Posts

professional call answering Ireland

Why the phone is a crucial part of your business

Is your business telephone still relevant?

The digital age we live in has given us such a vast range of ways to communicate that it can be easy to forget just how important phone calls are. All you have to do nowadays is pick up your smartphone and open an app such as Whatsapp, Skype, Messenger etc to communicate with someone. So picking up the phone and speaking to someone may not be as obvious as it seems. And whilst customers and consumers love contacting the brands they  are working with over social media, talking to another human being over the phone cannot be beaten. Here are 5 reasons that support why we think it’s a good idea to get talking…

1. Believe it or not, not everyone is on the internet

Although we’ve already pointed out that the world at large seems to centre around social media and ecommerce sites, a valid point worth remembering is that not everyone is online – and not everyone is online all the time. Ignoring offline clients means you run the risk of alienating a significant number of potential clients and pushing them into the open arms of your competition.

2. Speaking of your competition…

There is a very real chance that your competition is 100% online in which case you stand to gain a real competitive edge over them by having a human voice at the end of your phone line. A ‘real live person’ answering a client query over the phone gives way to a positive image of your company being developed in the caller’s mind. By speaking to them, you connect on a personal level that no other form of communication (other than face to face) can reach. This means that when the client thinks of your company, they’ll remember your voice as opposed to an impersonal email.

3. A phone is great for your brand

Potential customers looking for a company to work with or buy from, more often than not look for a phone number. A phone number gives the same legitimacy to your company as having an office in a reputable location or a website compiled by a  professional designer. And it reinforces your offline presence by confirming that you are  a  real business.

4. People who call generally have a problem that needs solving

People calling a business over the phone generally have a question or a problem that needs to be resolved quickly. Talking to customers directly over the phone is a great way of helping to solve their problems quickly as well as identifying issues that may affect other customers as well. An example is a customer calling in relation to a broken link on your website. Your answering their call not only saves you a sale, it also means you can quickly solve a problem that could have cost you thousands of sales had you remained unaware of it.

5. It’s personal

Complex problems or problems of a personal or sensitive nature are often best solved over the phone. Also, when it comes to scheduling appointments or deliveries, speaking to a person who has their schedule to hand can greatly reduce the frustration caused by seemingly endless hours of email tennis.

 

The bottom line is that, in spite of the world being obsessed with digital communication, your phone is still relevant and very important to the successful running of your business.

Can’t get to the phone fast enough or are you unable to manage the volume of incoming calls you are receiving? Why not let our professional call answering team help you? Call us on

1890 511 400 to find out more about our call answering packages and how you can get a month’s worth of call answering ABSOLUTELY FREE!

Get to know us better by following us on all our social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Google+

/by
professional telephone answering

Feel the love with one month Free Telephone Answering

 

Feel the love this month with one month free professional telephone answering for your business.

At Call Pal we’re all about showing our customers the love, so why not let your customers feel the love too with no missed calls, no voicemail’s and a friendly professional receptionist always there to help with their queries.


Feel the Love!

Call Pal are an Irish based call answering company that prides itself on providing professional service.

/by
advice for startups in Ireland

Before You Start Your Startup…

If you’ve decided to make the leap into the entrepreneurship world, then congratulations are in order. It’s a brave move that few make and yet you’ll find no end to the number of people offering you advice on how to run your business – and that can be overwhelming. Try not to over analyse or complicate matters. The simpler the steps towards starting your business and making it a success,  the better. We’ve outlined a few just to get you started.

1. Have a Plan

There is no way around this one and yet it is surprising how often people launch into business without having a plan. The fact of the matter is, you need a detailed plan that clearly maps out the challenge ahead of you. Your plan should include your mission statement, highlight any openings you have noticed in you chosen market/field, contain measurable goals and set deadlines for reaching each goal along the way.

 

2. Have the Right People Around You

Yes, you will need the right mentors and partners to help steer your ship so to speak but having a great team around you is equally important. They have the power to effect positive change that will transform your company and accelerate its growth. Bringing in employees with a positive can-do attitude creates a culture where team work takes precedence. If everyone is encouraged to participate, you can celebrate your successes and discuss overcoming your failures together.

 

3. Put Yourself Out There

Having the right team around you work wise is imperative. But so is networking with other members of the business community around you.Establishing your business could take time so until that happens, you’ll have to be your own brand ambassador and explain to people the benefits of working with your business as well as why they should give you a chance. Get the momentum going by finding out what events, trade shows and networking groups exist that will strengthen your business to business relationships. Those initial contacts can become future clients, mentors, even key partnerships that have the ability to grow your business.

