Providing personal service

Press, 18 May 1989, Page 36

Providing personal service

Link Call is a new name in the telephone answering industry. This Christ-church-based firm was established last February by John Clarke and Ray Burney who have both managed Christchurch branches of New Zealand’s two largest telephone answering companies. They have also had opportunities to see similar services in operation overseas. “This means that we are bringing more than 20 years of experience to Link Call,” Mr Clarke says.

“We believed there was a real need in Christchurch for a communications company which is able to provide a more personal service for local business people. “We want to keep our business small with up to about 250 clients. This will enable us to get to know our customers and their particular requirements.” Link Call’s two principals believed there was a need for a higher standard of telephone answering service than that already being offered. “There have also been dramatic changes within Telecom which has had great influence or the telephone answering service industry,” Mr Clarke says. “We are now able to service any telephone in and around Christchurch without great Telecom charges being involved. This means we can offer extensive services at the right price.” Link Call uses 300-type plug and cord switchboards. The equipment was first produced about 40 years ago and is still manufactured in the

United States. Mr Clarke claims that this equipment still offers the most flexability when providing a telephone answering service.

“It enables us to provide a more personalised service. We have a specific person dedicated to answering a particular customer’s line. This person gets to know exactly what the customer’s requirements are.”

Link Call was set up to provide the very best in telephone answering services. This involves employing the right people who will carry the theme through.

“Being Christchurch based we really know the needs of Christchurch people and businesses. We are able to be involved in changing business

methods in the city. "With more competition, people expect service after hours and business concerns are discovering that a good communications back-up means an edge in the marketplace,” Mr Clarke says.

Users . of telephone answering services range from small one-person businesses through to multi-national organisations with very large tele-

phone systems. Anyone starting a business is able to be provided with an exclusive telephone number through Link Call that will be answered personally in the firm’s name at any time.

Large companies use Link Call after hours. “We take over when the receptionist leaves,” Mr Clarke says.

"Frequently there are people still working in the building. We are able to direct calls to different departments or to on-call home phone numbers if necessary. We have to often decide if a call is urgent or if a message passed on next morning will be sufficient.

“We are able to give a company a professional image which helps to foster business. In fact, we see ourselves as an extension of our customers’ businesses. When we answer the telephone we come part of that business.

“This level of service cannot be provided by telephone answering machines. We believe that people should be answering people,” Mr Clarke says.