office are immeasurable. In today’s environment, the need for cost-cutting measures in physical office, transportation and hiring secretarial staff is inevitable. A virtual office perfectly suits the needs of individuals that work from home, companies that have no requirement for a full time office, those companies, which do not have the requisite budget for a physical office, medium to small-scale companies and new start up companies and they provide customized packages as per the needs of your company.In today’s ever-changing business climate, speed and flexibility are essential for success in any business and this is what virtual office packages are intended for.

Virtual office packages are for those who want to create a professional office setting appearance, at the same time do not need a full time office. Various packages are available and depending upon your needs, you have to choose the service that will best fit your company. Whether you need to establish your corporate presence or a conference/meeting room on an hourly basis, virtual office packages offer a wide variety of services to manage your business flow.
Virtual offices are very flexible and cater for the needs of all size and types of business. Investing in an office infrastructure is not necessary for many small businesses.
In a virtual office, you work from your home as you always have, yet your business has a prestigious phone number. To the outside world, you are sitting in a downtown location.

The virtual office fits all types of business needs-whether you have a new home business or an on-the-go professional. Using the services of a virtual office on a ‘pay as you use’ basis, such as using a telephone answering service might be a cheaper option to consider. These packages are extremely flexible and ideal for any business.

FOR NORTH AMERICAN BUSINESSES, THE BENEFITS OF

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:29:00 +0000

The discussion about outsourcing continues to be an on-again, off-again affair - onshore and offshore, that is.

Certainly, the basic value of outsourcing has been well-documented. Depending on the industry, the benefits can range from dramatic cost savings to reduction of inventory, to the fact that it allows companies to focus on their core competencies. When it comes to some specialized tasks, the advantages of outsourcing are, frankly, not even open to question.

What is still up for debate, however, is whether to adopt an onshore or offshore approach. For purposes of this (or most any) discussion, “onshore” outsourcing refers to the use of an outsourcer located on the same continent as the customer company; “offshore,” logically, would be anywhere else – including halfway around the world. While each approach has distinct merits, it is instructive to examine specific outsourcing scenarios to determine which line of attack is optimal. For example, if you are a North American company seeking to outsource your customer service department or wish to make a major upgrade to your company’s accessibility by offering 24/7 service, the onshore strategy is a significantly better method. Let’s examine the rationale:

Practical Experience

Generally speaking, if you stay onshore in the North American market, you can
identify talent that has extensive expertise in your domain. For example, if you’re a catalog company, the United States can offer a wealth of experience in mailing and printing options which you can identify and effectively utilize. In fact, the availability of expertise in North America for virtually any hightech sector you can name – especially telecommunications and networking - is a fact of outsourcing life.

Location, Location, Location

One of the key reasons why onshore is frequently a better outsourcing option is
proximity. When a North American company begins working with an outsourcer only a few hundred or even a thousand miles away, hopping on a plane for an in-person meeting, generally speaking, convenient as well as affordable. Taking a trip to India,however, is neither convenient nor economical, which discourages the face-to-face interaction that, while not essential on a daily basis, can become critical if and when a project begins to veer off-course.

Without question, distance issues can be mitigated somewhat through the use of phones, e-mail, instant messaging, and even videoconferencing. However, it’s not the same as getting into a room together and being able to discuss a project in a real-time,personal manner.

Time is a close relative of distance. Consider: The two points furthest apart from each other – latitudinally – in North America are separated by just four time zones. Thus, it would be relatively simple to set up a conference call at a time that is well within business hours for both sides. On the other hand, try putting a call between New York and China. It is likely to mean that at least one of the parties will be forced to get up too early or go to bed too late. Further, when you’re thousands of miles and multiple time zones apart, it’s difficult to have those all-important creative juices flowing on a real-time basis.

Language Barriers

One of the most obvious quandaries of an offshore set-up is the language issue. A North American company dealing with a North American outsourcer can rest assured that both parties will communicate in English; the same cannot necessarily be guaranteed when dealing with a foreign outfit, creating an obstacle whose effect cannot be overstated. What’s more, even if the outsourcer’s key personnel do speak English, they may not be completely versed in some of the quirky phrases and local dialect that can make English much harder to comprehend.

Political/Financial Stability

One other hidden value of offshore outsourcing is the political stability in North America. A quick glance at any major newspaper or media outlet will highlight the nefarious actions taking place in many parts of the world – a terrorist attack here, a coup d’etat there. What’s more, many foreign countries are suffering through economic crises that make the current problems in the United States pale in comparison.

