Voice mail systems can actually please customers when set up properly.
Voice Mail: Making Today’s Technology Work for Your Business
By William A. Freedman
It’s often best described as a love/hate relationship: Many employers love what voice mail systems can do for their businesses, but they, too, hate getting caught in a web of voice mail selections that leave them yearning for a human voice on the other end of the line. But the fact is, voice mail systems aren’t going to go away any time soon. In fact, due in part to a growing need to offset the inefficiency and spiraling labor costs associated with business telephone call distribution and messaging, Southern California businesses are gradually migrating toward voice mail as a primary answering position or as an online backup to a live switchboard attendant.
Making It Work
With today’s new digitally integrated call-processing centers finally delivering both the speed and performance necessary to achieve a higher level of user friendliness and simplicity, voice mail technology can be engineered to save your company time and money. And, when set up properly, these systems can actually please your customers. The secret is implementing the system based on common sense and from an outside caller’s perspective. Following are 10 tips for implementing a system that will benefit your business.
* [bold]O is for Operator[bold]. Make it easy for callers to retreat from voice mail quickly if they wish to speak with a live operator. While it may sound like a simple thing to do, many systems are set up such that callers aren’t told immediately how they can reach an operator, which can lead to caller frustration. Make the escape route traditional by using, for example, a recording that states, “Simply press -0- at any time or remain on the line for operator assistance.” Of course, be sure that you then have an attendant who is available to take those calls. Nothing irritates callers more than requesting help and then being asked to leave a message.
* [bold]Smooth Transfers[bold]. Carefully consider where callers will be transferred when requesting operator assistance. If all operator activity is deferred to a single extension, it may be more than one person can handle. Consider a backup or overflow receptionist, or maybe even departmental attendants. You should always retain the option of having multiple calls transferred to a single extension or even to a special group of extensions when callers request live assistance.
* [bold]Designating Responsibility[bold]. Be sure someone in your organization has been designated as the responsible party for retrieving switchboard-related messages first thing each morning. It’s especially important to check those messages recorded in the operator’s mailbox overnight.
* [bold]Directory Assistance[bold]. Always offer your callers some sort of alphabetical directory in addition to any recorded listings you wish to present. Callers are often frustrated if they do not know a party’s extension and therefore cannot leave a message for that person. Many companies choose to have callers dial 4-1-1 for a staff directory, because people are already accustomed to dialing those digits for directory assistance.
* [bold]The Common Denominator[bold]. Structure your main company greeting and menus to quickly meet the most-common needs of your callers, and provide single-keystroke options wherever possible to rapidly route callers to their intended destinations.
* [bold]On-Hold Options[bold]. Many times when people make a call to a person’s extension and that person is already on the phone, their call is automatically routed into voice mail. This can be frustrating for those who may prefer to hold for a minute or two until the person they’re trying to reach is available. Why not give callers that option? Occasionally a direct conversation is essential in lieu of simply leaving a message on voice mail.
* [bold]A Personal Touch[bold]. Every employee who has his or her own voice mail box should present both information and transfer options within his or her personal mailbox greeting. Advise staff members to clearly identify themselves, let the caller know why they’re not able to answer, and when they’ll be able to respond to a message. Additionally, give callers the option to dial another extension or the operator for assistance.
* [bold]Immediate Notification[bold]. Even in today’s busy business environment, clients and colleagues still expect voice mail messages to be retrieved in a timely manner. As a result, be sure your system provides staff members with immediate message-waiting notification. Special lamps on telephone sets are excellent, but even so you should always provide backup notification procedures as well. For example, systems can be set up such that the voice mail system calls an employee’s desk every 30 minutes, just in case the lamp on the phone doesn’t work. Another option is to have personnel who are outside the office be notified by pager when they receive a message in their voice mail box.
* [bold]Taking a Test Drive[bold]. Simply stated, never put a call-processing center on-line before both you and your staff perform a full test drive of the system. Put yourselves in the proverbial shoes of your outside callers. Are you pleased and comfortable with the way it’s been designed and is functioning? Both management and staff should always experience exactly what they are asking their customers to deal with.
* [bold]Common Courtesy[bold]. Be considerate and always offer voice mail messaging as an option to your callers, never as a requirement. Insist upon having your receptionists ask, “May I take a message, or would you prefer Mr. Smith’s voice mail?” This allows your caller to decide the appropriate course of action and won’t anger those who loathe modern voice messaging systems.
By allowing this advanced technology to work the way people do, you’ll greatly enhance the productivity of your staff, and more importantly, give your business a competitive edge.
[ital]William A. Freedman is CEO of Desertcom, a digital business communications company based in Los Angeles.[ital]
