It was eleven months ago when Lyn Froman’s office abruptly closed, and she was told to begin working from home. Lyn, who had never performed her managerial duties from a home office before, was concerned. She was responsible for over 40 employees in a variety of ways. Her days were often chaotic and always busy.
That Sunday night, Lyn turned a spare bedroom into her makeshift office. She did her best to duplicate her company’s business tools: She readied her computer, printer, and fax machine. But Lyn had turned off her landline telephone years ago and only relied on her cell phone. Further, at her office, she had a receptionist – the amazing Vicky – who fielded scores of Lyn’s phonecalls daily from not only colleagues but clients. Now that Lyn would be working from home, she was truly worried about how she could perform her communication duties.
On Monday morning, Lyn was just pouring a cup of coffee when her cell phone rang. She took a quick drink and answered the phone. While she was talking to Greg, her IT guy, she saw she was receiving another call. Then another. Minutes later, when she finished the call with Greg and was returning another call, she noticed her voicemailbox already had seven messages! And it was only 8:10 in the morning! She immediately understood the challenge she was up against. How was she going to perform her job and keep up with the barrage of phone calls, voicemails, and text messages she was already receiving?
Unfortunately, Lyn is not alone in her predicament.
With the advent of Covid-19 over a year ago, thousands of workplaces across the US have closed or required their employees to work from home. Before the pandemic, Pew Research reports that only one if five people said they ever worked from home. Pew Research reports that 71 percent of those people are now performing their jobs from home most of the time or all of the time. The research firm indicates that 64 percent of workers report that their workplace is closed or “unavailable to them.”
This change is asking workers to significantly alter the way they do their jobs. People are being required to rely on video calling or online video conferencing like Zoom or Webex. Others are having to use instant messaging platforms. These communication changes are challenging many Americans. In fact, the majority of Americans polled said they cannot fulfill their job responsibilities from home. While there are various platforms for face-to-face conferencing, the fact remains that many workers must field an abundance of calls a day. Once they had secretaries and receptionists to fulfill this important function. Now, many are expected to not only perform their job responsibilities but also be their own receptionists.
Further, many of these workers are parents, and their children are also at home. Research indicates that two thirds of parents with children who are below 18 are now working from home. So, while these employees attempt to communicate with clients, customers, and their own co-workers, they are also having to deal with family interruptions. “Half of parents with children younger than 18 who are working at home all or most of the time say it’s been difficult for them to be able to get their work done without interruptions since the coronavirus outbreak started,” reports Pew Research.
Additionally, the type of industry also impacts a worker’s ability to perform his or her duties, especially communication. “Those in government, public administration or the military, 46% say their job can be done from home and 54% say it cannot . . . about three-quarters or more of those employed in retail, trade, or transportation (84%); manufacturing, mining, construction, agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (78%); and hospitality, service, arts, entertainment and recreation (77%) say that, for the most part, the responsibilities of their job can’t be done from home. Two-thirds of those in the health care and social assistance sector say the same.”
Working from home is a difficult situation for many; 62 percent report they have never worked from home or have rarely done so. Untold Americans are struggling to adjust to this new workplace – their homes – and striving to adapt to its challenges, including communication. However, there is a solution to the communication challenge: Bennett Communication Solutions.
Bennett Communication Solutions is the expert company at providing 24-hour, topnotch communication services. They provide virtual receptionists who are highly trained to meet the particular industry needs of every type of client. Whether someone works in retail, construction, entertainment, or agriculture, they would have a receptionist who has been trained in that field. Bennett Communication Solutions prides itself on hiring the sharpest candidates and training them thoroughly to provide a variety of communication services. They also require that their receptionists be highly knowledgeable about their clients’ businesses.
The 24-hour virtual receptionists at Bennett Communication Solutions answer phones and provide call routing, message taking, and information-gathering/dispensing. They also schedule appointments and handle cancellations and rescheduling. Further, Bennett Communication Solutions’ receptionists answer every client’s phone with a personalized greeting, one that is customized for that business.
And, importantly, no calls will be missed, no calls unanswered. Further, phones will not ring and ring, waiting to be picked up. Instead, every call is answered immediately and responded to immediately. Thus, workers have more time to be productive and concentrate on priority matters. They also won’t be constantly interrupted by other calls. They can finish the business they are attending to. However, if an important call comes through, the Bennett Communication Solutions’ receptionist will immediately contact the employee. Thus, these 24-hour receptionists are helpful at prioritizing phone calls while allowing employees to be their most productive.
Further, in today’s world, people are inundated with automated phone answering services, robots, and voicemails. But with Bennett Communication Solutions, people interact with real human beings, something that research reveals most all people prefer. People do not want confusing automated answering systems that provide scores of options that never lead to a human being, hang up on them, or take them to the wrong option. Instead, they want to be immediately and directly connected to a person who cares, is knowledgeable, and can quickly help. Also, businesses that answer their phones with real people are thought of much more highly than their competitors who don’t. First impressions matter. A company that employs a 24-hour Bennett Communication Solutions’ receptionist, one who is friendly and highly trained, answering every call immediately and successfully, will outshine their competitors.
In addition to the services and skills they offer, Bennett Communication Solutions’ receptionists are thoroughly educated to provide the most positive social interactions. They are trained to be well mannered, caring, and empathetic. They are enthusiastic but appropriate for each business in their call answering. They are trained to listen carefully, ask pertinent questions, take down all necessary information, and provide the information customers, clients, and coworkers require. Their receptionists are expertly trained in decision-making. In any situation, they will respond in an excellent manner.
Now that so many people are working from home due to the pandemic, they are extremely busy and challenged, adapting to their new home workplaces. They often don’t have the time to personally answer the phone, schedule appointments, handle cancellations, provide rescheduling, and give advice to coworkers and customers the minute they call. Thus, Bennett Communication Solutions’ 24-hour telephone receptionists are crucial to employees successfully executing their duties. And employers will have peace of mind knowing that their companies’ communication needs are being handled well.
Lyn Froman’s company did just that. It hired Bennett Communication Solutions. Now, while working from home, Lyn can concentrate on her most important job responsibilities, knowing that she has a communications’ partner backing her up. Her days are less stressful and more productive. While the pandemic has certainly proved challenging, it also has introduced companies to new ways of conducting business that will be best supported by excellent 24-hour Bennett Communication Solutions receptionists.
