Answering Service

10 Things To Look For In An Answering Service

The correct answering service (Like PCN!) can make a huge difference in your small business's performance. However, before you commit to what you believe is the greatest answering service for your purposes, you should consider all aspects of the service. We understand it's a difficult task, but we're here to assist you. We've been in the answering service market for for 30 years and talk to small businesses every day to see if SAS is the appropriate fit for them.

With thousands of telephone answering services to choose from, any of them may be 'the one.' And with so many options, finding 'the one' isn't an easy feat. The reality is that finding the correct telephone answering service might be difficult. To keep things simple, you'll need to know exactly what you're looking for and how to ask the right questions to discover it. To assist you, we've compiled a list of ten critical elements to consider while looking for an answering service.

#1. Your Business Is Represented by Operators

Your choice of business answering service can make or destroy your firm. One of the most significant qualities to look for in a call answering service is the professionalism of the operators. You'll have a hard time ensuring that all of your customers are treated as if they were your own employees if you don't have exceptional operators. One of the most important aspects of a successful service for most firms is the operator's ability to appropriately represent the company they are answering for.

Some businesses, such as funeral homes or medical practices, demand a vibrant, enthusiastic operator, while others, such as funeral homes or medical practices, require quiet and composed operators. The operator's capacity to be fluid, adapt to the needs of the caller, and evaluate and react to every circumstance lies beneath any personality requirements. Because each caller is unique, you'll want to hire agents that can adjust quickly.

#2. Understand Your Budget

Telephone answering services are available for as little as $0 to begin a free trial and as much as you can think. The majority of providers do not charge a set rate but rather charge based on line activity. The higher the volume of calls you send through the answering service, the higher your fee. So, if you're in a high-volume firm, you can figure it out. Other answering services have various cost categories with varied usage allotments.

The cost is lower with this option, but you'll need a consistent monthly call volume to justify the expense. You can determine the optimal pricing model for your company if you know your budget, call volume, and how you want to use the answering service. Here are two popular billing formats for answering services:

Per-minute billing: You are billed by the minute in a per-minute billing structure. These types of plans, like cell phone plans, normally provide you a set number of minutes to use each month before you have to pay for overages. A good phone answering service will provide various different plans based on your call volume, and may even modify your plan automatically if you exceed your usage limit.

Per-call billing: With a per-call billing structure, you are charged for each incoming call. It makes no difference how lengthy your calls are inside this charging scheme. Your answering service, on the other hand, may charge extra for any messages sent, and calls that need to be routed may be billed separately.

Pro tip: If your live answering service offers both per-minute and per-call charging options, it's worth figuring out which is the most cost-effective for you. Your service should be able to generate reports that break down your average monthly usage, which can help you figure out which billing structure is best for you.

#3. Constantly think

One of the most important needs your company may have for the ideal answering service is that it is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.Because one of the main aims of an answering service is to ensure that your business remains open at all times, being able to rely on an answering service on nights, weekends, and holidays is essential. If you'll be relying on your answering service to capture leads and dispatch critical calls, consider a service that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. While many answering services do provide 24-hour service, it may come at a price.

Some providers, for example, may charge an extra price if you phone after 9 p.m. or on a holiday. Another consideration is that the answering service may only provide live assistance up to a specific point before switching to an automated system. Answering services that provide free 24/7 live assistance are the ones that are actually dedicated to helping your business grow, and this is a characteristic you should seek for.

#4. Customize the Caller's Experience

You'll need to make sure your answering service is as personable as possible if you want to preserve continuity between the calls you manage in your own office and the ones the answering service handles. You don't want your answering service to employ generic call handling templates since your clients won't feel like they've dialed your number. Personal call handling makes your callers feel like you care, but generic call handling makes them feel like a number. You'll want to make sure that an answering service's call scripting can be modified to your specific business demands if you want it to feel like it's a part of yours.

An answering service that answers and handles each call in the same manner for every company isn't actually benefiting anyone. Sure, getting a name and phone number is crucial, but each company has unique requirements that the service should be able to accommodate.

A personal answering service will show your callers how essential their business is, as all businesses rely on client loyalty. You care about your customers, and giving them a unique experience will demonstrate how much you care. Take the time to work with your answering service and tailor the experience as much as possible to ensure that your company's image is conveyed.

#5 Verify Compatibility with 3rd-Party Apps

One of the challenges you may face in locating the best answering service solution is ensuring that the system is compatible with any software you presently use in your workplace. The work can be difficult because some software and calendars don't play well with others (for example, there is no API and operators may need to log in to publish updates). You may need to reconsider how vital it is for your answering service to use the integration, depending on how important it is. If you find a service that integrates with the software you already use, most integrations will push information gathered by operators directly into your software, updating it in real time and reducing the amount of work you and your team have to do because you won't have to log into multiple systems to retrieve your data.

