Even if you’ve only been in the pest control business for a short time, you probably already know just how hectic and busy business can get at all times of the year. After all, the war against pests is ever ongoing.
However, as a business owner, you probably also know just how frustrating it can be to miss those crucial phone customer phone calls when out on a job, especially the ones that cause you to miss out on business.
It’s for this reason alone that you might want to consider investing in a pest control virtual receptionist for your business.
The perfect way to make sure you never miss a customer call again, while also coming with a host of other useful benefits, a virtual receptionist for a pest control business is an absolute must.
But what exactly is a virtual receptionist, and what benefits do they offer a pest control business? Keep reading to find out.
What is a virtual receptionist for a pest control business?
A virtual receptionist who specializes in pest control businesses is exactly that; they’re a trained and professional receptionist who works remotely for your business, handling all incoming calls and making sure that you receive all business inquiries and important messages when you have a spare moment.
Through the use of a virtual receptionist in your pest control business, your customers know that their calls will always be answered, especially in an emergency, helping to put their minds at ease in what is no doubt a stressful situation.
The cost of missed calls for pest control businesses
According to HomeAdvisor.com, the average cost of pest control services in 2019 was $173. That’s not bad, however, this number could be significantly greater, depending on the kind of service needed, and the frequency of visits.
On average, a monthly pest control visit costs about $50 and the total quarterly cost can range anywhere from $100 to $300.
This number may seem small, but it adds up when you think about how many phone calls you are missing. When you miss just one call for recurring service at $50/month, that works out to be $600/year – for just one missed call!
What are the benefits of a pest control virtual receptionist?
So, you know what a virtual receptionist for a pest control business is, but what are the sorts of benefits they can bring to your business:
1. Instant dispatching
Unlike some trades, when a pest situation is an emergency, it almost always is an emergency. And it’s for that reason you want to be able to dispatch your pest control team to clients at a moment’s notice.
Based on your preferences and procedures for assessing emergency situations, your virtual receptionists can be placed in complete control of dispatch situations to ensure that no emergency call passes you by.
2. Direct communication
Many virtual receptionist and live answering services, such as VoiceNation, have their own mobile app, making it easy for you to manage your calls and messages while you’re out of the office or away from your computer.
For example, our mobile app puts the power of your call dashboard literally in your hands and is free for all existing customers! Plus, with advanced reports and analytics, you’ll be able to understand your call metrics and adjust your plan to best reflect your company’s needs.
3. Appointment setting
Although many pest control jobs need to be taken care of asap, in some cases, you might just be called around for a regular check-up, the sort of work that usually requires you to put an appointment in your calendar lest you forget.
Well, with a virtual receptionist, the risk of missing any of these calls and appointments is drastically reduced, as live operators can help grow your business by setting appointments based on your specific availability! Instead of callers moving on to the next pest control service when you don’t pick up.
4. Bilingual support
With 41 million Spanish-speaking people in the United States, it would be a huge mistake to not accommodate and service those people, many of whom have pest control problems that need seeing to!
Here at VoiceNation, our bilingual operators are experts in Spanish, letting them seamlessly engage with your customers in their native language and making sure you don’t miss out on business from such a large and significant demographic.
5. No contracts
Finally, when it comes to a good virtual receptionist, you’ll likely find that you’re not going to be locked into any lengthy contracts for their services. Instead, the very best in the business will let you cancel within as little as a month’s notice.
This gives you excellent flexibility when it comes to budgeting business expenses, though, in most cases, you’ll quickly see just how invaluable a virtual receptionist is for bringing in more work to your business.
How to grow a pest control business
Although we’ve focused mainly on how a virtual receptionist can benefit your pest control business, they’re not the only use full tool you can use to help expand your customer base. For example, you should also think about doing some of the following:
- Delivering good customer service – at the end of the day, nothing quite brings in new business like good customer service, so by making sure you’re always there for anyone calling in, you’ll quickly find your business growing through positive reviews.
- Using social media – a crucial tool for businesses to use in the modern day, a solid and active social media presence will make it that much easier to expand outwards and reach new customers while also sharing examples of your work.
- Engage existing customers – although not ideal, in many cases, you might find you’re working with repeat customers who have regular pest issues. In these cases, it always pays to reach out to them directly to see if they need any further help, as well as offer them discounts and bonuses if you’re working with them often.
There are of course many other things you can do to grow your pest control business, all of which you can read about in our guide looking at 7 ways to grow your business, as well as our piece covering 6 ways to market your business.
Set up your virtual receptionist with VoiceNation
Ready to Grow Your Pest Control Business with a Virtual Receptionist? If so, get in touch with the team at VoiceNation today and we’ll get you set up with our live answering service.