 

4. Stay One Step Ahead

The day to day running of your business will be important but getting stuck in the present is a mistake you can’t afford to make. You need to keep one eye focused on the future. It’s absolutely essential because failure to do so may mean you miss the next big thing for your business. The most successful business people prioritise the study of trends and can foresee what’s coming around the bend. This allows for constant, successful adaptation and evolution of your business. Make sure you are constantly reading trade magazines and websites so you can stay up to date with developing trends in your industry. Being current and relevant will keep your finger on the pulse giving you the advantage of being able to predict what your customers will want as well as what direction your competition might take.

 

5. Balance It Out

Whilst having a new business that you are passionate about is exciting, it dies take an extraordinary amount of time and energy. For that reason, it’s crucial to find a healthy work-life balance and that can be tricky.It’s very easy to start letting work take precedence in your life. Don’t. Taking care of your health and well being should be at the top of your list because your business cannot run without you especially in its early stages. Being constantly caught up in the work hustle with no let up can and will burn you out and put a cap on how much you can achieve sooner or later. Make it your business (excuse the pun) to find ways to keep a healthy life perspective and safeguard healthy relationships that exist outside your work environment. Setting aside time to exercise, catch up with family and friends or just relax will keep you energised and motivate you to persevere and continue to dream big.

 

At Call Pal, we are committed to making sure your startup grows by making sure you never miss sales calls from potential or existing clients. To find out more about the call answering services we provide, contact us on 1890 511 400 or email us at lucia@www.callpal.ie.

 

Keep up to date to all the latest news from Call Pal by following us on out social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Google+!

 

 

/by
business mindset

The Millionaire Mindset

The Millionaire Mindset

Let’s face it – no one goes into business to lose money and the dream of becoming financially wealthy is one so many of us share. For most people though, the dream remains just that – a dream. Why is that, you ask? Simply put, it boils down to the mind and where the focus lies. A lot of people, whilst they are happy in their current situations, are comfortable. Comfort, however is the eternal burial ground for growth and progress. So how does one make the cross over from unhappy comfort to millionaire? It’s all in the mind….

 

  1. Focus on it then grab it!

The truth is, a large number of people are afraid to say what they want and then pursue it. When you want to accomplish something, thinking, ’I could never do that will keep you stuck. Think, ‘I COULD do that and I WILL do that!’ Millionaires play to win, not to avoid defeat. Does that give you licence to become selfish and obnoxious. Not at all. IT simply means becoming more self-assured and honest with yourself. The idea of walking all over people to get to the top is antiquated and unnecessary. If you get the right mindset, there really is a big pot of gold that you have a right to grab hold of. You deserve it!

 

  1. Spending v Investing

Millionaires tend to and need to be frugal people. After all, they understand the true value of the money they are investing. Being self-employed tends to go hand in hand with becoming a millionaire and at some point you may need to look at reducing your regular work hours or even quitting your regular job to make your money work for you. So instead of splurging on that new phone or wardrobe, you could use that money to invest in the stock market. By finding the right shares, that money could easily double itself in a year. And the stock market isn’t the only place to invest – there’s always property and of course, your own education.

 

  1. Goooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaal!

Getting rich quickly sounds attractive but a more sustainable way of getting rich is by becoming goal orientated. The truth is, only lottery winners become millionaires overnight. BY setting yourself feasible goals, you will get there eventually. An example of this would be that you’re making enough to pay the bills and avail of a few luxuries. Your first goal may be to have €10,000 saved in a year which is not easy but doable. You then need to work out the steps you need to take to achieve that goal. Those steps should primarily favour growth over cutbacks. You may have skills outside your workplace that you can monetise to boost your bank balance. Liquidating unnecessary items can be another way of earning capital to reach your goal. If these don’t raise enough capital to help you reach your goal, then it’s time for those spending cutbacks. Think making your lunch instead of buying it and cutting down on the luxury spends.

 

  1. Keep your head in the books

Invest in yourself – it is the best thing you can do. Leaving the educational system does not mean that your learning days have ceased. 100 books – that is how many books Warren Buffet estimates he read on investing before he turned 20 in comparison to zero…which is the number most people read after they leave school. The question is, who would you rather be? Learn as much as you can. Learn everything you can about how economics work, the stock markets and how they trend. If it’s a new skill, learn as much as you can about it. More often than not, you would be surprised at how often skills that seem useless can become extremely useful in the right situation.

 

  1. Bigger is better

Small goals are always a great starting point and are advisable but there is no doubt that you should have a big goal in mind. If it’s a business, start it and make it a success. Alternatively, your big goal may be to invest your way to millions and do little outside of research. And remember, not achieving your big goal is not a shameful thing. If you have a business and your goal for the year was to make 1 million Euro profit and you ‘only’ made a profit of €500,000, then you are till streets ahead of most people. Reach for the stars (excuse the song quote!) and if you happen to miss them, you’ll still be over the moon.

