I came across this article in a publication that was sent to me.
I think it's a great read and want to share it! Enjoy.
9 Ways to make sure you have effective meetings - click here for article
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Thursday, January 7, 2016
40 years and counting!
Dreams do come true! While working evening shift for a telephone company in Atlanta, Sandra Black dreamed of offering answering service in her local hometown. She knew an answering service would assure businesses they wouldn't miss important calls, but she also knew she could provide them a low cost alternative to hiring a secretary. She partnered with Jacque Waters, who offered secretarial/typing services to the same customer base. Before today’s luxury of home computers & printers, there was a demand for typing services! Thus, A Superior Answering & Secretarial Service, Inc. was born. Sandra and Jacque took personal interest in in helping their clients grow their business and save money.
In 1976, Sandra answered her first call at A Superior in Conyers GA. She had 4 clients. She started with individual phones for each client. Soon, she had so many phones the telephone man added a blinking light so she would know which one was ringing! Due to the fast growth, we purchased 4 switchboards. At the early days, our hours were 8am to 6pm. In 1979, we meet our clients needs by offering services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Jacque soon started her own business, and Sandra continued her answering service in that Conyers office. The early 1980’s brought about telecommunication changes that allowed her to offer answering service to all of Metro Atlanta and not just her local area. We were still handwriting messages and contacting customers by Digital pagers. By the late 1980’s computerized systems were a must have. Sandra knew the importance of keeping up with the newest technology, so we installed a computerized answering system. As computer technology took over, things changed quickly. Alphanumeric pagers took replaced most of the digital pagers and soon email would become the new way to communicate. The 1990’s would introduce cell phones and the 2000’s would bring text messaging. Technology moves fast and our clients would now have their caller’s information immediately.
In 2009, we made a location move. We upgraded our communications systems and moved to a larger location in Madison GA. Sandra’s daughters, Shelly & Tammy, began working full time managing the business. Sandra retired, but still remains an integral part of business decisions.So here we are today, we’ve handled millions of calls since that November day in 1976 and we have helped thousands of businesses grow and serve their customers. We now service the entire US, not just Metro Atlanta. And, our goal continues to be to save our clients money and help grow their business.
a part of today, 40 years later!
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| Original office in Conyers |
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| Switchboards |
 |
| Upgrade to "the wheel" |
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| Sandra at her desk |
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| New Madison office being built |
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| 1st day "live" in new office |
Friday, January 1, 2016
Small Business Resolutions for 2016
Small Business Resolutions for 2016
As I was doing some reading this week, I found an article from Huffington Post for New Years' Resolutions for Small Businesses. I found their suggestions to be very helpful. Click Here to read the article.
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Shuffle It Forward
Today I purchased a Kids Meal from Chick-fil-A. I was happy to find an Awesome “toy” in the
bag. It’s a deck of cards that’s titled SHUFFLE IT FORWARD. Each card gives you an idea of something you
can do for someone to “brighten their day”.
Designed as a challenge for our kids (or adults) to be conscious and
courteous to others. What an important
lesson for us all. As we are in the
holiday season, this is a great time to start Shuffling it Forward! Below
are the challenges included in my deck of cards.
Enjoy and Shuffle It Forward.
Ask one person you know, “Can I help you with
anything?”
Say, “It’s my pleasure” when someone thanks you
for something.
Thank someone just for being awesome.
Make an encouraging sign and post it to someones bedroom door, car window or anywhere they’ll see it.
Tell one person why you love them.
Look for one person you know who’s having a down
day and try to make them smile.
7.
Smile at someone you know.
Write a note to a friend about why you like
them. Drop the note in the mail.
Clean up one mess you didn’t make.
Thank someone who always helps you.
Whatever you are doing, let others go ahead of
you.
Give someone you love a high-five.
Make one new friend.
Start a conversation by asking, “Are you having
a great day?”
Open the door for someone.
Write a poem for your parent and give it to them
as a gift.
Make a handmade gift for someone.
Make up a song about how great one of your
friends is and sing it to them.
