9 Tips to Hiring the Best Phone Answering Service

Get the best 24/7 phone answering service for your business through these nine tips

Phone answering service is a pretty straightforward service. This is where your outsourced company answers phone calls on behalf of your business.

While this still depends on the solutions you prefer, it just means you pay someone else to pick up the phone for you.

3 Kinds of Phone Answering Service

These are the major types of 24-7 answering services but it also depends on your setup. As this could be tailored during office hours or after to receive inbound calls.

Phone Answering Service	Pros	Cons	Works Best For
Interactive Voice Response Systems These are often called “autoresponders” and “robots” Its core feature is the self-service and transfer options	Easy to scale because of their interactive component that is very simple for customers to use	Disadvantageous if it is to be used as a stand-alone to talk to customers Removes the human element on the business side of the phone call Unable to understand context, tone and can’t deal with questions or requests they are not programmed to answer to.	Businesses that receive calls 24/7/365 Businesses that receive more calls than an in-house team can handle Businesses with customers that often need quick but relatively basic support
Call Centers This is the traditional phone answering service Often less personal than a virtual receptionist but still a live agent This is often large in operations that specialize in sales, marketing, and customer service	This is built for size and speed Able to handle a high volume of low-complexity calls at once	Works with pre-written scripts Often works best with outbound calls	Large B2C companies Businesses with thousands of customers Businesses in high-scale verticals such as retail, automotive, insurance, and telecoms
Virtual Receptionists This is a live agent that manages a business phone answering service, albeit virtual, or that doesn’t work on-site	Often indistinguishable from an in-house employee Works as a conventional receptionist who answers and transfers calls, schedules new appointments, takes messages, collects caller information, and answers basic queries from customers	Too many customizations often take time before the onboarding itself	SMEs, startups, and B2B companies Businesses in high-touch industries such as healthcare, real estate, law, and financial services Businesses that prefer to differentiate their customer support

 

9 Tips to Hiring the Best Answering Service

To ensure you get the best 24/7 answering service, you must keep these things in mind. This way, you can find a phone answering service that fits your exact needs.

1. Look for a provider that works with clients in the same industry

It is ideal to work with a phone answering service provider that works in your industry. It is best to look for a provider that has experience with a company similar in size and customers.

2. Consider their core values

Even if you outsource your 24/7 phone answering service, it is best to work with a provider that shares your core values. This is important as your chosen provider represents your business to your customers.

3. Zoom in on their industry experience

You ought to look for a provider that understands your niche and your industry. Asking about their experience can help you determine if they are the right provider for your requirements.

You can ask these questions to gauge their industry experience:

• Years of experience they possess in your niche/industry
• The skill set of agents working in that niche/industry
• Do agents speak and understand the industry speak or jargon
• Current or past clients

4. Location is important

This affects the service cost and, therefore, must be considered when choosing a phone answering service provider. It is a fact that hiring nearshore is costly in comparison with top outsourcing destinations like India and the Philippines. However, the pros and cons exist in both cases.

5. Compare pricing models

You don’t have to choose a provider that you first see. That is why getting at least 3 to 5 options is best. It is not good practice to rely on the pricing models you see on the provider’s website.

It is best to ask for a direct quote with your requirements listed.

This is to ensure you will get the service that will suit your needs at the right price point you are willing to spend.

6. Confirm items in their base charges

This is to ensure you are clear with service expectations from the get-go. You can verify the services you are paying for and identify which are not for you like hidden add-on services.

7. Identify calling processes and functionality

You must understand what functionality you will need to develop an effective phone answering service.

This means you identify the support services you need. This way, you will know which proposal suits your needs, is compatible with your business, and can handle customers or callers with ease.

8. Confirm service availability

You should verify if your chosen provider can manage calls during your required schedule. Especially if you require a round-the-clock phone answering service. As this offers more robust services and flexibility.

9. Data security is a must

Data and information security is critical for any business. As this includes your customer’s personal information.

This means you are responsible for it and doom for you when you lose their data. Data breaches impact 90% of small businesses and cost more than you think.

That is why it is best to review your provider’s cybersecurity capabilities. Keep in mind the following:

• Places high priority on security
• Strictly follows your protocols and procedures
• Compliant with international standards such as ISO 27001 and HIPAA

Magellan Solutions for the Best Phone Answering Service

As an SME-focused provider with 18 years of industry experience, we provide the best 24/7 answering service for any industry vertical. Our best technology ensures our service delivery will suit your requirements.

Our live agents are well-equipped with the necessary skills and talents to ensure we can represent your business at best. We assure you they can build a professional and courteous connection with your customers whenever they reach your business.

Magellan Solutions takes pride in our ability to provide quality service with the best security protocols. We are ISO 27001-certified and HIPAA-compliant.

Contact us today and get the best phone answering service for your business. Fill out the form below!