Redundancy and your Answering Service.
Answering Services, Call Centers & Virtual Receptionist Services are in the business of providing your customer’s service when your regular staff is unavailable. Most services are available 24/7/365.
What protocols are in place when an unexpected outage or disaster happens? It is important to know if your service provider has the redundancy to maintain servicing your account.
1) Back Up Generator:
This is critical. In fact it is optimal that the generator would automatically start upon power failure. This keeps power running to all the computers and lights for the onsite agents and access to the system for the offsite agents.
2) Battery Backup:
An uninterrupted power supply or UPS system is an additional required component. The UPS system provides the critical coverage from when the power goes out until the generator starts supplying power. It ensures a seamless transition and ensures no data is compromised.
3) Multiple Internet Providers:
With more and more industries relying on the internet our industry is also exceptionally reliant on the reliability of internet and their pathways. If our internet goes down then often times if affects our VOIP and phone lines too. It is imperative that we have multiple internet providers with an automatic fail over. If one provider is down or having issues we can move to our backup and provide excellent service.
4) Data Backup:
Every company should have protocols in place for their data backup. Answering Services do also. On-site multiple drives, redundant drives and off site backups are all recommended and critical. Ensuring valuable data is not lost.
These are just a few of the most critical systems that should be in place for your answering service to be able to maintain uninterrupted service during an outage or disaster. Does yours have all? Or just some? What types of redundant processes do you have established for your own place of business? Do you need redundant internet? Data Backups? Battery Backups?
Kelley’s can be your answering service whether you are in the Tri-Cities, Seattle, Spokane, Walla Walla, Wenatchee, Portland or anywhere nationwide!