Selecting a Phone Answering Service

A phone answering service provides a way to answer business calls without the expense of a full-time employee. These services can handle customer and client calls after hours, provide emergency call response, and take messages if you’re busy or on vacation. They can also help with scheduling, appointment setting, and dispatching, and many offer online portals to manage the work they do for you.

The type of answering service you select depends on your needs. For example, a call center is designed to answer - via scripting - a customer question or take complaints and can be used by companies in industries that benefit from a high-touch relationship with customers (like healthcare or service companies). In this kind of setting, the agents are trained to serve as representatives of each company they represent, including learning the jargon and answering specific questions.

The phone answering service you choose may also be able to take your calls on behalf of a dedicated business number and forward them to your personal cell phone, giving you a professional and convenient way to answer calls while protecting your privacy and keeping your personal and work life separate. Some answering services charge by the call, while others use a per-communication unit model. It’s important to understand how the answering service you select will bill, as it can significantly impact your budget. Some services will also charge a one-time set up fee, which is worth considering when making your selection.