3 Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Telephone Answering Service

The concept of an answering service works well for many companies who need additional phone coverage during busy times, mealtimes, emergencies, nights, weekends, or any time they need help fielding calls. Signing up with an answering service is a great way to keep costs low without sacrificing your customer service. These professionals can take messages, provide information, escalate urgent calls, and more. To decide if a live operator answering your calls during the hours you specify will be beneficial to your company, start by asking yourself a few questions:  

Question #1: Are we Adequately Handling our Call Volume?

Is your current staff able to keep up with the number of calls coming into your business right now? If several calls are going to voice-mail, the answer is no. Your goal should be to have incoming calls answered by the second or third ring and to provide service without regularly putting callers on hold. Try to keep track of the number of incoming calls and how long these calls take to be resolved; that will give you hard data to decide if you are competently serving your customers.

Question #2: What is our Turnover Rate?

This may be directly related to whether you are able to handle your current call volume. Are your employees stressed out, possibly getting short with callers, or not getting their needed breaks because the phone doesn’t stop ringing? Workers tend to stay at companies where they are well-treated and well-supported. Keep your full-time staff happy by supplementing them with an answering service. It’ll save you money in the long run when you aren’t having to constantly hire and train new employees.

Question #3: How Much am I Willing to Spend?

When it comes to a quality telephone answering service, cheap isn’t a good thing.  Some providers have low-cost plans, but they are deceptive. They may charge by ‘unit’ or by ‘call’ but don’t really give you a detailed explanation of how they define what a ‘unit’ or a ‘call’ actually is. In addition, if they are answering calls from your clients and prospects (the people who provide all of your revenue), you probably don’t want the ‘cheapest’ service to represent you. A quality answering service is still a very small investment compared to hiring/training/equipping additional staff members, so be sure to engage a service that invests regularly in its staff and technology to properly serve your needs.

Hiring a telephone answering service is an important decision. By asking the right questions, you will find an answering service that will meet your goals of having your phone answered when you need it, by knowledgeable, friendly voices. For even more helpful advice to get started, download our free eBook 10 Tips For Choosing A Telephone Answering Service.  

Related Links:
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Answering the Call: The Real Value of Customer Service Explained
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