Give one thing you own to someone who needs it
more than you!
Click here for more of Chick-Fil-A kids
meal toys in this series!
Monday, December 14, 2015
As the holiday season approaches, we would like to wish a Merry Christmas to everyone! The holidays bring about many different feelings. We're hoping you will take this time to slow down and enjoy all the GREAT things in your life! Don't let the stress of decorating, shopping & wrapping gifts take away your JOY.
Love,
Your A Superior Family
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
How Answering Service can assist your Heating & Air business
HVAC & Plumbing calls
need immediate attention!
A Superior knows the importance of receiving calls for the Heating & Cooling and Plumbing Industry. Your callers want to reach someone day and night when their systems aren't operating properly. Sending your calls to our 24/7/365 call center is the perfect way to meet your customers’ needs. We will handle your calls according to your instructions.
All of our agents work in our call center located in Georgia. We do not outsource our services.
We are here to handle your requests 24/7/365. All agents have completed our intensive in-house training programming, with an emphasis on the HVAC/Plumbing Industry. We handle your calls and messages according to your specifications.
Our agents follow your instructions to relay your calls. We take the steps you require... dispatching calls in emergency situation or holding routine calls for the next business day. Technology allows us a variety of ways to reach you.
Text Messaging
- Your Tech would get a text message on their cell phone
- Your Tech can reply to the message without having to call into the service
- Once we receive the confirmation, we cancel any further dispatch, so the Tech is not contacted again
- If the tech does not confirm the message, our agents can take steps to contact them directly via cell phone, home phone, etc. or proceed down a list of other contacts.
Email dispatch
- Similar to text messaging, we can send the message via email and technicians can respond to confirm they have received the message. If we don't receive a response within a specified time period, we can follow up with a phone call and proceed with appropriate protocol.
On Call Scheduling via Web Portal
- You are in control of your on call schedule 24/7/365
- No more faxing or emailing your schedules
- Login to our web portal using your secure login/password
- Enter your On-Call Schedule and change them when needed. All changes are automatically updated in our system
Need More?
Service Requests via Website
Let us help you make the most of your website. Add a "Service Request" form on your site. Have those forms email to us. We create a message and dispatch to the appropriate on call technician. It's that simple. Your customers will appreciate the ease of requesting service without having to make a phone call!
Telephone Reminders
We provide the technology to contact your clients and remind them of an appointment or the need to schedule their routine maintenance appointment.Customized recordings available for any situations. Clients have the option to confirm, cancel, schedule or reschedule appointments.
Unit Temperature Monitoring
If units, devices or server rooms have the ability to send email notifications for water leaks or high/low temperature, we can receive those emails, get the necessary information and contact the appropriate technician to handle the situation ASAP.
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
The Cost of a Missed Call
The Cost of a Missed Call
September 1, 2015 - Tommy Cullum
Recent studies show 94% of new customers whose
calls go unanswered choose to go with another
company instead of leaving a message and waiting!
Today’s consumers want an immediate response.
So with all this information in hand why do so
many company’s still neglect to answer the phone?
The two most common answers to this are time and
employee cost. Most small businesses do not have the means to staff for every possible
time a call might come in. They have to run a “lean” business to maximize profit, but in
turn sacrifice customer service! Many small businesses respond to this by developing
self-service internet driven solutions.
Even in today’s technologically advanced, text driven communication environment
people still want to talk to a live person when making buying decisions. The internet
makes it easy to communicate and do business online, but many customers will not
feel at ease doing business with you until they talk to someone, and telephone calls
still generate most of the revenue for small to mid-sized businesses. Loyal customers
are becoming extinct because of the lack of satisfaction and trust in businesses today
that is driven by the lack of attention to customer service and poor communication.
So, how can a small business ensure calls are being answered and handled properly
without breaking the bank for new staff? A properly trained call center is the ideal
solution. The right call center for your business will offer agents that can be trained to
act as an extension of your business. A call center will also allow your business to expand its
operating hours to limit missed calls, increase sales, and improve customer satisfaction.
