Automated Answering Service vs Live Call Agent

It doesn’t matter what industry you may be in—if you work with customers and clients of any type, you need to offer them proper support. Otherwise, they will not be loyal to your brand and might even spread the word to others about their negative experience. Unfortunately, many companies aren’t sure how to create a customer support strategy that suits their business and customers’ needs. This often leads to speculation over which type of answering service is better: an automated answering service or live call agent.

We see merits to both types of systems. Automated phone services certainly have their place and can be quite handy for specific queries or needs. However, we are massive proponents of the use of live agents in customer service—they can fix complex problems in a way that automated services do not. Every company and industry has different needs, which also goes for their contact centers.

Today, we will discuss the pros and cons of using an automated answering service vs. live call agents. If you have questions or need support in deciding how to proceed with your company’s contact center, get in touch with our team. Our live agents will be happy to help you figure out the best path for your brand.

Automated Answering Service

In some situations, an automated “robot” can handle customer calls well. This is especially true when making reservations or simple changes to pre-existing purchases or receiving “boilerplate” type answers (like checking a schedule.) However, it’s less helpful when your clients have complex issues to resolve or questions relating to their specific circumstances.

To help you decide if an automated answering service is the right option for your company, we’ve created a simple list of pros and cons.

Pros and Cons of Automated Phone Services

Pros

• It Can Be Fast and Efficient
  Not all queries are complex. When a customer has a simple question, an automated answering service can give them answers quickly. All it takes is a few minutes and pressing some buttons—no wait time or conversation necessary!
• It Can Help Reduce Live Inbound Volume
  High call volumes can be stressful for even the most skilled agents, leading to long wait times and lost calls. This is where automated services shine—simple queries can be taken on the automated side, giving your agents more time and space to answer more complex questions.

Cons

• It’s Not Always Accurate
  Sometimes, automated answering services miss the mark. Often, customers are given a list of options and numbers to press and find that nothing offered fits their actual query. This leads to dissatisfaction on their part—and that can mean losing them as a customer.
• Customers Don’t Always Like It
  When customers have to call a support center, they are often in distress or frustrated with a situation. The customer can become more aggravated when they are being “helped” by a robotic voice that doesn’t seem to understand the problem. Unhappy customers won’t return. They might even post about their negative experience online.

Shared or Dedicated Contact Agent

Many companies outsource a team of shared or dedicated live agents for their contact center. Live agents allow for a person-to-person experience for their customers and leads.

If you are considering investing in a BPO shared or dedicated contact agent service, check out these pros and cons to help make the decision.

Pros and Cons of a Phone Attendant Service

Pros

• Live Agents Reach Real Resolutions
  Live agents can listen to your clients’ and leads’ unique circumstances and help them find the fastest path to resolution. No time is wasted with automated options that don’t exactly fit. Instead, your caller will be able to discuss their situation or question in detail so that the correct protocol can occur. This personal contact leads to quicker resolutions and happier customers.
• Your Brand Will Always Be Front and Center
  Outsourced call center agents work like an extension of your team; they will learn everything about your business ethos and mission, your branding and verbiage and how you want specific issues to be handled. You can even work with your BPO team to create customized scripts for your live agents. This customer service experience creates a more cohesive transition from your storefront and social media to your call center.
• Happier Customers
  When your customers call you, they hope for a straightforward and painless experience that meets all their needs and resolves any issues. If your call center team can provide that, that’s a massive win for both of you. They will walk away feeling respected and satisfied with their experience. Your company will thrive as a result. Happy customers lead to a good reputation.

Cons

• You Didn’t Invest in It Sooner
  Once you introduce a team of live call center agents to your business, you’ll wonder why you waited so long to do so. Providing helpful and professional customer support positively impacts your team, your customers and your brand. We can’t see any real cons besides this one!

Talk to a Real Person with TeleDirect

Sometimes, a person answering phone calls is the only answer. That’s why we believe every contact center should feature at least some live agents for complex customer queries and cases. At TeleDirect, we work with companies of all sizes (and are fully scalable) to provide as many businesses as possible with this game-changing service. Call (800) 776-1081 today to learn more about helping your loyal customers talk to a real person! We look forward to helping your business be the best it can be.