Bennett: Outsourcing a switchboard offers a seamless, professional and positive client journey
A study of top London organisations – including a number of leading lawyers – has revealed almost half (47%) of firms expect call volumes to increase over the next few months – yet many struggled to manage their switchboard calls or prioritise customer service during the pandemic.
The outsourced communications provider – which handles more than 2 million calls and live chats for law firms every year – found that 46% of legal respondents turned their switchboards onto 24/7 voicemail throughout lockdown, a third admitted to expecting onsite security to answer calls and 30% removed phone numbers from their website altogether.
As the majority (68%) plan to continue remote or hybrid working over the next six months this presents greater operational challenges for in-house switchboard teams. Providing 247 support, knowing where employees are and directing the calls to the right place, hiring quality people and ensuring a good call experience, were cited as areas of particular concern.
Bernadette Bennett, Head of Legal Sector at Moneypenny, said: “Over a year down the line, diverting calls to mobile, passing the responsibility onto building security staff or actively discouraging clients and prospects from calling has only one outcome – to damage reputations and revenues irrevocably.
“Firms’ managing partners, practice managers and facilities staff must address issues regarding accessibility and customer-service once and for all.”
Bernadette added: “Outsourcing a switchboard offers a seamless, professional and positive client journey that demonstrates to enquirers that you care. It’s also a vast improvement on many of the so-called ‘quick lockdown fixes’ that firms have relied on.”
53% of legal businesses plan to allow their teams to work remotely – compared with just 23% of the finance sector – and 15% plan to allow staff to work fully from home, compared with 56% of accountancy firms.
Established in 2000, Moneypenny is the world’s market leader for telephone answering, live chat, outsourced switchboard and customer contact solutions. In total, more than 21,000 businesses benefit from Moneypenny’s mix of extraordinary people and ground-breaking technology.
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