Hiring an Order Taking / Order Entry Service
It's hard to believe it has been almost four years since the first entry to this blog!! This time, I'm updating the blog with information that I hope will be helpful to other Internet-based small businesses like ours. I bet things like this happen all the time - but no one talks about it. High time someone did.
Last season we hired an order taking service to take telephone orders. Their website said "order taking service". The salesperson assured us of the excellent customer service our customers would get along with their order taking skills and, provided references. Then, at the height of our busy season, we were horrified to discover they were really just a telephone answering service. Contrary to the info on their website, they could not process a single order from our website or take an order by hand. We finally found another on-line order taking service. Turns out their incredibly low price was accompanied by an astonishing lack of professionalism.
QUESTION: What type of "Order taking service" or order entry service can not take an order from your website or over the phone? ANSWER: None. Run as fast as you can and take your checkbook with you.
If your Internet-based business is expanding and you are thinking about hiring an order taking / order entry service, take a tip from our experience. (1) This service is being offered primarily by call centers whose primary function is to take messages. There is a conflict between the configuration of the software they use to access the Internet and Internet shopping carts. This means, no matter what they tell you, there is a very good possibility that the order taking service or call center will not be able to process an order directly from your website unless they modify their system (at your expense - 2K+). Last year, we hired three "order taking services." None of them could process an order from our site. Suggestion: Insist that the call center do a test order and send you a copy of the confirmation by e-mail. If they can not complete an order from your site or take an order by phone and fax (or e-mail) you a copy of the order, look elsewhere.
(2) Don't be fooled when they tell you the problem is "with your website." If you and your customers are successfully using your site the problem is not yours. Suggestion: create a dummy account in your cart and process a test sale from your website just to be sure that all is working correctly.
(3) Beware of any answering service or "order taking service" that bills by the minute or by the hour. I promise you, the first bill will curl your hair. Yes, they offer a variety of low cost call packages with a modest fee for calls over that rate. But, that is how they make their money. Your customers will be kept on the phone or in the chat queue as long as possible in order to rack up the "per call" minutes. We've experienced this with call centers and managed chat services. Suggestion: look for a service that bills on a per call basis. Most of them also charge a flat monthly fee and it will not be cheap. Also, look for online real-time documentation of each call and a transcript or voice file so that you can know how your calls were handled.
(4) Do not use the toll-free number assigned to you as your main number. If you have to change, it will be expensive. Suggestion: forward your toll-free phone number to the one assigned by the order taking service. That way, you can track the actual number of incoming calls.
(5) Check verbal assertions against the language in the contract. Increasingly, call centers are offering order taking services as a way to extend their business (or rip off the unsuspecting - I'm not sure which.) Unless the contract specifies how orders will be taken, your already overwhelmed staff will very likely be handed a pile of "this customer wants to place an order" messages from the company you hired to take orders! :-( There is nothing more disheartening than being forced to pay thousands dollars for "messages" that should have been orders. Suggestion: If the contract does not specifically say "order taking services" do not sign until after it is amended and initialed by both parties. If they will not do so, walk away. Also the contract should be cancelled without penalty.
(6) Do not compromise on professionalism. Customers always assume the agent answering your phone number is your employee and therefore, the face of your company. If they are treated poorly by the agent, is a reflection on your business. Messages with misspelled, or grammatically incorrect words, agents that ignore your instructions, company running your payment card without sending an invoice first, agents making negative comments and being impatient with your customers, agents not passing on messages for you, and the list goes on. Suggestion: You can not know how professional the operators are in advance. But, if you experience the first three, go elsewhere.
(7) Don't wait until October to bring on extra help. If your business peaks unexpectedly you will be overwhelmed and short of the help you need. Suggestion: If your business is seasonal and you plan to hire an order taking service, plan to add customer service help well in advance of your busy season. Bring them on board in August so you'll have time to train and hire someone or find another service if needed.
We hope that other Internet-based businesses will benefit from the info shared above. Yes, we were burned. It will take a bit to recover from the $$ loss and dings to our reputation for excellent customer service. But, God gives grace... :-)
Although we ship all year around and all over the world, our products sell best between October and January. Finding a good customer service agent or order taking service just for that period is difficult. In the past two years, we've been disappointed by numerous services including independent contractors, managed chats and call centers. For a seasonal business, e-mail is still the best, fastest, most reliable way to serve customers.
