The end of the year is a time for reflection. As we move into a new decade, it’s important to consider the things we’d like to improve upon in both our personal and professional lives. The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to employ new strategies and techniques while doing away with the practices that no longer serve you. In 2020, prepare your organization for a new era of growth and leave behind these all-too-common business faux pas:
Forgetting About Inactive Prospects
The thrill of the chase is exciting – so much so that we often forget to nurture the leads we already have. While it’s natural to forget about inactive prospects, this bad habit is a waste of time and resources. To ensure you’re getting the most out of your marketing and sales efforts, employ techniques that allow you to revisit inactive leads. Sales require careful, steady attention, and without a constant presence in the minds of your prospects, you could be dropping golden opportunities.
Ignoring Spanish-Speaking Customers
America is growing more diverse with each passing year. To keep up with the changing demographics, you’ll have to prioritize the experience of every customer, not just the ones who speak English. Spanish is by far the most commonly spoken language after English, so it’s important to be inclusive in your messaging and support strategies. Some companies opt to advertise specifically to Spanish-speaking demographics, while others choose to offer bilingual support in their customer service department. However you decide to implement bilingual services, ignoring Spanish speakers is not advised.
Relying on Chatbots
Robots were supposed to make our lives easier and more automated. Instead, chatbots have proven to be more trouble than they’re worth. Automated messaging applications have indeed automated the customer service experience, but they rarely provide the kind of support that humans actually require. Though useful for sharing basic facts, policies and procedures with customers, chatbots are no substitute for the resourceful human employee. Many customers will ignore or close out of these messages once they realize they’re not speaking to a human. If you’ve been relying on chatbots to handle the bulk of your customer interactions, it’s time to reconsider.
Multitasking
You heard it here first: single tasking is the new multitasking! Study after study confirms what that multitasking is not nearly as productive as we’d hope. When we try to do two things at once, our attention becomes fractured and less effective than if we’d been focused on a single task. We feel more stressed but accomplish less. Make 2020 the year you abandon absent-minded emails and inattentive phone calls. By focusing on one task at a time, you’ll cross more things off your to-do list and ensure you are working as efficiently as possible.
Putting Callers on Hold
There are few things as universally despised as being put on hold. While it may seem like a necessary evil for busy corporations with more calls than employees, there are multiple better options available. For instance, you can give customers the choice to receive a call back when you have an employee ready to talk. Better yet, you can use a third-party call answering service like MAP Communications to eliminate wait times altogether so that callers get to quickly speak with a real, helpful representative whenever they dial.
Existing on Social Media – But Not Engaging
Social media may have been born in the aughts, but it came of age in the 2010s. We’re more connected to our friends, family and favorite brands than ever before. It’s not enough to have a social media presence anymore, though. The rise of funny corporate social media accounts has raised the bar on what consumers expect of online content marketing. If you’re not engaging with your followers by sharing memes, answering questions via direct message, and announcing exciting company news on your social media accounts, you could be left behind in 2020.
Letting Calls Roll to Voicemail
We’re all guilty of letting calls roll to voicemail every once in a while, but it’s a practice that should never be employed professionally. A missed call often sends prospective customers dialing up your competitor instead. In an increasingly globalized economy, customers have more choice than ever before, and 24-hour availability is no longer considered optional. Of course, a single person can’t be tasked with answering phones around the clock. If you’re hoping to expand or maintain your growth into the next decade, consider partnering with a 24-hour answering service to cover the phones whenever you are unavailable.
The Administrative Solution to 2020’s Challenges
The new year is upon us. Use this time to reflect honestly about the things you hope to improve upon and the ways you hope to grow. MAP Communications has spent three decades at the forefront of the answering service industry. In our time in the business, we’ve learned a thing or two about productivity and customer service. Leverage our virtual receptionists, call centers and answering service to establish new best practices for a new decade. Learn more about what MAP can bring to your organization now.
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