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Phone is the most demanding channel to staff. Four questions to answer before you publish a number.
1. Who answers, and when
A call cannot wait in a queue the way an email can. Either somebody is there or the caller hears something else, and both are decisions.
Be honest about the hours. A number that rings out at half past four does more damage than one with narrower published hours.
2. What happens when nobody is available
Voicemail, a message, or a menu directing them elsewhere. All are reasonable; ringing out is not.
Whatever you choose, it should say when they will hear back, and that should be true.
3. How many people you need
Phone is exclusive: one call per agent, no multitasking. Two agents cover very little, because both being on calls means the third caller waits with nobody to reach.
Work from expected volume and call length rather than hoping.
4. Whether you record
Recording helps with quality and disputes, and it comes with obligations: telling callers, storing the recordings, and handling requests about them. Decide before you switch it on, not after somebody asks.
The honest question underneath
Whether phone is the right channel at all. It is the most expensive to staff and the best for complicated or emotional conversations. Offering it because it seems expected, without staffing it, is worse than not offering it.
Working out whether phone fits your team? Tell us your volumes and hours and we will help you think through the staffing before you commit to a number.
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