A phone answering service is a business that answers incoming calls from customers or clients on behalf of their clientele. When a call comes in, the answering service will receive the information and handle it according to the instructions provided by the client. This typically includes a script of how the call should be handled, who to send the information to, and what kinds of follow-up communications are appropriate.
There are a variety of answering services to choose from, and they’re often categorized by whether they have live agents or are virtual. Live answering services typically have operators that can provide a personal touch to each call and are best for customers who want a real person to take their message, answer questions, or even schedule appointments and provide product support.
Virtual answering services have more of a focus on automation and are best for businesses that are looking to save money on staffing or don’t require the level of personalized service that live agents provide. These types of answering services may also be used for more complex sales or customer service calls that wouldn’t be possible to manage with a simple auto-attendant system that asks customers to press one for X department and then another for Y.
Whichever type of answering service you choose, it’s important to weigh pricing and features carefully before signing a contract. Look for a company with a low operator turnover and a long history in the industry, and make sure to check the Better Business Bureau to ensure that there are no unresolved complaints against the company. phone answering service