Total Project Cost

From a dollar perspective, the lure of offshore outsourcing can be particularly potent. Without a doubt, the labor cost is significantly lower in popular outsourcing destinations. However, there are hidden and not-so-hidden costs that must be taken into account. Language barriers, time zone differences, even the design culture not only create obstacles to timely, effective product development and delivery; they carry hard, actual costs. Language issues can require interpreter services and can result in product development miscues. Lack of proximity will lead to huge travel expenses when a face-to-face meeting is necessary.
The cost of overall project management is another variable that must be accounted for. Far less management is usually required on the part of the customer who utilizes onshore resources. This naturally has to do with time, distance, geography, design culture, and other dynamics cited earlier. But it is even more closely correlated to the experience factor than anything else. Because the offshore team is often more inexperienced in the specific development or market area that the customer is seeking,tighter project management and oversight will be required, putting the client company in the position of “hand holding” the offshore talent to ensure that everything flows smoothly.

Conclusion

With an experienced staff, close proximity, negligible time difference, and real-time interaction, the discussion of onshore vs. offshore should be an open and shut case.

How much are you paying to have your easy questions answered?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:47:00 +0000

Are you or your most knowledgeable employees wasting time and money answering simple tier-one customer service questions? Time Communications has helped companies identify those simple questions, mapped out the answers, and implemented them into our system to insure they are handled professionally, and efficiently, by our well-trained customer service representatives.

The first step is to identify the most commonly asked questions and to find a solution to answer them. This might include having the product on our floor so our customer service representatives can actually give hands-on instruction, or might involve walking your caller through a decision tree.

The second step is to implement that solution into our system. In most instances, we will meet with the client and map out a decision tree. We also identify how the customers want their calls escalated. Options include, fax, e-mailing, and call patching to name a few.

The third is training. We know training is critical. Some of our clients visit our facility to conduct training. Others choose to use webinars. It can be as simple, or extensive, as needed or comfortable with.

The fourth is monitoring. Time Communications monitors all activity and records phone calls. There is a supervisor for every eight employees who regularly listens and evaluates phone calls based on a set criteria of excellence.

Questions? Give us a call. We would be happy to talk to you further about how we can help.

The Value of a Customer Service Support Representative

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTime) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:14:00 +0000

The Customer Service Support Representative is a vital link between your customers and your business. They are an extension and ambassador of your company. The value of their role is foremost the most important communication you can have with your customers.

Skills of a Valued Customer Service Support Representative

A Customer Service Support Representative has specific training and expertise in many areas. Their skills are listed but not limited to:

How to assess customer business needs and exceed customer expectations

Critical thinking skills to resolve incidents quickly and consistently

Active listening skills and effective communication strategies

How to identify and defuse challenging customer behavior

An awareness of the core processes and best practices used in service and support

Training of a Valued Customer Service Support Representative

The Customer Service Support Representative may be the first and only communication that your customer has with your business. It is essential that they have the tools, knowledge and training to be successful. The Customer Service Support Representative may work in a variety of areas, in diverse ways with the principle object of helping customers. Their success will be your successes.

Rewards of a Valued Customer Service Support Representative

Make sure each Customer Service Support Representative knows their value. It is important to provide them with an environment in which to thrive and grow. Continued education and training builds confidence and that will shine through to your customers. They say you can actually hear a smile through the telephone. Incentives and rewards for accomplishments and milestones go a very long way.

The first impression that a Customer Service Support Representative makes on your customer is one that will last. The importance of learned skills, comprehensive training, and rewards makes the difference on your business. Know the value of a good Customer Service Support Representative.

Linda Dunkelberger is a freelance writer and editor working for Time Communications (www.TimeCommunications.biz). The article "The Value of a Customer Service Support Representative" highlights the advantages and value of having a skilled Customer Service Support Representative handling your business. Time Communications is a call center providing quality telecommunications services to large and small businesses since 1972.

Outsourcing in a Turndown Economy

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:51:00 +0000

Downsizing, layoffs, furlough, early retirement, buyout,… we are all reading and hearing these terms a lot lately and the forecast seem to be that we will be hearing them a lot more in the future.

Companies of all sizes are experiencing shifts in their normal operations that in most cases means that there is a shortage of dollars flowing into the company. Less income in most situations will result in people losing their jobs.

