Answering the Call: 4 Reasons Why Customers Call

By Cass Jacoby 

What Ruby’s 2022 call trends report findings reveal about how to improve your customer experiences and attract more prospects 

In a world where we increasingly use our mobile devices for everything but phone conversations, it can be surprising to some to learn just how valuable a phone call is for your business. According to Ruby’s® new call trends report, that call is far from an annoying noise in the other room, but is a chance for your business to win and retain customers.  

Despite the world technologically changing and evolving the way that we communicate, the key to providing exceptional customer experiences remains the same as ever—it's all about listening. After analyzing data from two years’ worth of phone calls, Ruby has calculated exactly how important the phone call is to your business. This report covers calls Ruby's small business customers received from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2021—a total of 11,969,791 calls in 2020, and 13,391,523 calls in 2021.  

The report is full of statistics and interesting insight into the modern needs of consumers while answering these questions: 

• When are people reaching out? 

• Why do people call and what kind of experiences do they expect? 

• Who, exactly, is calling? 

• How does this all impact the bottom line? 

Ruby’s 2022 call trends report explores these questions while highlighting the continued importance of optimized customer communication. Read on for key insights on how you can use this report as a launching pad for delivering exactly what your customers need to them. 

When are people calling? 

According to the call trends report, the traditional workweek is still the schedule customers adhere to even as their schedules become more flexible. This is likely because customers want to contact a business when they’re most confident they’ll be able to reach someone. Still, expectations for 24/7 availability are increasing.  

The growing number of calls that come in before and after business hours and weekends, however, point to a gradual but critical shift in customer expectations around business availability.  

Additionally, these changing availability expectations represent a missed opportunity for businesses. Investing in support outside of typical working days will show your customers that you are always available, which could yield significant returns. Luckily, Ruby is designed to be the solution that helps you meet peak hours and beyond, so you can tap into those missed opportunities without having to compromise your or an employee's time. 

Why do people call? 

Ruby’s report found that most callers are looking to find information, engage in a transaction, resolve an issue, or express an emotion. These reasons for calling are how your business grows your relationship with your clients and are the foundation for providing them with the critical level of customer service your company needs to be successful. All it takes is one bad experience to result in revenue loss, reputation damage, customer loss and poor references or reviews.  

Pandemic-related issues have frustrated callers over the last few years, and these frustrations will likely escalate as socioeconomic uncertainty and instability persist. Having customer communication professionals who know how to actively listen and de-escalate will be increasingly valuable as time goes on.  

Additionally, it is imperative for organizations to continually collect and analyze insights about their callers to improve efficiency and customer experience. Turning difficult conversations into big wins for businesses is no simple task. Fortunately, Ruby’s virtual receptionists are experts who do exactly that. 

Who’s calling? 

Up to 92% of the calls your company receives are opportunities to win or retain business according to Ruby’s report. That means every conversation between a business and their customers is valuable, which is why dedicating resources to customer support is so important! 

How do calls impact the bottom line? 

If there’s only one insight you take away from the report, it should be this: phone calls are a critical tool for lead generation and maintaining positive customer interaction. Optimizing the call experience is an essential part of capitalizing on every opportunity a phone call represents. 

Conclusion 

Phone interactions are more important than ever, with every call being an opportunity for your business to stand out, make a positive impression, and win loyalty. With the help of a virtual receptionist, you can stay on top of customer interactions and your business will thrive. Capture more opportunities by providing that critical human touch that helps build trust in your business and make every call count. 

Read the call trends report for more insight into what callers are looking for when it comes to your business and for more helpful advice on how to level up your customer service while still saving time and money. 

Learn more about Ruby in their directory or visit Ruby.com.

About Cass  

Cass works as a reporter/writer for RoofersCoffeeShop, AskARoofer, and MetalCoffeeShop. When she isn’t writing about roofs, she is putting her master’s degree to work writing about movies and dancing with her plants.