They also limit your costs on personnel as the call center takes care of all
the employee responsibilities and costs giving you the ability to focus on your business!
Be sure to do your research and find the proper call center for your business to ensure success.
Spend time with the call center management team to make sure they know how to handle
your calls appropriately and I am sure you will immediately see the value. Any company’s
number one asset is their customers, and a properly used call center can show you value
them and create the sticky customer your business is searching for!
Monday, June 8, 2015
Attorneys' Clients AND Their Issues Matter
Attorneys' Clients AND Their Issues Matter...
Marketing budgets encourage you to spend your money on various forms of advertising, such as, Yellow Pages and other print media to get the Customers Phone Call. What are you spending to ensure that call is answered 24.7.365?
~ Attorneys ~
Your Clients & Their Issues Matter
A Superior knows the importance of client calls. You spend a lot of money on advertising and you shouldn't miss new client calls. Current clients also have urgent needs. Sending your calls to our 24/7/365 call center is the perfect way to make sure you can respond to these calls immediately. - All of our agents work in our call center located in Georgia. We do not outsource our services.
- We handle your calls and messages according to your specifications.
Let us know the best way to send your messages to you. We can do it your way! Our most popular options for attorney’s are:
Text Messaging:
- Receive text message on your cell phone with all message information.
- You can reply to the message without having to call us to let us know you received it.
- Once we receive the confirmation, we cancel any further dispatch, so you are not contacted again.
Email Dispatch:
- We email your messages so you will have a copy on your phone or computer. You can print or save them for future reference.
Need More?
Live Chat on Website
Add a "live chat" button on your website. Our agents are available 24/7/365 to answer those chats. Much like a phone call, we can answer some of their questions and capture their contact information. We can take that information and relay to you, so you don't miss important business.
Customized Reporting:
Customized reports are available. If you need documentation of your calls, we can make the information you need available via email or a download on our Web Portal.
Click Here to visit our Website www.asuperiorcallcenter.com for Pricing & More information.
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Email Monitoring & Processing
Email Monitoring &
Processing
Want a Convenient and
Easy Way to Automate Processing of Incoming Email Flow, Without Spending time
out of your day?
A Superior’s E-mail monitoring service can be
used by businesses of all sizes. Let us extract data from email messages,
convert message content, and text/email or call the proper contact 24 hours a
day, seven days a week.
Rather than having one person responsible for checking
each email manually, you forward the email to A Superior and we process each message,
freeing up your valuable time.
When & Why might this feature be used?
Example - Service/Maintenance Company: Add a “Service Request” form on your website
for clients to submit service/maintenance requests. A Superior receives the email, extracts the
data and converts it to a message and dispatches the call to the on call
technician via your specific instructions.
Friday, April 10, 2015
Over 50% of millennials will leave a company because of bad customer service
A recent report has found that those over 50% of people born either in the 1980’s or 1990’s will cancel their subscriptions and contracts with companies due to bad customer service.
Rule one of customer relationship management: retain your current customers.
After all, it will cost 80% less to retain a current customer than to gain a new one. You would assume that companies would prioritise the level of customer service they are providing to their customers. With the revelation that the coming generation are more volatile than ever before, they might have to do just that.
The report also explained that 55% of millennials said that their expectations had increased over the previous 3 years, signifying the need for firms to up their customer service game.
With over 75% of respondents stating that customer services is a true test of how much a company values its customers, and with chopping and changing provider or supplier being made easier than ever before, combined with young people’s genuine willingness to get up and leave, it is essential that companies get their customer services in gear, for it will be this generation that companies will depend on in years to come.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
5 Reasons Why Live Chat is the Untapped Potential for Your Business
5
Reasons Why Live Chat is The Untapped Potential for Your Business
https://blog.kissmetrics.com/live-chat/
The trouble with
online shopping is that many customers are disconnected from someone who can
answer their questions in real time with precision. Rather than watching
potential customers click away from their e-commerce sites, many businesses
have been adding live chat support. As it turns out, live chat has the ability
to provide the convenient answers that customers want, while also adding
significant benefits to the staff and bottom line of companies.