Does this mean the end to wonderful customer service that a company was providing prior to the current business downswing? Not necessarily. There are alternatives to sacrificing great customer service when the economy turns sour and companies are faced with difficult operating decisions.

One of the most efficient and effective ways to maintain great customer service and reduce the expense of corporate overhead and the cost of maintaining equipment is to build a relationship with a call center that has a history of partnering with companies that outsource their customer service.

Today’s call centers are much more than friendly people that help others. They can provide agents that are as well-versed in your company philosophy as your own staff. They offer around-the-clock service which is something 99% of most companies don’t offer.

Talk about standing out in a crowd. How about marketing 24/7 service with live caring people to help you.

No one enjoys the situation of “press one for this and two for that”, the backlash to voicemail is growing by the day. Everyone hates it, yet it takes a simple commitment to end it and return to having live friendly people representing your company in a way that makes callers notice the difference in the way they are treated when calling your company.

Working with a call center also gives you the opportunity to gain important marketing information. Most company’s telephone systems are inadequate when it comes to tracking call history. A call center with its advanced telephony system can create reports that will pinpoint information that will help shape your marketing decisions.

Today’s call center will provide so much more than just a friendly voice. Marketing data, cost savings, increased level of customer satisfaction, and the ability to service your callers 24/7 are just a few of the benefits you will experience when partnering with a call center.

How Your Answering Service Can Help With Court Documentation in Eviction Cases

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 18:11:00 +0000

Documentation is key when taking a nuisance tenant to court for eviction. One often over-looked vender that can be of great assistance in providing documentation is your answering service. If your answering service has up-to-date equipment and software, they should be able to document all calls, including nuisance and complaint calls. In addition, their telephone agents should be able to convey specific instructions to tenants calling about after hour’s noise complaints. For instance, your service should be able to tell callers a message has been taken, but that they should file a complaint at the office during regular business hours.

The key is to get your answering service account set up to capture the right information, and give proper instructions. First, have them document all calls, even calls that are not considered an emergency. These messages do not need to be paged out to your on-call person, but can be sent the next business day. It’s also important for the service to capture time of call, and the incoming phone number when possible. This will show what time the call came, and where it came from. Second, have them provide a morning sweep of all account activity that can be faxed or e-mailed to you. Third, tell them what information you want conveyed to irate callers. In addition, most modern answering services also archive calls, and their archives can stretch back years. Even if you don’t save your answering service messages, they should be able to go back and retrieve old information.

In court, your answering service is often considered a neutral observer. If they are able to provide the proper documentation showing that a number of tenants have called to complain about noise from one tenant at late hours, it can go far helping you making the case.

Guide to Answering Services

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:57:00 +0000

Your small business is generating more phone calls from customers and potential ones – and that's good news except it's getting harder for you to make your products or give services. Consider outsourcing your incoming calls.
The value of a human voice is huge – many callers will simply hang up rather than talk to a machine. But before you pick the cheapest answering service to handle your calls, remember this vendor may be a caller's first impression of your business and should be treated as a partner in branding your business.

Three important things to know:

1. What type of calls will you need the answering service to handle – orders, information, technical support, e-mail and Web chat? What volume do you expect? Take into account seasonal spikes.

2. Understand pricing and compare apples to apples. Quotes may be per-minute, per dedicated rep, per call.

3. Evaluate answering services with surprise sample calls by getting phone numbers from the vendor's other clients. Listen to the type of live calls you plan to outsource. Are agents friendly, knowledgeable and skillful with irate callers?

Action Steps

Choose a company that belongs to a professional trade association. Find award winners whose service level has been evaluated through test calls. A score of at least 80 percent snags an award.

There are hundreds of answering services competing for your business – it's one of the easiest home-based businesses to start, but so very difficult to succeed at. Go with an established professional company.

Find out how long operators typically work before quitting. The person who actually answers your phone is vital to your business. Is she enthusiastic and well-trained? If 35 to 50 percent of a vendor's staff has been around three years or more, that's a good sign.

Experience counts; you get what you pay for – the more established answering services will have higher prices – along with existing customers and a sterling reputation.

Pick a specialist; whether you need bi-lingual services or an automatic rollover to a live operator when a natural disaster strikes, there are companies that specialize in niches.

Make sure the answering service has back-up power and redundant critical systems.