Call Answering Services
By: eHow Contributing Writer
An answering service is widely considered to be a more human alternative to being transferred to voice mail. An answering service is usually employed by a business, and can perform several services above and beyond the simple message-taking function. While the service can be more expensive than voice mail, it is just as easy to get signed up with.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Step 1
Research the answering service companies that are available (see Resources below). Literally hundreds of answering services exist, both locally and internationally. Signing up with a local answering services may be able to provide more personal service to their subscriber, but internationally based answering services will be cheaper, so base your selection on price and services.
Step 2
Determine how effective the answering service operators are. Workforce management software is used to gauge the average amount of time an operator spends with an inbound caller, the average talk time, the number of calls that completely rectify issues, service operator's idle time and calls answered in a specific period of time. Ask your service for this information before you sign up.
Step 3
Look at other inbound calling services, such as audio conferencing, call forwarding, tracking orders and determining under what circumstances a call should be transferred to the answering service. Other options include a multi-lingual call staff the ability to prioritize callers and identifying callers by their caller ID information. Order tracking is another service that answering services can provide, as is accepting and redirecting faxes.
Step 4
Find out how the company stores messages and handles remote message access. Many answering services simply provide a mailbox protected by a personal identification number. Higher-end systems have a live operator who will personally inform you of the messages you've received, and some will send you an alert by email if any messages have come for you.
Step 5
Ask a sales representative what percentage of the total volume of calls made and received will involve your company.
Step 6
Find out whether or not the answering service will sign a non-disclosure agreement. In case you decide to switch answering services, the answering service will not be able to disclose insider knowledge of your business to one of your competitors.
Research the answering service companies that are available (see Resources below). Literally hundreds of answering services exist, both locally and internationally. Signing up with a local answering services may be able to provide more personal service to their subscriber, but internationally based answering services will be cheaper, so base your selection on price and services.
Step 2
Determine how effective the answering service operators are. Workforce management software is used to gauge the average amount of time an operator spends with an inbound caller, the average talk time, the number of calls that completely rectify issues, service operator's idle time and calls answered in a specific period of time. Ask your service for this information before you sign up.
Step 3
Look at other inbound calling services, such as audio conferencing, call forwarding, tracking orders and determining under what circumstances a call should be transferred to the answering service. Other options include a multi-lingual call staff the ability to prioritize callers and identifying callers by their caller ID information. Order tracking is another service that answering services can provide, as is accepting and redirecting faxes.
Step 4
Find out how the company stores messages and handles remote message access. Many answering services simply provide a mailbox protected by a personal identification number. Higher-end systems have a live operator who will personally inform you of the messages you've received, and some will send you an alert by email if any messages have come for you.
Step 5
Ask a sales representative what percentage of the total volume of calls made and received will involve your company.
Step 6
Find out whether or not the answering service will sign a non-disclosure agreement. In case you decide to switch answering services, the answering service will not be able to disclose insider knowledge of your business to one of your competitors.
Tips & Warnings: Answering services are geared more towards businesses than individuals. While businesses will find the personal touch an answering service provides to be a good public relations and sales move, individuals will get more value out of using voice mail than from signing up with an answering machine service.
Article Source: eHow.com
Call Answering Services
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