If you are making the transition from using in-house callers to a business answering service, your aim is most likely to save money. The last thing you want is to be hit with all kinds of extra fees for using the service. There are certain things people should be able to expect when they use a call service, but unfortunately, not enough people pay attention to the details and realize they are being overcharged.
Message Delivery
Your messages should go where you want them to go and be stored efficiently. There is no need to pay extra for message delivery, as it is something you should expect from a business answering service anyway. If you want to store or forward messages, this should be possible with a few easy steps and no charges.
No Charge for Patching
Patching is basically call forwarding. This isn’t just a mechanical transfer, but can be person to person, as the recipient of the call tries to locate the right person to receive it. This entails some efforts on the recipient’s part, but it is part of the job that someone who works at receiving calls should expect to do. Not everyone needs to charge a fee for every extra bit of effort, but should provide it as a service.
Holiday Fees
Everyone likes a holiday now and again, but a business answering service doesn’t need to charge extra just because work is taking place on national or religious holidays. If certain employees at an answering service do not wish to work on certain days and would prefer to take off, that is the business of the person running operations there. The price tag shouldn’t end up on your desk.
Connection Fees
If you start using an answering service, the provider should be satisfied with having a new customer, but not charge them a connection fee. Starting to use an answering service isn’t like installing internet with a technician who comes to your home or business. It is a simple matter that doesn’t require extra charges. Don’t be fooled by a business answering service that wants to charge connection fees.
Voicemail Costs
Voicemail is something else that simply should be added on to the regular service. You shouldn’t have to pay extra money for voicemail, so avoid services that insist you do.
What an Answering Service Can Save You
Read the fine print and avoid fees that can add up and make your service cost much more than it needs to. Ask questions about all charges and do some comparison shopping to see who offers the best value. In the end, an answering service will save you a substantial amount of money because it improves efficiency and helps you cut down on overhead. Calls can be more quickly and easily monitored with a business answering service than with regular calls. You also have many tools at your fingertips, including analytics that will tell you how your calls are being received and if they are generating sales.
In addition, an answering service can save you overhead and let you use your office space to grow your business. It also helps you make better use of your staff and get them involved in more creative projects. Once you cut out the “busy work” from your area of operations, then start dreaming and making plans on how to pursue those dreams.
Don’t Be Fooled
Don’t let the advantages of using a business answering service become obscured by poor services that let fees pile up and overwhelm you. Don’t let a service company charge you for what a quality answering service will do as part of the entire package. Look at all agreements and make sure you aren’t being overcharged.
At VoiceNation, we pride ourselves on making our services available in a simple, easy to understand pricing plan. You won’t be nickeled and dimed for services that should be free. Give us a call at 877.679.3777 or sign-up on the spot with our instant activation.