The March 2015 Issue of TAS Trader

Kauneonga

Does Your TAS Have a Blog?

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

A blog is a great way to connect with people online. It also provides fresh content, which makes search engines happy. And happy search engines show your site to more people, giving you a higher position in their listings.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

If a blog brings more people to your site, it seems like a can’t-miss strategy. It can be, providing you can sustain it.

I began blogging in 2008. When I started, I worried that I wouldn’t have enough ideas for new posts. I quickly learned that I did. I also wondered if I had the discipline to write on a regular basis. I’ve proven I can do that as well. To date, I’ve written 1,500 posts, enough to fill several books.

Here are some tips to successful blogging. Your blog should be:

  • Integrated: Your blog should be part of your website, not separate. I recommend WordPress.
  • Focused: Have a theme to guide your content. Pick something of interest to your target audience, such as answering service, customer service, communications, human resources, technology, and so forth. If you serve a vertical market, focus your theme around that.
  • Scheduled: Determine how often you will post. The key is consistency. Once a month is the minimal frequency; once a week is better. But don’t commit to more often than you can handle.
  • Staffed: Decide who will write the posts. Pick people who like to write and have a knack for it. Don’t force department heads to each take a turn; nothing good will come of that.

Some companies outsource some or all of their content creation to freelance writers or professional bloggers. This is an option, too, especially if you’re struggling for ideas or lack time. If you do this, pick someone with a proven record who understands your market.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of TAS Trader. Check out his latest book, Sticky Customer Service.

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How Telephone Answering Services Improve Customer Service

By Ashley Meszaros

A telephone answering service, staffed with live persons, is far better than an automated response. Here are four reasons to consider:

Make a Good First Impression: Small businesses that cannot afford to hire full-time receptionists might have full-time staff handle calls as part of their jobs, along with the other multiple tasks they must manage. Instead, a telephone answering service can focus on the caller. They are trained to answer the call politely and ask how they can help the person. Listen to Callers: Customers calling with complaints expect to be heard. Answering service agents can listen to complaints, ask questions, and give a professional response, letting customers know they will get back with them in a certain time frame. Customers feels heard and know someone is working on their issues.

Present a Professional Image: Hiring an answering service to handle customer calls gives businesses a professional image while freeing up staff to take care of other work. An answering service can handle after-hours calls, too, so callers don’t have to wait until the next business day.

Defuse Customer Complaints: An answering service makes it easier to deal with customer complaints. Instead of being put on the spot, businesses receive information about the call, have time to research the issue, and can contact the customer with a well-thought out response.

A telephone answering service can benefit businesses of all sizes in all industries. While the reasons may change, the results are often the same: improved customer service.

Ashley Meszaros is the owner and president of We An-Ser Communications, serving North America. We An-Ser provides award-winning dispatching, medical answering services, man down services, lone worker support, and wireless panic services.

Telephone Answering Service News

PInnacle Freedom Hits Milestone
Professional Teledata announced that its hosted TAS system, PInnacle Freedom, has processed its 100,000,000th incoming call. Saturday, December 20, 2014, at 10:21:13 a.m. came and went with little fanfare when a caller from area code 717 became the 100,000,000th call to be processed through PInnacle Freedom. The hosted TAS system sat quietly at the co-location, doing its job connecting hundreds of agents to millions of callers around the world. Professional Teledata provides systems and software products for the telemessaging and call center industries. For more information or to set up a demo, contact Karen Black at 800-344-9944.

CAM-X Launches Online Pre-Employment Test
Due to high industry demand, CAM-X has developed a cloud-based pre-employment testing program specific to the inbound call center industry. The online program tests six core skills deemed necessary for a successful customer service receptionist. The intent of the test is to aid in the screening and hiring of candidates, minimizing the number of unqualified candidates and reducing the overall time and cost associated with recruitment. Test results are emailed immediately to the call center’s office, allowing for a prompt decision about whether or not to bring the candidate in for a face-to-face interview.

TUNe Announces 2015 Conference
The 2015 TUNe (Telecommunications Users Network, Inc.) conference will take place April 19–22 at the Hotel Sirata Beach Resort and Conference Center, 5300 Gulf Boulevard, St. Pete Beach, Florida. TUNe, an association of Telescan product users, is an active users group that benefits Telescan, a division of Amtelco. At the conference, attendees can see the Spectrum Prism II technical preview and demo of its enhancements. Spectrum Prism® is a telephony server that connects the Spectrum system to a range of telephone services such as DID, ISDN, and T-1. For more information contact Maryellen Pruitt at 618-696-8174 or pruitt1295@gmail.com.

Signius Announces Two New Directors
Signius Communications president and CEO William Robertshaw announced two major promotions: Chris Moschella has taken over as the new director of operations, while Chris Gronberg has become the company’s director of sales. Both men bring a substantial amount of industry experience and expertise to their new roles. Mr. Moschella has been active in the telephone answering service industry since 1988, and his career to date has encompassed a diversity of responsibilities, including operations, IT, and sales. Mr. Gronberg has ten years’ experience in the call center industry, having served as national sales executive and national sales manager during this time.

Quotes for the Month

“Patience is also a form of action.” –Auguste Rodin

“Ability will never catch up with the demand for it.” –Malcolm Forbes

“A plateau is a high form of flattery.” Unknown

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