Outsourcing an accounting firm’s call answering to virtual receptionists can pay handsome dividends.
There’s potential to not only immediately improve the bottom line, especially if switching from an in-house receptionist and saving on wage costs, but also to improve operations in a way that can multiply a practice’s revenue over the longer term.
Accounting firm directors, practice managers and all accountants are acutely aware of the challenge of delivering precise work under tight deadlines, with minimal room for error. That is why proactive measures to ensure uninterrupted workflows and the greatest possible efficiency are among the hallmarks of the most successful practices.
Equally important is ensuring new client enquiries are handled promptly and professionally. And that starts with ensuring that phone calls don’t go unanswered – ideally at any time of the day, even after hours – so that warm leads aren’t missed. After all, like accounting, business development is a numbers game. Of course, ensuring calls are promptly answered – even during the busiest times, such as during tax season – can also greatly enhance satisfaction levels among existing clients.
Without the support of an accountant answering service, like the one offered by OfficeHQ, an influx of inbound calls can disrupt workflows, lead to missed opportunities and result in client dissatisfaction.
Why your accounting firm needs an answering service
Every call represents a business opportunity. Whether it’s a potential client, an urgent query or an important update, having a call go unanswered can be detrimental for your accounting practice.
But let’s face it, if you don’t have a dedicated receptionist in your office, balancing answering the phone with your core accounting tasks can be challenging.
Staffing can be problematic, too. There are times when the phone is quiet and other times when call volumes suddenly skyrocket.
And even if your have a full-time receptionist on your team, what happens when there’s concurrent calls? Or when a call comes in when they’re at lunch, they’ve stepped away from the desk for another reason, they’ve called in sick or they’re away on holiday? Here’s how outsourcing your inbound call handling to OfficeHQ’s team of virtual receptionists can revolutionise your practice.
1. Professional call handling
Virtual receptionists are trained to manage calls with the utmost professionalism, ensuring that every interaction reflects the high standards of your firm.
They can handle various tasks, including taking messages, providing basic information about your services, transferring urgent calls – depending on your availability settings – and scheduling appointments.
2. Cost savings & no HR headaches
The expense of employing receptionists may not be justifiable for small practices or firms with fluctuating call volumes.
A pay-per-call answering service with professional and highly trained receptionists provides a far more cost-effective solution, without compromising on quality or efficiency.
Crunch the numbers: you’re looking at paying about $230 per day in wages compared to as little as $25 per month, plus a small per-call fee, for our MessageExpress PAYG service. Or just $75 per month for a MyReceptionist plan with 20 calls included. And we have plans suited to call volumes of any size. In addition to wages, you can save on hiring and training costs plus avoid any HR issues arising from a bad hire.
3. Uninterrupted workflow
Handling client calls can be a significant distraction, pulling you away from critical tasks that require your full attention. With a dedicated accountant answering service, you can ensure that all calls are professionally managed without interrupting your workflow.
This allows you to maintain focus on delivering high-quality accounting services, improving productivity and helping to reduce errors.
4. Improved lead capture
Not everyone can reach out to enquire about your services, or respond to queries, between 9am and 5pm. Yet extending your working hours into the evening, or being available on weekends, isn’t always feasible.
OfficeHQ’s after-hours answering services enable you to still capture leads, or ensure existing clients can always speak to a human, at any time – day or night – including on weekends.
5. Enhanced client satisfaction
A missed call or delayed response can lead to client dissatisfaction and potential loss of business.
Using virtual receptionists means more calls are answered promptly, enhancing your firm’s reputation and ensuring that clients feel valued and attended to.
Complete flexibility to scale as you need
As your firm grows, so does the volume of inbound calls. OfficeHQ offers scalable solutions to fit your changing needs, providing the flexibility to effectively manage seasonal fluctuations.
Additionally, there’s no lock-in contract, so if you feel you only need a temporary answering service during peak times – such as tax season – then you can easily partner with OfficeHQ for only a month or two as required.
There’s also an option to place your account on hold, so you can easily reactivate your service when tax time comes around again the following year.
