Managing small teams is no small task.
Sick days, payroll taxes, keeping track of birthdays… it can be a real handful.
And it’s getting decidedly more difficult as employee burnout—or employees simply checking out—continues to be a concern for small business owners.
A recent survey of US professionals by Deloitte found that 77% of respondents have experienced burnout in their current position. Even worse, 70% feel that their employer isn’t doing enough to prevent those frazzled feelings.
Dealing with frustrated customers and humdrum clerical tasks can leave your frontline staff at particular risk of feeling undervalued. Fortunately, there’s a way to make these critical roles feel more rewarding while also boosting productivity.
All it takes is a little delegation. Let’s jump in.
3 roles your customer support staff can take on today:
1. Inbox wranglers
Most customers expect a response to their email within 24 hours. That’s doable! However, a growing number (19%) expect a reply within one hour.
That’s… a little less doable (undoable?).
Responding to emails within 15–30 minutes is a tall order, even for small business owners who spend most of their workday at their computer. For those often away from their desk, such as home service contractors or healthcare providers, it can be downright impossible.
Hiring a virtual assistant to monitor your inbox is a common solution for busy business owners. But that also means onboarding these individuals, keeping track of their hours, and fixing their mistakes, among other time-consuming tasks.
On the other hand, your front office staff is already trained and able to answer customer questions quickly and professionally. If they’re currently monitoring a specific inbox, consider adding others to their plate in order to make room on yours.
Want to give your staff some pointers on crafting the perfect email? We’ve got them here!
2. Marketing wizards
We don’t want to bend your ear talking about how important digital marketing is for small businesses (TL;DR: it’s really important). But we do want to point out that, because of modern platforms and tools, DIY marketing has never been easier.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you literally have to do it yourself. Your frontline staff is more than capable of handling simple tasks like updating your Google My Business listing or monitoring social media channels. That last one is especially important since 39% of social media users expect a response from your business within an hour.
In addition, giving your more creatively inclined employees the chance to try their hand at blogging or posting on social isn’t just a way to bolster your marketing efforts—it’s also a great way to make them feel more involved in your business and provides a crucial human touch to your content.
3. Trusted partners
Today’s administrative professionals serve an essential role in the workplace. It’s why they have their own holiday; it’s why “administrative assistant” continues to be one of the most searched-for positions in the US…
…and it’s why they’re increasingly seen as trusted partners, not just backup.
Providing support staff with opportunities to further their professional development is one of the best ways you can set your employees—and your business—up for future success. The more they know about your organization, the more they’ll be able to offer suggestions for improvement, identify possible wins, and most importantly, take on additional responsibilities so you can take a vacation (or at least a day off).
Leave the rest to Ruby.
Finding the right balance between giving employees new opportunities to shine—and giving them more than they can handle—can be tough. And even though the best team members make it look easy, the fact is that burnout can happen quickly.
That’s where Ruby comes in.
Our virtual receptionists are available 24/7/365 to take some of the burden off your in-house staff by:
- Engaging with callers and website visitors
- Handling customer service inquiries
- Answering frequently asked questions
- Assisting with outbound calls
- Scheduling appointments
- Qualifying new leads
- And much more!
We do more than just help your customers—we help your team by giving them the support they need to thrive. Learn more about what Ruby can do for your business and the people you serve.