#6. Emergency Communication System

You'll almost certainly need urgent dispatch no matter what type of business you run. You'll want to select an answering service that can operate closely with your in-house team and adhere to your schedule(s) whether you're dispatching hot leads or urgent medical emergencies. The dispatching system of an answering service should include the following features:

Is it possible to reach them at any time?

Typically, firms employ their on-call system for after-hours emergencies. If an answering service's dispatching system is unavailable when you need them the most, that service is probably not for you.

Do you have to submit updates or may you make them on your own?

If you're in a hurry, having to wait to submit modifications can be counterproductive. Let's imagine your on-call technician is unable to cover the shift due to a family emergency. However, because it's already after hours, your answering service's customer service team is unavailable to make modifications right now. You can save the trouble of calling customer service and make the adjustments yourself if your answering service provides you with access to an online portal or mobile app that allows you to make changes in real time.

Is it possible for you to upload your current schedule?

It's a huge time saver to be able to import your existing schedule directly into your answering service's system, since it avoids the need to do double the work.

Are they in compliance with HIPAA?

This is a significant issue for medical practices. A HIPAA-compliant answering service will never leave patient information on your voicemail or in messages. You'd be able to get the message by calling your service or logging into a secure web site.

#7. Think about whether you'll need an online interface.

Some answering services allow you to send messages via email, text, or fax, but you won't be able to check them online. While fragmentary communications may work for some, most organizations want to have access to their current and previous messages via the internet. You'll have more control over your message review using an online portal. While each answering service's customer site will be different, some typical features may include:

• A call/message log of your calls/messages

• The capacity to listen to recorded phone calls

• Real-time access to your call handling and the ability to make updates

• Reports are available on demand.

• Uploading and managing your on-call schedule is now possible.

#8: Consider Features Before Making a Purchase

Always check to see whether an answering service offers a free trial period before joining up. This is a terrific method to get a feel for a service before having to pay for it, especially if you have to sign a contract. If they do provide a free trial, here are some suggestions for making the most of it:

Place test calls: By placing test calls, you may get a sense of what your clients will encounter when they call. It's also a good time to double-check that the call handling is running smoothly.

Make changes:

If any problems arise during the free trial period, you may work out the kinks and make required modifications before going live with your clients.

Try out a few different features:

Answering services, as this article suggests, can usually do more than merely take your calls. The trial period is a wonderful way to familiarize yourself with the many features they provide and see whether they'll work with your company's structure. You can, for example, try out their appointment scheduling software or learn more about their on-call dispatching system.

#9Don't Forget About Security!

In many circumstances, your answering service will be storing sensitive data or transmitting data back and forth between other systems you're already utilizing. Finding a PCI and/or HIPAA compliant answering service is critical for medical offices and eCommerce businesses. If a medical or eCommerce firm uses a noncompliant answering service, they could be held liable for any violations, which could result in thousands of dollars in fines, a loss of business, or even jail time.

As a result, make certain that the answering service you employ is safe. The following is a breakdown of what it takes to be PCI and HIPAA compliant, as well as how answering services follow those requirements.

PCI Compliant: The Payment Card Industry and the Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) were designed to counteract the rise in security data breaches. Companies that take credit card information must perform a yearly self-assessment and pass a quarterly security scan to remain PCI compliant. When receiving payment information, answering services can preserve PCI compliance by forcing employees to operate in paperless workplaces and turning off call recordings.

HIPAA Compliant: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was established to assist regulate and protect patients' private health information. Answering services are not permitted to disseminate any patient information by text, email, or voicemail in order to comply with HIPAA regulations. All messages and phone calls should be saved in a secure web portal that customers can access via a username and password. HIPAA-compliant answering services should additionally sign a BAA with your organization in order to securely divulge confidential information.

#10. Make things simple.

It should be simple to use and make modifications to your answering service. If you choose an answering service provider who makes it difficult to make script changes, make simple alterations like changing a text message number or email address, or update your on-call schedule, you will be hindering your company's ability to work seamlessly with them. An answering service's purpose is to make running your business and conducting day-to-day communication duties easier, not more complicated.

You'll need to spend some time testing if you're able to take advantage of free trial periods. Use any live demos to see if the service you're thinking about is user-friendly enough for your company and employees. Otherwise, you may find that your answering service is more difficult to utilize and isn't assisting you in any way.