Small or seasonal Internet businesses need professional quality, reliable, reasonably priced customer services. Say, maybe someone reading this will "catch the vision" and develop this idea. What with just about everyone using the Internet and folks looking to make a honest money working from home, this could be a lucrative idea. Call us if you do! :-)
Copyright 2009 - present. Ornament Trees.com/ KCIC Christmas Ornaments.com
Last season we hired an order taking service to take telephone orders. Their website said "order taking service". The salesperson assured us of the excellent customer service our customers would get along with their order taking skills and, provided references. Then, at the height of our busy season, we were horrified to discover they were really just a telephone answering service. Contrary to the info on their website, they could not process a single order from our website or take an order by hand. We finally found another on-line order taking service. Turns out their incredibly low price was accompanied by an astonishing lack of professionalism.
QUESTION: What type of "Order taking service" or order entry service can not take an order from your website or over the phone? ANSWER: None. Run as fast as you can and take your checkbook with you.
If your Internet-based business is expanding and you are thinking about hiring an order taking / order entry service, take a tip from our experience. (1) This service is being offered primarily by call centers whose primary function is to take messages. There is a conflict between the configuration of the software they use to access the Internet and Internet shopping carts. This means, no matter what they tell you, there is a very good possibility that the order taking service or call center will not be able to process an order directly from your website unless they modify their system (at your expense - 2K+). Last year, we hired three "order taking services." None of them could process an order from our site. Suggestion: Insist that the call center do a test order and send you a copy of the confirmation by e-mail. If they can not complete an order from your site or take an order by phone and fax (or e-mail) you a copy of the order, look elsewhere.
(2) Don't be fooled when they tell you the problem is "with your website." If you and your customers are successfully using your site the problem is not yours. Suggestion: create a dummy account in your cart and process a test sale from your website just to be sure that all is working correctly.
(3) Beware of any answering service or "order taking service" that bills by the minute or by the hour. I promise you, the first bill will curl your hair. Yes, they offer a variety of low cost call packages with a modest fee for calls over that rate. But, that is how they make their money. Your customers will be kept on the phone or in the chat queue as long as possible in order to rack up the "per call" minutes. We've experienced this with call centers and managed chat services. Suggestion: look for a service that bills on a per call basis. Most of them also charge a flat monthly fee and it will not be cheap. Also, look for online real-time documentation of each call and a transcript or voice file so that you can know how your calls were handled.
(4) Do not use the toll-free number assigned to you as your main number. If you have to change, it will be expensive. Suggestion: forward your toll-free phone number to the one assigned by the order taking service. That way, you can track the actual number of incoming calls.
(5) Check verbal assertions against the language in the contract. Increasingly, call centers are offering order taking services as a way to extend their business (or rip off the unsuspecting - I'm not sure which.) Unless the contract specifies how orders will be taken, your already overwhelmed staff will very likely be handed a pile of "this customer wants to place an order" messages from the company you hired to take orders! :-( There is nothing more disheartening than being forced to pay thousands dollars for "messages" that should have been orders. Suggestion: If the contract does not specifically say "order taking services" do not sign until after it is amended and initialed by both parties. If they will not do so, walk away. Also the contract should be cancelled without penalty.
(6) Do not compromise on professionalism. Customers always assume the agent answering your phone number is your employee and therefore, the face of your company. If they are treated poorly by the agent, is a reflection on your business. Messages with misspelled, or grammatically incorrect words, agents that ignore your instructions, company running your payment card without sending an invoice first, agents making negative comments and being impatient with your customers, agents not passing on messages for you, and the list goes on. Suggestion: You can not know how professional the operators are in advance. But, if you experience the first three, go elsewhere.
(7) Don't wait until October to bring on extra help. If your business peaks unexpectedly you will be overwhelmed and short of the help you need. Suggestion: If your business is seasonal and you plan to hire an order taking service, plan to add customer service help well in advance of your busy season. Bring them on board in August so you'll have time to train and hire someone or find another service if needed.
We hope that other Internet-based businesses will benefit from the info shared above. Yes, we were burned. It will take a bit to recover from the $$ loss and dings to our reputation for excellent customer service. But, God gives grace... :-)
Although we ship all year around and all over the world, our products sell best between October and January. Finding a good customer service agent or order taking service just for that period is difficult. In the past two years, we've been disappointed by numerous services including independent contractors, managed chats and call centers. For a seasonal business, e-mail is still the best, fastest, most reliable way to serve customers.
Small or seasonal Internet businesses need professional quality, reliable, reasonably priced customer services. Say, maybe someone reading this will "catch the vision" and develop this idea. What with just about everyone using the Internet and folks looking to make a honest money working from home, this could be a lucrative idea. Call us if you do! :-)
Copyright 2009 - present. Ornament Trees.com/ KCIC Christmas Ornaments.com
Labels: lessons learned...
posted by Ornament Trees.com at 11:05 PM
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