Finding an answering service that can treat incoming calls from your customers with respect and professionalism is of the utmost importance. After all, an answering service is an extension of your company – it represents your brand, and customers will glean a lot about your company from their interactions with the service. We researched and examined more than 50 services, and considered a number of factors, including cost, the types of features offered and the customer service provided by the service.
"}},{"__typename":"SectionBestPicks","id":"best-picks","isInToc":true,"type":"bestpicks","megaBestPicksTopCardLimit":4,"bestpicks":[{"bullets":["Eight pricing plans","Second-to-second billing","14-day free trial"],"description":"Specialty Answering Service is our best pick overall for answering services because it offers a wide range of plans that are suitable for businesses small and large and has years of experience working as an answering service across many industries. \r\n\r\nFebruary 2020 Update: Specialty Answering Service offers a client portal available on its web browser and mobile app. In February, the company implemented multiple changes to the portal. Clients can change their account more easily now, and edit and update call scripts. Additionally, SAS removed the messenger feature from the portal, as well as the calendar feature. \r\n\r\nSpecialty Answering Service offers a comprehensive client portal that is available by web browser and mobile application. The company will help clients develop an effective script for agents to use, which can be revised on the fly within the client portal. Features can be added or subtracted from the account via the portal. Specialty Answering Service can run custom reports as well.\r\n \r\nSpecialty Answering Service also offers both inbound and outbound call center services, which you can upgrade to if you require more advanced functionality or outgrow the answering service.\r\n\r\n","descriptionTest":"","fullTitle":"Best Overall ","isFeaturedBestPick":false,"isJumpLink":true,"tabTitle":"Best Overall","review":{"displayName":"Specialty Answering Service","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/reviews/specialty-answering-service/","id":"03068f21bfe1488885b194d516482318","url":"http://www.specialtyansweringservice.net","review":{"pros":["SAS' flexible pricing plans include ancillary services like appointment setting and bilingual support.","As a client of SAS, you are only billed for the time agents spend on the phone with your customers."],"cons":["There is a one-time $50 setup fee that must be paid prior to activation."],"fullReviewTest":"Specialty Answering Service (SAS) is our pick as the best overall answering service. It offers inbound and outbound call center services and several flexible pricing plans, making it a scalable service that can accommodate the needs of your growing company. All calls are answered in the company's California-based contact center.
\r\nSAS provides around-the-clock live operator answering and advanced functions like appointment scheduling. Bilingual support is also available.
\r\nHere's more about the key features SAS offers businesses:
\r\nSAS has eight pricing plans designed to suit the budgets of small and large businesses. Its rates are competitive for its high-volume packages and somewhat more expensive for its lower-volume plans (but are not cost prohibitive). It offers a pay-as-you-go plan for low-volume businesses. A 14-day, no-obligation free trial is available for businesses to try before making a buying decision.
\r\nSAS' pricing plans are as follows:
\r\nService is month-to-month. (No long-term contracts are required.) Clients can change plans on a monthly basis if they expect a spike or dip in call volume. There is a $50 setup fee; however, SAS typically waives the fee if you become a client following the 14-day free trial.
\r\nSAS bills in 1-second increments, meaning that clients are only charged for the time that is used. Many call centers and answering services round up to 6-or 12-second increments, and some round up further. SAS does not round up time and only bills for the time that its agents are engaged with callers.
","fullReview":"Specialty Answering Service (SAS) is our pick for the best overall answering service. It offers several flexible pricing plans and all of the features we looked for in an answering service as well as inbound and outbound call center services, making it a scalable service that can grow with your company. All calls are answered in its California-based contact center.
\r\nFor all of our answering service recommendations, visit our best picks page.
\r\nSAS has eight different pricing plans designed to suit the budgets of small and large businesses. Its rates are competitive for its high-volume packages and somewhat more expensive for its lower-volume plans (but not cost-prohibitive). It offers a pay-as-you-go plan for very low-volume businesses. A 14-day, no-obligation free trial is available for businesses to try before making a buying decision.
\r\nSpecialty Answering Service's pricing plans are as follows:
\r\nService is on a month-to-month basis, with no long-term contracts required. You can change plans on a monthly basis if you expect a spike or dip in call volume. There is a $50 setup fee, but SAS typically waives it if you become a client following the 14-day free trial.
\r\nSAS bills in one-second increments, meaning that you are only charged for the time you use. Many call centers and answering services round up to the nearest six or 12 seconds, and some even round up to the nearest minute. SAS does not round up time and only bills for the time that agents are engaged with your callers on the phone.
