Live Answering Service

[Jon_King]

I'm looking for experiences with live answering services vs. taped recordings. It would seem a better way to go for some of my home-based clients. Your thoughts or recommendations appreciated.

[Noximus]

Hi,
what is the average price of customer live support per person/month? do you have any info? I could not find one.

[Jon_King]

I wish I knew. I'm hoping to get some tips from the fine folks here...

[hex1848]

I own and operate an online cigar retail store <snip>. My day job happens to be as a Web Developer for a company offering live and automated telephone answering services, PATLive. I have been using a voice mail / taped recording box that’s tied to a toll free number for about a year now. The main problem I’m having is that as I grow, I’m missing more and more leads because I cant keep up with the call backs myself. On top of that, I get dozens of hang-up calls in my reports as many people choose not to leave messages and simply move on.

I’m at a point now where I’m considering switching to the live answering service simply to help build customer service. Think about it, when you call an online vendor to find out about a product and you get a voice mail box, 9 times out of 10 you hang up and move along to the next guy who has the product you’re looking for.

If any of you guys need assistance, I can put you in touch with an account manager for information on pricing and other statistics. Feel free to send me a PM.

[edited by: stuntdubl at 2:11 pm (utc) on July 25, 2005]
[edit reason] no specifics please [/edit]

[Corey Bryant]

The problem with using an answering service, you are relying on another company to do your business. I managed one for 5 years - so I know what it is like.

Consider getting something like Freedom Voice - it is a virtual office. We started to resell their services because we were really please with their services.

If you must get an answering service - get it to only take orders, not customer service. What you are trying to do is get a company whose job it is is to answer phones for hundreds / thousands of businesses to answer questions about your company. And chances are, they are paying those employess just over minimum wage. The answering service business has a very high turnover rate

-Corey

[Jon_King]

Hey thanks for those tips. Ya, I just wanted a human to take a message for a return call, no customer service and it's not possible to take an order for my service.

What I was thinking was something like: "Mr. King is with whom you will need to speak. He is away from his desk, may I take down your name and phone number, and he'll get right back to you?"

I just want to move above the answering machine.