We’re surrounded by technology designed to make life easier. Think voicemail systems and automated answering. Your customers, however, don’t necessarily care about what makes your life easy. They want their experiences to be personal and professional. Neither of which they’ll get from recorded messages or automation. Not having a real person answering your incoming communication can negatively affect your business. In fact, 80% of people will hang up if they reach voicemail – proof that a real person can have a real impact on your business.

Relying on an automated system may make you feel like you’ve got things covered and are catching calls you might otherwise miss. But customers may see it differently, and that’s an important consideration. It’s helpful to acknowledge and appreciate their perspective. For instance, if they’re calling with an urgent, time-sensitive matter, leaving a voicemail that won’t be answered until later (or even a different day) isn’t providing the response time they require. If they’re reaching out after hours or on a weekday and don’t reach someone, they’ll feel neglected. And if they reach an automated system that’s frustrating to navigate, they may abort the call entirely rather than muddle through a maze of prompts – especially if they’re trying to find simple answers such as hours or directions.

The biggest impact is with potential new business. Someone who is interested enough to contact you deserves to have their call answered promptly and professionally – by a real person. That personal touch can make or break whether they ever contact you again.

Discover more business tips, tricks and trends