Rather than investing in hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of equipment and hiring a full-time receptionist, you can hire a professional answering service for small business, so you can continue to focus on your business. Buying your own equipment and hiring a full-time employee can get rather expensive. This is especially true when compared to an answering service provider that gives you all of the help you need to provide your customers with an amazing experience at a fraction of the cost.
Fortunately, setting up an answering service is probably easier—and less expensive—than you think. That’s because, with an answering service, you only pay for the time they are actively handling calls—which means you eliminate expenses associated with a salary and benefits. Additionally, there’s no need to invest in a larger office space, expensive equipment, or training when you hire an answering service.
In many cases, businesses can adjust the level of care they receive by using a service that offers flexible pricing plans, such as those offered by Answering Service Care. Overall, using an answering service as an alternative to hiring full-time employees allows businesses to save money while still providing excellent customer service. But reducing costs is only one advantage of using an answering service over hiring an in-house employee.
You’ll also find other benefits, like:
- 24/7 phone support
- Call transfers and message taking
- Email and SMS relays
- 5000+ software integrations
- Bilingual operators
So what should you know before hiring a service over a front desk employee? How does a telephone answering service work? Is there any equipment needed to start an answering service? In this blog, we’ll explain what answering services do and how to set up an answering service for your business.
What Does a Live Answering Service Do?
In addition to taking inbound calls, modern answering services now handle emails and text messages—and sometimes live chats—which are features many businesses need to effectively help their customers. A lot of business owners prefer live answering services because they enable customers to interact with a real person and receive responses more quickly—especially when compared to automated systems or lack of 24/7 support.
These providers can help small and medium-sized businesses that do not have the resources to hire an in-house team to manage their high call volume. That means when you are too busy to take calls yourself, a professional answering service can handle it for you. But there are other advantages beyond simply having a dedicated team to answer your calls.
Implementing this type of service can help you maintain—or even strengthen—your reputation and satisfaction with your clients. Part of that boost is because answering services provide excellent customer support, even when your business is closed. This also enables you to welcome additional clients to your business and provide—or receive—rewarding connections.
So how do you get started with an answering service for your business?
How Do I Setup My Answering Service on My Phone at My Business?
With many answering services, you start by finding the right service for your business. Whether you compare features on the website, schedule a meeting, or call a representative, you need to do your due diligence before deciding on a service. But what should you look for in an answering service and what steps should you take until your calls are being taken?
Step One: Find a Service
Before your phone calls are being answered by a representative, you need to find a service provider that meets your needs. For example, you need to choose a provider that can handle your call traffic and make sure they have enough personnel to do so effectively. Here are a few offerings you should consider:
- Live Answering Service: A 24/7 live agent answers your calls while offering appointment scheduling, call recording, payment Interactive Voice Response (IVR), email monitoring, and more.
- Live Chat: A 24/7 live agent answers your chats with a quick response time, driving your lead capture and increasing conversions—as well as meeting HIPAA compliance requirements.
- Automated Answering Service: A customizable and comprehensive 24/7 answering service that uses IVR, offers voicemail, and “follow me” call routing.
Answering Service Care (ASC) offers all of these services with the added benefit of experienced representatives that help drive customer satisfaction.
Step Two: Pick Your Package and Get Started!
Once you’ve found a provider that can meet your needs, your next step is to determine what kind of plan or package will offer the best value. Some providers offer their answering services with a monthly payment, which includes a set number of minutes. However, the answering service cost per month varies. For example, what is the answering service cost per month as a customer? Answering Service Care offers a small business plan that includes 100 minutes of call time—along with 24/7 availability, call transfers, a local number, bilingual representatives, and so much more. There are also a starter plan that begins at $25 or the Pro and Enterprise plans that offer more minutes.
It’s quick and easy to get started with an experienced answering service provider like Answering Service Care. Sign up through an easy self guided process and our team will follow up within one business day to finalize with you. If you have any questions, you can visit our website or call our team directly at (800) 430-6511 for more information. We’re here to help guide you through your offerings and get you the best plan for your business!
Are There Any After Hours Answering Service Cost?
No, there typically aren’t separate costs associated with after-hours answering services. With Answering Service Care, 24/7 support is built into the monthly cost of your flat rate answering service plan. This pricing model not only simplifies billing, but also makes it possible for companies to afford 24-hour customer assistance—which isn’t possible with an in-house employee. For example, the best value Pro plan includes 250 minutes of phone support, as well as around-the-clock service, call transfers, usage reports, and so much more. So no matter when, even after hours, with Answering Service Care your customers will have access to dedicated operators providing excellent customer service at all times.
Is There Any Equipment Needed to Start an Answering Service for My Business Phone?
No, as a client of an answering service, you do not need special equipment before you can start. The service providers must invest in hardware like computers, phones, and software, but you only need to pay for the service itself. With the support of your selected answering service, your business can make the change with minimal disruption thanks to the intuitive and easy-to-setup structure of modern answering systems.
Who Needs an Answering Service?
Businesses of all sizes can benefit from an answering service! We understand that you have high expectations regarding the quality of your service without spending more than necessary. This is crucial for small businesses, especially startups, as they might not have the resources to employ a full-time receptionist. Answering services are a cost-effective way of providing excellent customer service, while remaining in the budget. That’s where providers like Answering Service Care can help. With ASC, you get a dedicated, professional team with several years of experience. In fact, we’ve been in operation since 1974 and have been serving our customers and their callers with flexible and friendly answering solutions.
Get started today for as little as $25 per-month and start experiencing the difference that professional agents can make!
