There are 30.2 million small businesses in America. With 60% of customers preferring to communicate by phone, small businesses receive up to 400 million customer calls per day. While you let that sink in, imagine how many calls are left unanswered? An alarming 6 out of 10 calls.
In the digital age of apps and social media, why does calling a business continue to be such an important touchpoint for customers? Here are three key reasons why.
Connection
Most customers want to build a relationship with small businesses. When they’re hungry, they call their favorite restaurant. When they have trouble starting the car, their local mechanic is just a call away. Or, when they’re planning an event, they call the company recommended by their friend. In all of these examples, the local business can be reached via their business phone number.
Customers yearn for a human voice to say “hello” and connect with. As enquiries are not always planned, customers tend to ask at least 10 questions before making a purchasing decision. A direct conversation with a business representative by phone can uncover more questions that customers may have. Customers feel valued when speaking to a real-life person.
Confidence
Small businesses are a trusted driver of American purchasing behaviors. They’re also vital to the US economy. Nearly 70% of Americans express confidence and trust in small businesses over big businesses. With customers pouring in from every direction, small businesses tend to use the phone as a means of quick connection. In fact, 92% of all customer interactions happen over the phone.
Convenience
It’s still true today that calling is faster and easier for customers to get a quick response. Many customers can remember their favorite shop’s phone number off the top of their head, or have it saved as a favorite in their contacts. For many, it’s more assuring to call rather than email and spend time wondering how long it will take for a reply.
Even as small businesses increase their digital presence, there will be instances when key information is unavailable online. In fact, research shows that less than two thirds of small businesses have their own website. Without a substantial cache of information online, it’s critical that customers can call to gather information and ask questions to make a purchase decision.
And, of course, the widespread availability of cell phones has made calls even more convenient. Your cell is the one thing you always carry when on the go. Let’s face it, we’ve all been in the convenient position of doing a quick online search for a business, then using the click-to-call search engine functionality to speak to a person. Just like magic! It’s that easy to call a business in today’s digital world.
Find the right balance
Phone calls are only an effective communication tool for businesses when they are actively answered. A ringing phone is just a person calling out for help. They need an answer, and they need it now. A missed call for help signals a huge loss for your business; not only lost revenue, but lost trust. And that’s a lot harder to recover.
AnswerConnect can help you by answering your customer calls. Our team operates 24/7, meaning we can actively engage with your callers at all times in a professional manner. We work with you to customize scripts so our friendly team of customer service experts can engage with your customers in the best possible way. Get in touch today to see how we can help support your business.
Source: AnswerConnect
Quick takeaways.
- With 60% of customers preferring to communicate by phone, small businesses receive up to 400 million customer calls per day.
- An alarming 6 out of 10 calls to businesses are unanswered.
- Phone calls are only an effective communication tool for businesses when they are actively answered.
- AnswerConnect operates 24/7, meaning we can actively engage with your callers at all times in a professional manner.
Any questions? Call 800-700-8888 or send an email to sales@answerconnect.com.
