Discover the top factors to consider, features to look for, and mistakes to avoid when choosing an answering service for your property business.
In today’s fast-paced business world, it’s essential you don’t miss out on any opportunities. To that end, many businesses are turning to outsourced solutions to ensure they capture every call. A top contender among the solutions is an answering service. However, with so many options available, selecting the right one for your property management company can be a daunting task.
Choosing the wrong service can lead to missed calls, poor customer service, and even lost revenue. In this article, we’ll provide you with a comprehensive guide on how to choose the right property management answering service.
What is a property management answering service?
A property management answering service is a B2B service that answers calls and takes messages on behalf of property businesses. This saves property professionals including real estate agents, managers and receptionists, a lot of time. More importantly, it ensures customers – including both landlords and tenants – always get a professional and helpful response.
“You can’t let customers slip through your fingers because you’re not available to answer. 24/7 live answering ensures you’ll never miss a customer call.”
Natalie Ruiz, AnswerConnect CEO
How does a property management answering service work?
A team of friendly virtual receptionists handles customer service on behalf of companies that specialize in the letting of properties. When someone calls, a receptionist from the answering service picks up and handles the call just like an in-house receptionist would. They can take messages, transfer calls, book appointments and so much more.
The setup process is simple:
- Tell the answering service provider about your business
- Build scripts for different scenarios
- Set up your channels through which to receive messages and notifications
With more than 76% of customers preferring to contact companies by phone, it’s imperative you have a process in place to ensure every call is answered.
What should I consider before looking for a property management receptionist service?
Before selecting an answering service, it’s important to figure out your business needs. First, take a look at your call volume and patterns. How many calls do you get on a daily basis, and when are they coming in? This will help you determine what type of service you need and how much you can expect to pay.
Next, think about your business needs and objectives. Do you need someone to take orders, set appointments, or provide basic customer service? Finally, identify the features and functionalities you need from the service. For example, do you need call forwarding or voicemail?
According to a study by Small Business Trends, 75% of customers think it takes too long to reach a live agent when they call a business. So, it’s important to choose a service that can handle your call volume and pick up the phone within a certain number of rings.
Choosing a property management answering service
When it comes to choosing an answering service, there are a few key things to consider:
- AI or people-powered: You’ll want to decide what type of service you need. Live operator services are great for providing a personal touch, while automated services are more cost-effective. Hybrid services offer a bit of both. To learn more about AI vs. people-powered answering solutions, read here.
- Pricing model: Next, you’ll need to look at the pricing models. Some services charge per minute, while others charge per call or have a flat monthly fee. It’s important to figure out which one works best for your budget.
- Response time: You’ll also want to make sure the service is available 24/7 and can respond quickly to calls.
- Scalability: Think about scalability. Will the service be able to handle an increase in calls as your business grows? These are all important factors to consider when choosing a property management call solution.
- Call handling capabilities: Make sure your answering service can support your business efficiently. Can the service follow a script, route calls to the right person, and take messages accurately?
- Technology: Consider the technology they use and how it integrates with your business. For example, do they have a mobile app, or can they integrate with your CRM system?
- Quality assurance: Finally, quality assurance is important. You’ll want to make sure the service monitors calls, provides feedback and reporting, and trains their staff to meet your business’s standards.
What to avoid when signing up for a virtual receptionist service
When looking for a property management answering service, there are a few things to avoid.
- First, don’t choose a service solely based on price. Cheaper doesn’t always mean better, and you don’t want to sacrifice quality for cost.
- Next, don’t neglect customer service. You want to make sure the service you choose can provide a great experience for your customers, whether it’s taking messages or providing basic customer support.
- Finally, don’t ignore scalability. You want to choose a service that can grow with your business and handle more calls as you expand.
According to a study by TechJury, 50% of customers will stop doing business with a company because of poor customer service. So, it’s important to choose a property-management answering service that meets your business’s needs and provides great customer service.
Key takeaways
In today’s business world, having a reliable and efficient answering service is essential to keep up with the competition. But with so many options out there, choosing the right service can be overwhelming.
However, by considering factors such as the type of service, pricing models, availability, and scalability, you can make an informed decision that responds to your needs and objectives. It’s also important to assess your property company’s call volume and patterns, needs, and objectives to identify the features and functionalities you need.
When choosing an answering service, it’s crucial to avoid solely basing your decision on price, neglecting customer service, or ignoring scalability.
Take the next step
At AnswerConnect, we provide 24/7, people-powered answering services for property management companies. Our team of 5-star receptionists can answer calls, take appointments, respond to chats, leave messages and so much more!
Ready to learn more?
Book a free consultation with our team today to find out how AnswerConnect could power your customer service to the next level.