 

  1. Make friends with the attention

Self-promotion is a large part of becoming a success. And by self, we don’t necessarily mean you personally – it could be drawing attention to your brand. Wherever it is directed, it is true that attention attracts money. So never shy away from getting your name out there. Find your spotlight and be gutsy enough to step into it. Remember: you ultimately control your destiny. Fight hard enough for anything and you’ll get it.

 

We want to get you on the way to achieving your business goals. We are more than happy to take your company’s calls and free you up to focus on the bigger growth plan for your business.

For more information, call us on 1890 511 400 or send an email to

Finally, we would love to interact with you on our social media platforms so be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google+.

 

/by
growing your business in ireland

Is It Worth the Risk?

With 2016 falling fast into our rear view mirror, most of us have begun 2017 with a greater hope and renewed confidence. We might even be ready to take a few risks in our businesses. Not all risks, however are the equal. There is a massive difference between risks and foolish risks. Foolish risks essentially are those taken without doing any research, due diligence or taking any possible negative consequences into account. Don’t get us wrong, foolish risks CAN deliver positive returns – but the fact that you are entering a situation blindly and don’t know exactly what’s waiting on the other end, you are fundamentally rolling a dice. Calculated risks are backed by larger amounts of research and though the results won’t always be positive, enough homework will have been done to know if the chances of success rank higher than the chance of failure. Though we often shy away from risk for various reasons, understanding how to zone in on calculated risks will mean have no problem taking chances.

 

Tips for Taking Calculated Risks

1. Do Your Homework

It may not have been one of our favourite parts of being in school, but having your homework done is important to taking any calculated risk. You have to understand every detail and subtlety of the decision that you can. This allows you to discover any dangers or potential issues that may arise. Taking calculated risks is much like being a sports bettor. Contrary to the common belief that successful gamblers are just lucky individuals, they actually conduct lots of research and never make emotionally based decisions. Let’s just say a sports bettor wants to place a bet on a football match – a seasoned bettor would never just look at previous matches or a current league position and place a bet. They would always review picks from a handicapper of good repute and analyse the trends. As a startup CEO, you need to do the same thing. Even when taking a calculated risk, you need to enlist a trusted advisor, go over the number and negotiate the best deal. That wayou can ensure you’re taking a calculated risk.

2. Set Checkpoints and Goals

The end point of any calculated risk can be months, even years away. To stay the course of the inevitable process involved, you need to carefully identify and put into action checkpoints and goals. Goal setting is often discussed at length with focus either consciously or subconsciously revolving around long term or ‘end’ goals. Short term goals are often left by the wayside – and yet they are more important as they keep you on track. The path of any calculated risk is marked by several goals and checkpoints and they should be in place well before making a decision.

3. Foresee Mistakes

Before making any decision, consider the positive outcomes but pay particular attention to the negative ones. Examples of things you need to think about include ‘How would your business respond if the deal lost money?’ ‘If project deadlines are missed, how will you make up the time in order to meet them?’ ‘If partnerships are broken, what course of action will you take?’ Intelligent risk takers preempt potential mistakes and account for them. If you foresee too many mistakes, it probably means the risk is too high and you should consider moving in a different direction.

4. Accept that things will probably change

Business decisions rarely go exactly to plan. While you cannot always control whether the outcome will be better or worse than anticipated, you can control how you respond. Say the budget gets slashed significantly – slamming your head into your desk will more than likely doom you to failure. If, however, you’re willing to pivot, you’ll head back to the drawing board to find a solution. We often hear about entrepreneurs who took serious risks and found success but you rarely hear about what went wrong behind the scenes. In every success story, the decision makers are willing and ready to pivot in order to find success.

5. ‘No’ – It’s A Good Word!

Learning to say ‘no’ in your personal life and career is a fantastic skill to adopt especially when it comes to risks and opportunities. Jumping at every opportunity that comes across your path will leave you with no time or space to take the risks that have a high probability of succeeding. Psychologist, executive coach and speaker Camille Preston puts it perfectly – ‘Whatever the psychological back story, whatever the reason, the fact remains that saying yes to too many things is overwhelming and counterproductive. By saying yes to too many things we may, we may be saying no to some very important things. If your plate is too full, there’s no room for the unexpected or ideal opportunity.’

6. If It Feels Good, JUMP!

You’ve done your due diligence, run the figures, looked at what could go right and wrong with your risk…and yet you’re afraid to pull the trigger on your decision. That’s understandable and you wouldn’t be the first entrepreneur to feel that way. All we can say is, if you’ve done your homework and the water feels good so to speak, take the plunge. There comes a point when you have to jump in spite of the unknowns. Trust your instincts, rely on your research and with a bit of luck, it will all work out in the end.

 

The Call Pal team would love to make sure you never risk losing calls from potential or existing customers. Let our professional secretarial team take your calls for you. Want to give it a try first? Then call us on 1890 511 400 and we will give you free 7 day trial!

And be sure to follow us on all of our social platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google+ to stay up to date with all our news, events and offers.

/by