\r\nWhen it comes to call center services, Specialty Answering Service met all of our requirements and expectations that we specifically look for. The company offers some useful services that can improve a business's internal processes as well.
\r\nThese are some of the most important call center services SAS offers:
\r\nTo see all of our call center service recommendations, visit our best picks page.
\r\nSAS provides everything we looked for in an answering service, including around-the-clock live operator phone answering and advanced functions like appointment scheduling. Bilingual support is also available.
\r\nHere's more about the key features SAS offers businesses:
\r\nYou can create a custom script that SAS agents use when speaking with your customers. This script can be submitted through the client portal, which is available on any web browser and through the SAS mobile app. The SAS customer service department will help you write the script if you like, and if you need to change the script at any time, the service will work with you to develop an updated script. You can add or remove services through the client portal as well, and all changes display in real time for SAS agents.
\r\nThe client portal is also where you can find several reports, allowing you to drill down into your usage and glean important insights about callers. As a client of SAS, you can get detailed reports on data like call volume by geography, which can provide valuable insights into your business. General overviews can be emailed to you at the end of each day. Reports are updated on a call-by-call basis in real time, so you always have access to the most recent data.
\r\nWe found few drawbacks with SAS, save for the high cost of its low-volume plans. While the company offers several flexible plans suitable for low-volume businesses, including a pay-as-you-go plan, the plans all cost roughly $1 per minute or more. It's not until the 2,500-minute plan that its per-minute usage rate becomes more competitive with other call centers and answering services we evaluated.
\r\nThe customer service from SAS was among the best we experienced in our review process. We spent a lot of time on the phone with its representatives, who gave us a thorough explanation of the company's services, pricing plans and the onboarding process. They provided several scenarios where a company might benefit from certain services SAS offers, such as third-party verification or dealer-locate services.
\r\nWe expressed early in our calls to customer service representatives that we were not ready to make a buying decision. They remained fully engaged and attentive. We never felt pressured to make a purchasing decision or that representatives were disinterested in the questions we had about the company.
\r\nEditor's Note: Is your business looking for a call center service? Fill out the below questionnaire to have our vendor partners contact you about your needs.
\r\n"},"pricing":{"isCapped":false,"isFeatured":false,"primary":false,"selected":"widget","widgetId":"10094","widget":{"id":"10094","cta":"Compare Quotes","isExclusive":false},"affiliate":{"cta":"Visit Site","link":"http://www.specialtyansweringservice.net","name":""}},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://staging.business.com/images/rev/prod/Specialty_Answering_Service_logo.jpg"}}},{"bullets":["Six pricing plans","6-second incremental billing","14-day free trial"],"description":"PATLive is our pick as the best answering service for small business. It offers a strong slate of services while being flexible to suit the needs of young and growing companies. The company offers a 14-day, full-featured free trial so businesses can evaluate the service before making a decision.\r\n\r\nNovember 2019: In addition to the five plans listed in our review, PATLive now offers a Basic plan, which starts at $39 per month. The basic plan includes one phone number, 24/7 answering, real-time call summaries, an online reporting tool and message-taking. It includes no live answer minutes, which cost an additional $1.95 per minute.\r\n\r\nPATLive's client portal gives businesses a transparent window into their account usage. You can review details such as incoming calls, the duration of each call, the average duration of all calls and the result of each call. You can also customize your script in PATLive's client portal.\r\n","descriptionTest":"","fullTitle":"Best for Small Business","isFeaturedBestPick":false,"isJumpLink":true,"tabTitle":"Best for Small Business","review":{"displayName":"PATLive","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/reviews/patlive/","id":"603807d203ac4f7d97979b51645c85f5","url":"https://www.patlive.com/","review":{"pros":["PATLive has a 14-day, no-obligation free trial","You're billed only for the time that PATLive agents are connected on your behalf."],"cons":["The per-minute usage rates are relatively expensive."],"fullReviewTest":"PATLive is our pick as the best answering service for small businesses. The company, based in Tallahassee, Florida, works with clients to tailor its services to meet their unique needs. PATLive has a client portal on its website through which customers can view their billing details and call volume.
\r\nPATLive offers all the key features we look for in an answering service, plus, as a client, you have the ability (and flexibility) to customize your script through the client portal.
