Appy birthday!

Successful Burscough company Face for Business has launched its first app. for its telephone answering service - and is celebrating its fifth birthday!

Since going live with their first call in July 2013, it's gone from strength to strength and credit their PAs for helping make this happen.

Employing people from within the region, it recruits people who have a passion for customer service and who love talking on the phone, which comes across in the manner in which they answer the calls, backed up by customer testimonials.

The firm helps capture calls that may be otherwise missed; the service works via a divert function which customers use as and when they want calls answered on their behalf - calls are answered in their company name, with a message sent on straight away.

New business is captured and having the phone answered by a real person and not an answering machine or voicemail gives a great first impression.

The service uses bespoke technology and software which is now reflected in their new app. Customers can now access all calls and messages on the go and can even let their PAs know their daily whereabouts straight from their mobile phone.

Managing Director, Andy MacGregor, told QLocal yesterday: "I’m so humbled and grateful to have reached this major milestone in our business.

"It has grown into a brand and service that I am immensely proud of. We would all like to thank our current clients for their continued loyalty and custom, as well as thank them for participating in our 2018 customer survey, in which we received a 100% client happiness rate.

"We have also rolled out our new app which helps bring our service closer to our customers – they can now access their own client portal from their phone. We’re all so excited by the launch of the app!”

Added Sarah Jessop, PA team leader: “We are delighted to announce that we have reached our 5th birthday and have answered over 750,000 calls for 100’s of UK businesses, large and small from all types of sectors and industries.

"Even better is the fact that our customers can now update us via their mobile phone enabling us to manage their callers’ expectations.

"It’s a great new development for our service, and we’re hoping it helps to attract new customers.”

Five notable achievements over the past 5 years include:

1. FFB was profiled as one of the #SmallBiz100, and were promoted in the 100 days in the lead up to the first ever event and were featured on The Guardian's website as well as being promoted locally.

2. In 2016 it entered local council awards for our apprenticeship programme and successfully won 'SME Apprenticeship Employer of the Year' as well as a special commendation for 'Apprentice of the Year'. The awards helped us to showcase our business to our local community and presented us a business that nurtures its employees.

3. In 2016 it became ISO 9001 accredited, allowing customers and prospects to see its correct systems and procedures in place. The assessment was quite rigorous and FFB became the only telephone answering services to obtain this new certification at the time.

4. In 2017 it launched a new brand and website. This re-launch encompassed the true meaning of Face for Business, showcasing its 'real' PAs. Its new USP 'Our PAs are the difference', together with a complementary logo representing growth and metamorphosis, saw a 30% increase in conversions from our website.

5. Finally, its much anticipated App went live and was rolled out in June 2018 to all customers, with the aim of making their customers’ working practices better.