ServiceFirst: Customer Service Blog

Our blog, ServiceFirst, features customer service tips, suggestions about how to configure your AnswerFirst account and topics relating to the call center and customer service industries.

Handling Angry Customers on Customer Service Calls – How to Speak With Them?

Customer service can be a rewarding opportunity for employees and those of answering service companies. Most times, the experiences with customers are great. However, when dealing with angry customers on customer service calls, there is a level of frustration that must be controlled. That frustration level rises when customers yell about an issue, especially [...]

Are Virtual Receptionists Good At Handling Web Chats?

Effective Web Chat Solutions Put Customers At Ease, Increase Leads, and Build Reputation Virtual receptionists are becoming a permanent fixture within connected modern companies, and many people want to measure the efficacy of these services across various industries. One certainty in business is that customers will have questions; sometimes, a lot of them. Purchasing [...]

How To Handle Inbound Calls For Your Business

In the wake of modern techniques like chatbots and live chat options on your website, many business owners forget to nurture their incoming phone calls. Despite popular belief, customers of all ages prefer getting on the line and having a conversation when they need issues resolved by a company. For that reason, you need [...]

How To Pick an Affordable Answering Service for Your Business

As your company grows, managing your business while also answering the influx of incoming calls can be overwhelming. Investing in an affordable answering service ensures that you don't miss out on any business opportunities and that you can service all your customers while also saving money.  But, choosing the right answering service can be [...]

What Advantage Do Answering Services Have Over Voicemail?

When you have a small business trying to stay afloat, the last thing on your mind is implementing a new system that costs more money when the old one works just fine. Most startup business owners have this mentality when it comes to investing in a live answering service rather than letting their voicemail [...]

What Services Can An Answering Service Provide?

Almost every business can benefit from using an answering service. These services keep customers happy by providing communication and customer support. When businesses don't have someone to pick up the phone, calls slip through the cracks, and customers lose respect, trust, and even brand loyalty. However, not every company has the means for an [...]

What Are The Advantages & Benefits Of Using An Answering Service?

Running a business is a challenge. Between focusing on your marketing campaigns and establishing the right team, the last thing you want is to lose customers in the process. Unfortunately, that’s what happens when you’re busy building your business and stepping away from your company’s phone. What Is an Answering Service? Research shows that [...]

What Is an Answering Service? How Does an Answering Service Work?

Are you thinking about setting up an answering service for your business? Before you adopt this kind of service, it’s natural to want to understand exactly how an answering service works. An answering service is a company that provides communication services for different companies. These services allow you to provide prompt, around-the-clock contact options [...]

What Is a Remote Receptionist and How Does It Work?

Do you lack the resources, the money, or the space to have a receptionist onsite? This is a common problem facing small and startup companies alike. If you think that you can skip investing in a virtual receptionist for your business, think again. Here's the real skinny on excellent customer service. If you retain [...]

Creating a Successful Customer Service Strategy

As you may know, a customer service strategy can make or break a business. Why? For starters, these strategies allow you to create a more customer-centric organization. By focusing on the people you're doing business with, you're giving them a reason to keep using your services. In the long run, this approach will [...]