In this post we’re
going to get into why live chat can improve your business and tips on how to
maximize its effectiveness.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
CUSTOMER SERVICE IS OUR SPECIALTY
Customer Service is our specialty. We are always looking for tips to use
training our agents. We also like to
share those tips with others. Courtesy
of Business Training Works, here are the Top 12 Customer Service Phrases we
would like to share with you. We train
our agents to use the phrases and you can pass this on to you staff as well.
Top 12 Customer Service Phrases
1. Good morning, Good afternoon
2.
How may I help you?
3.
Let me be sure that I understand
4.
May I ask you a few questions?
5.
It would be my pleasure
1.
What I can do is…
2.
I am sorry that happened.
3.
Let me find out for you
4.
Let me find someone who can answer that for you
5.
Thank you
6.
You’re welcome
7.
Please call again
Visit Business Training works for the full article and more
Customer Service training ideas -
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Why Should Your Small Business Has a Mobile Version of Your Website?
By Stephanie Dickson | February 5, 2015 | Small Business Information to Use
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assuming you have a website for your business and thinking in terms of that website being a virtual business card for your business. The question in 2015 (and maybe even in 2014) is Why Should You Have
A Mobile (App) Version of Your Business Website?
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
6 Tech Trends That Will Help Small Biz in 2015
6 Tech Trends That Will Help Small Biz in 2015
From smartwatches to
the Internet of Things, many consumer technologies that will be on display at
next week's Consumer Electronics Show can be useful tools for small business.
BY ROSS RUBIN For INC.
Founder, Reticle Research@rossrubin INC.
......Article was written December 31, 2014)......
Next
week, what will likely be over 150,000 attendees from around the world and all
corners of the consumer electronics world, will gather in Las Vegas for the annual International
Consumer Electronics Show (CES). While many of the products shown there are
oriented toward entertainment, there are many crossover implications for small
business:
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
11 Great Questions to Ask Your Employees
11 Great Questions to Ask Your Employees
Being a founder or CEO requires a lot of time, and you often can’t chat with youremployees as much as you’d like to. So how do you know if they’re happy and doing the best work they can?
To find out some direct, easy ways to learn this important information, we asked 11 founders the following question:
“I don’t check in with my employees often but would like to. What is one straight-to-the-point question to ask them when I do?”
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
The best days to buy plane tickets, kids' meals, groceries are....
The best days to buy
plane tickets, kids’ meals, groceries are ...
Inside Tips
for Finding the Biggest Deals.
Sharon Epperson personal finance for CNBC
Source: The Today Show on December 2, 2014
CNBC personal finance correspondent Sharon Epperson presents deals you can land on certain days of the week, explaining that you can find discounted kids’ meals in restaurants and plane tickets on Tuesdays.
Sharon Epperson personal finance for CNBC
Source: The Today Show on December 2, 2014
CNBC personal finance correspondent Sharon Epperson presents deals you can land on certain days of the week, explaining that you can find discounted kids’ meals in restaurants and plane tickets on Tuesdays.
Friday, November 21, 2014
TRAVEL APPS WORTH YOUR TIME - TOP 4 TRAVEL APPS
SAVE TIME AND MONEY – TOP 4 TRAVEL APPS
(WXIA) -- As the holiday season nears, our thoughts are instantly filled with chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Old Saint Nick -- and the dreaded trip to the airport to visit friends and family.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
How Does a Political Trend Affect a Small Business?
How Does a Political
Trend Affect a Small Business?
by David Ingram, Demand Media
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/political-trend-affect-small-business-64909.html
Political trends can have significant impact on small business finances.
Political trends can impact any level of society, whether
individuals, families or organizations such as small businesses. Trends in
policies set by government agencies and leaders can affect the legal framework
within which small businesses operate, the market conditions that affect
consumer behavior and the amount of assistance offered to small businesses by
the government. Being aware of political trends at the national and local level
is an essential part of planning and strategy development for your small
business.
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