The life of electricians and other field technicians is rather hectic. Either they juggle between job sites or talk to customers. Important calls often come during busy hours, and many electricians have no choice but to ignore customers. Even if some contractors have a front desk, there is usually one or two executives taking care of calls, which also means missed calls and lost revenue. Things can change for your electrical business with AI. You can use a bespoke live receptionist for elecricians, which will automatically answer each inbound call. Should you continue to use in-house staff or get an AI receptionist? Here is an overview!
The AI Answering Service Option: How It Works
An AI receptionist offers 24/7 automated call answering. Signpost, for example, offers an AI answering solution designed exclusively for small businesses and service providers. The company has been working with field technicians and contractors across the US, and the onboarding process is rather simple. AI can respond to regular questions, route important calls, collect messages, and record caller data easily. Unlike humans, AI doesn’t need breaks, and the system can operate even when hundreds of callers are calling at the same time. You don’t need to scale your team or hire additional live agents.
The Traditional Approach: Hiring In-House Staff
Because many electrical contractors and businesses are local and have a limited client base, they usually hire one full-time receptionist to take messages, schedule bookings, and answer calls. The good news is that there is a human touch for customers, and callers can get solutions even for complex problems. The same receptionist can also handle administrative tasks.
However, on the flip side, no matter how efficient your full-time receptionist is, they can only work during office hours, which means all emergency calls at night and on weekends go to voicemail. Customers are unlikely to leave messages when a business isn’t available. Also, there are additional overheads, including payroll, training, and benefits.
Comparing Costs: Answering Service vs. In-House Staff
If you hire more receptionists, you have to first spend on recruitment and training. The costs can pile up if they need to work for more hours, and there are additional tasks, including management. You must provide space for the new team, which isn’t ideal for electrical contractors with smaller offices.
AI answering services, on the contrary, come with fixed monthly costs. There are no payroll concerns, and as and when your business expands, you can switch between packages. AI receptionists also come with additional features. For instance, the mobile app will ensure that field technicians get all the new updates. Website chat features can help with assistance, and many providers, including Signpost, also allow for automated reviews.
What Do You Need?
For electricians and field technicians, AI answering is always better because one doesn’t need to worry about missing calls. Because AI can book meetings and schedule services, the process is streamlined. In case someone needs more help or when AI cannot respond to a complicated concern, the system will automatically transfer the call. Besides in-house staff, there is the choice of live agents and call centers, but these are expensive choices, especially for localized services and small businesses.
Takeaways
If you are using AI receptionists for the first time, we recommend starting with a reliable and renowned provider. Ensure you check the call quality and responses, because customers shouldn’t feel they are talking to AI or get robotic responses. What also matters as much is the range of features, which should be geared towards electricians and similar service businesses. The pricing largely depends on the provider, but you should check whether you can scale as your business grows. Also, you must be able to customize scripts and details for the right answers and responses.
Check online for AI answering solutions now!