\r\nHere's more about PATLive's features:
\r\nPATLive offers a full-featured, 14-day free trial. Clients aren't charged extra for transfer time or agent work time; rather, clients are billed only for the time that PATLive agents are on the phone and engaged with callers. Features and services vary based on the subscription plan you choose. PATLive's pricing plans are as follows:
\r\nYou can see PATLive's pricing in detail here. Its per-minute usage rates were among the highest of the answering services we evaluated, ranging from nearly $1 per minute (with its plan that offers the highest number of live answer minutes) to nearly $2 per minute for its plan with the lowest number of minutes. The average cost we ascertained, based on the answering services we evaluated, ranged from approximately 80 cents per minute to $1 per minute. All of PATLive plans are billed month-to-month, and there is no penalty for canceling.
\r\nPATLive bills only for the time its agents spend talking on the phone with your customers. It does not charge for post-call work. After the first minute of each call, PATLive bills in 6-second increments. So, for example, a 1-minute and 6-second call would appear on your bill as \"1.1 minutes.\" Billing in 6-second increments is a common practice in the industry; several other services we evaluated bill in this manner, too.
","fullReview":"PATLive is our pick as the best answering service for small businesses. It checks all the major boxes when it comes to the features we look for in an answering service. The company, based in Tallahassee, Florida, works with clients to tailor its services to meet clients' unique needs. PATLive has a client portal on its website through which customers can view their billing details and call volume. Customers of PATLive can also customize their call script.
\r\nFor all of our answering service recommendations, visit our best picks page.
\r\nPATLive offers all the key features we look for in an answering service, plus, as a client, you have the ability (and flexibility) to customize your script through the client portal.
\r\nHere's more about PATLive's key features:
\r\nPATLive offers a full-featured, 14-day free trial so potential clients can test the service. There is no transfer time or agent work time charged; clients are billed only for the time that PATLive agents are on the phone and engaged with callers. Features and services vary based on the subscription plan you choose. PATLive's pricing plans are as follows:
\r\nPATLive's pricing is posted here. Its per-minute usage rates were among the highest of the answering services we evaluated, ranging from nearly $1 per minute (with its plan that offers the highest number of live answer minutes) to nearly $2 per minute for its plan with the lower number of minutes. The average cost we ascertained, based on the answering services we evaluated, ranged from about 80 cents per minute to $1 per minute. All PATLive plans are billed month-to-month, and there is no penalty for cancellation.
\r\nPATLive bills only for the time its agents spend talking on the phone with your customers. It does not charge for post-call work. After the first minute of each call, PATLive bills in 6-second increments. So, for example, a 1-minute and 6-second call would appear on your bill as \"1.1 minutes.\" Billing in 6-second increments is a common practice in the industry; several other services we evaluated bill in this manner too.
\r\nPATLive's biggest limitation is its high per-minute usage rates, which range from $1 per minute to $2 per minute. Most of the other answering services we looked at featured plans with a per-minute usage rate that was less than $1 per minute, with some as affordable as 79 cents per minute or lower. PATLive's high per-minute usage rates could make it prohibitive to smaller businesses on a tight budget.
\r\nAnother limitation of the service is that while PATLive offers all the major features we like to see in an answering service, some features are not available at lower-priced subscription levels. PATLive only allows some features, such as appointment scheduling, order processing and a dedicated account manager, to their higher-priced packages.
\r\nThe Standard plan should be enough to accommodate most small businesses' needs, but certain features, like a dedicated account manager, are not available until clients subscribe to the Pro plan.
\r\nOur customer service experience with PATLive was characterized by extremely friendly conversation and a thorough explanation of PATLive's services, pricing model, and policies. The representative we spoke with was knowledgeable and forthcoming about PATLive and followed up after the call with additional information. We explained to the agent that we were not prepared to make a buying decision; the PATLive representative we spoke with remained fully engaged during the call and never once pushed us to make a purchasing decision.
\r\nEditor's note: Looking for an answering service? We can help you choose the one that's right for you. Use the Compare Quotes button below to have our vendor partners contact you about your needs.
