Because answering the telephone can be time consuming and interrupt work, many busy professionals and self-employed entrepreneurs use telephone answering services to take their calls. When you have a telephone answering service your clients can get in touch with you at any time without you having to be there personally to answer the phone.
People That Use Telephone Answering Services
Because doctors have to be constantly available for attending to patients and emergencies, they're one of the main professionals that rely on answering services. Contractors and other trades specialists, such as plumbers, usually depend on answering services, as they spend most of the workday away from their offices. Telephone answering services are also commonly used by sales agents who also work out in the field securing leads for their work.
What's more, large corporations and companies use telephone answering services for taking orders on their products. Answering services are also commonly used by service companies for helping customers after business hours. Often companies depend on answering services to communicate with their clients when during inclement weather and emergencies, such as power outages.
Types of Telephone Answering Services
There are four main types of services: automated, live, internet, and call center telephone answering services. In automated answering services callers leave voice messages by pressing numbers on phone pads when prompted. For example, callers may be told to "press 1" for business hours and location information. This type of answering service is designed for giving only general information. Some disadvantages of using an automated service are that it isn't personal or flexible.
A live answering service lets customers talk live to people, making them better equipped for meeting the needs of clients. It's up to an operator to determine the urgency of a particular call, such as deciding if a call needs to be answered without any delay.
An online or internet answering service is ideal for people working in internet businesses. Included in this type of answering service are features, including live web chatting, answering questions, order processing, and other features needed in conducting business online. Often internet answering services are used along with live answering services.
Call center answering services involve many people helping customers with the sales claims of a company. Larger companies generally hire an advanced call center answering service, which can be both costly and complicated. However, the extra services that are provided make up for the cost.
Knowing When to Hire a Telephone Answering Service
Not everyone needs a telephone answering service. When considering whether or not to hire such a service ask yourself certain questions, such as if you're able to handle all incoming phone calls without problems. If too many messages are accumulating in your voice mail, it may be a good idea to have a telephone answering service.
Having telephone calls interfering with your work is another reason to have an answering service. Also, if you deal with a large number of customers over the telephone each day, it's time to use an answering service, as well as if your office staff doesn't do an effect job of handling calls.
Cost Considerations and Warnings
Using a telephone answering service can reduce the expense of managing calls. Of course, fees are different, depending on what service you use. Answering service companies have various methods of charging their clients. Some of them have a monthly rate, while other charge by the minute.
To save money, use an automated attendant, rather than using a live person.
Carefully study any contract you're considering signing with a company. A company should not force you into a contract that's permanent or long-term.
The procedure of routing calls overseas to foreign countries is known as offshoring. Before using an offshoring service, be sure there aren't any potential political ramifications from using it.
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