What's Important in an Answering Service Greeting?

There's more to hiring an answering service than just hiring someone to answer the phone. Not only do you need well-trained professionals who understand phone courtesy, but consideration also needs to be put into the answering service greeting. In many instances, the person your client speaks to on the phone may be their first interaction with your law firm. That's why it's important to make sure your answering service is a clear representation of who you are and what you stand for—and why it's important to take care with your answering service greeting.

Tone Matters

The first rule of customer service is that even when people don't remember exactly what you said, they always remember how you said it. Tone matters. When you're dealing with clients who are already stressed out about their case, the last thing they need is for that stress to be exacerbated by an unfriendly tone on the other line. That's why tone is one of the most important aspects of your answering service greeting: Because your answering service needs to communicate that you listen and care about what your clients have to say.

Branding

Your answering service greeting represents your brand. That's why it's important to know how you want your firm introduced to people. Your answering service should always start off with the name of your firm. This keeps your clients from feeling confused about whether or not they're reaching the right people.

Reducing Calls

Another way to use your answering service greeting is to cut down on unnecessary call traffic. If there are certain questions the majority of your clients need answered or information you always want communicated, such as your office hours other contact information, including this in your greeting can reduce questions and help with call control.

It's easy to think that answering service greetings are no big deal, but as your first point of contact with many clients, they deserve careful consideration. Knowing what you want to communicate about your firm from the get-go can help you develop an answering service greeting that will assure your clients that you're there to help even when you're not the one answering the phone.