Sponsored content by Answering Service Care.

Running a successful franchise means balancing various responsibilities, from managing daily operations to handling customer inquiries and leads. For franchisees, especially those in competitive markets, missing a call or delaying a response can lead to losing valuable business. Andrew Saland, the owner of two Grout Doctor franchises, understands this challenge all too well. He recently shared how using an answering service has significantly improved his business, providing insights that apply to franchisees across various industries.

Andrew needed a solution to ensure potential clients could talk to someone and turned to Answering Service Care for help. He emphasized the importance of having a live person always answering calls. “It was very important to me that my first [touchpoint], if I couldn’t pick up the phone, was going to be a live person… showing the client that we’re [always] available.” Answering Service Care helps by providing live agents to greet clients and collect essential information. From a client’s perspective, your business feels more engaged and “you’ve got a much better chance of… closing business,” Andrew says.

Many businesses, especially service-based franchises, often face urgent situations that require quick attention. This competitive advantage is invaluable for Andrew, “If my clients need to reach out for something, [and] there’s an urgent matter… they will get a live human” no matter the time.

Why is this important for Andrew’s business? This real-time support is critical for customers who may be dealing with a crisis, like a leaking pipe or another emergency. Knowing they can speak to someone anytime, day or night, provides peace of mind. By using custom scripts tailored to Andrew’s business, Answering Service Care collects the critical details and relays them instantly to him and his team.

Answering Service Care also helps streamline communication. When a call comes in, a text and email are automatically sent to Andrew and his partner with the essential details, allowing for quick follow-up. We also collect crucial details, such as whether the client is new or existing. He mentions that collecting this data is “critical” for his business. In the case of an urgent matter, our service also reaches out to his team directly to ensure the message is received. He continues, “It also copies our parent company… so they can log everything,” mentioning how ASC makes the process seamless across the entire business.

Since starting with Answering Service Care, Andrew has seen increased customer conversions. “Your service… has been a significant boost to our close rates,” he says. This is due in part to the fact that when customers speak with a live person, they are more likely to choose his business. Because his experience over the years has yielded significant results, he notes that ASC has been key to helping his most recent Florida franchise grow since it opened in April.

But what about time savings? Andrew estimates the service saves him five to six hours each week. “It saves me significant time… [because] I’m not having to play phone tag,” he explains. By handling calls and gathering essential details, Answering Service Care reduces the time Andrew spends chasing leads. That means higher conversions and more loyal customers!

Overall, Andrew sees potential for answering services to benefit other franchisees. “We’re hoping to build this in with the main franchisor… so this service can be offered to more franchisees.” referring to a pilot program he is testing for the franchise as a whole. For franchisees like Andrew, having an answering service ensures no lead is lost while streamlining communication helps grow the business and connect with customers.

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