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Call handling is King


The best business continuity plans consider all the scenarios that could seriously impact a business, but what happens when a crisis is completely unforeseen? Simon Burlison, Business Development Manager at Moneypenny, investigates.


COVID-19 has forced many cleaning companies, along with countless others, to rethink and reorganise their operations almost overnight.


The slightly-more prepared businesses may have planned for power outages, data breaches, fires and floods and even terrorist


attacks, but not a pandemic and almost certainly not a scenario where social


distancing is mandatory, movement is compromised, remote working has been rolled out and there's unprecedented demand for cleaning services.


In light of this, there is one main business communications challenge that many cleaning companies have suddenly found themselves unsure how to address: how can they manage an increase in calls and enquiries efficiently, especially when formerly office-based teams are now working at home?


Firstly, it’s important to explain why this matters so much. UK businesses receive 34% more calls now than they did five years ago and on average, 45% of all inbound calls generate a new enquiry. The growth can be attributed, in part, to impatience as people want immediate answers to their questions and to a renewed requirement for peace of mind, as callers seek reassurance from a human being.


The impact of the smartphone is not to be underestimated here either. Whilst it’s widely reported that smartphones are driving down voice calls, the opposite is happening in the business world, with click-to-call from mobiles responsible


36 | FEATURE


for a huge shift in the way customers attempt to make direct contact, rather than finding the answers themselves online. Quite simply, answering the phone – and doing it well – remains a business’ fundamental secret weapon.


Efficient call handling


Many cleaning businesses will have legacy phone systems that are reliant on someone being based in the office to operate the switchboard and transfer calls. This can make taking and fielding calls remotely almost impossible. Even when there are office-based people to answer the phones, it’s quite likely that the volume of new enquiries, coupled with calls from existing clients, suppliers and stakeholders could be too great to manage.


Recent data shows that cleaning company calls are 21% longer than before the pandemic, which puts even greater demand on companies’ call handling capacity. While this is almost certainly due to a more complex set of wants and needs in light of COVID-19, the increase can also be attributed to the simple need for greater human contact and friendly inter-change during this difficult time.


Under normal operating conditions we know that missed calls cost business – according to Censuswide research (commissioned by Moneypenny), 38% of all new phone enquiries are new business leads and, according to Moneypenny’s 2016 Small Business Call Report, 69% of people won’t leave a voicemail message. Right now, with calls taking longer and cleaning services in high demand for offices, shops, schools, care homes and hospitals, missed calls will be even more costly. Cleaning contractors must be accessible.


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