"},"pricing":{"isCapped":false,"isFeatured":false,"primary":true,"selected":"widget","widgetId":"10094","widget":{"id":"10094","cta":"Compare Quotes","isExclusive":false},"affiliate":{"cta":"Visit Site","link":"https://www.patlive.com/","name":""}},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://staging.business.com/images/rz/5cd468875a215ec6188b458a/patlive.png"}}},{"bullets":["16 pricing plans","Second-to-second billing","Optional add-ons"],"description":"PCMSI is our best pick for low-cost answering services because it offers some of the lowest per-minute rates in our review. Also, PCMSI bills in one-second increments, meaning clients are charged only for the time they actually use. PCMSI never rounds up the minutes of usage. It charges a one-time $35 setup fee, which is average among the answering services in our review. Clients are required to submit a first- and last-month deposit and are charged thereafter on a month-by-month basis. ","descriptionTest":"","fullTitle":"Best for Budget","isFeaturedBestPick":false,"isJumpLink":true,"tabTitle":"Best for Budget","review":{"displayName":"PCMSI","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/reviews/professional-communications-messaging-service/","id":"72e97d666ad346ddefe85460b9b1188b","url":"http://www.pcmsi.com/","review":{"pros":["PCMSI's flexible pricing is suitable for businesses of all sizes and with varying call volumes.","Some of its plans had the lowest per-minute rates of the services we evaluated."],"cons":["Some of the optional add-ons available for an extra fee come standard with other services."],"fullReviewTest":"PCMSI is our pick as the best low-cost answering service because of its low-volume plans and incredibly low per-minute rates. With several tiered plans that range from 60 minutes to 4,000 minutes per month and rates as low as 55 cents per minute, PCMSI is an exceptionally cost-effective solution. PCMSI agents handle all calls through the company's office in Erie, Pennsylvania.
\r\nThe company offers several types of services for businesses, including:
\r\nPCMSI offers four service tiers. Its Business and Enterprise plans offer some of the lowest rates among the answering services we evaluated. The Enterprise plan of 4,000 minutes per month has a rate of just over 55 cents per minute, and the midtier plan is an affordable option for businesses on a budget. Overage fees for each plan are 75 cents per minute, which was on the low end compared to other answering services we evaluated.
\r\nStarter Plans:
\r\nProfessional Plans:
\r\nBusiness Plans:
\r\nEnterprise Plans:
\r\nAdd-ons:
\r\nThere is an additional fee if you want the following services:
\r\nPCMSI bills in 1-second increments, which means there is no rounding up in terms of minutes used. If a call lasts for 1 minute and 5 seconds, you are billed for 65 seconds. The industry standard is to bill in 6-second increments. PCMSI stands out in this regard. It also does not charge for post-call work time, meaning that you only pay for the time agents are on the phone with callers.
\r\nThere is a one-time setup fee of $35, which was low compared to the setup fees charged by other answering services we assessed. You'll need to remit a deposit for the first and last month of service. After that, you are billed each month for your plan and any overage fees incurred. All calls are recorded and stored.
","fullReview":"PCMSI is our pick as the best low-cost answering service because of its low-volume plans and incredibly low per-minute rates. With several tiered plans that range from 60 minutes to 4,000 minutes per month and rates as low as 55 cents per minute, PCMSI is an exceptionally cost-effective solution. PCMSI agents handle all calls through the company's office in Erie, Pennsylvania.
\r\nFor all of our answering service recommendations, visit our best picks page.
\r\nPCMSI offers several types of services for businesses. It met all of the features we look for in an answering service and then some. Here's more about PCMSI's key services and features:
\r\nIf your business is in the healthcare sector, PCMSI offers HIPAA-compliant services and encryption. Other features include employee call-out lines, emergency dispatching and event registration. Services are all flexible based on your business's needs and can be set up with a PCMSI account manager.
\r\nPCMSI offers four different tiers of plans. It's Business and Enterprise plans offer some of the lowest rates among the answering services we evaluated. The Enterprise plan of 4,000 minutes per month has a rate of just over 55 cents per minute. Even the mid-tier plan is an affordable option for businesses on a budget. Overage fees for each plan are 75 cents per minute, which was on the low end compared to other answering services we evaluated.
\r\nStarter Plans:
\r\nProfessional Plans:
\r\nBusiness Plans:
\r\nEnterprise Plans:
\r\nAdd-ons:
\r\nThere is an additional fee for some other services. Here's more about those services and their related fees:
\r\nPCMSI bills in 1-second increments, which means there is no rounding up in terms of minutes used. If a call lasts for 1 minute and 5 seconds, clients are billed for 65 seconds. The industry standard is to bill in 6-second increments. PCMSI stands out in this regard. It also does not charge for post-call work time, meaning that you only pay for the time agents are on the phone with callers.
\r\nThere is a one-time setup fee of $35, which was low, too, compared to the setup fees other answering services we assessed charge. You'll need to remit a deposit for the first and last month of service. After that, you are billed each month for your plan plus any overage fees incurred. All calls are recorded and stored for review if needed.
\r\nA major limitation of PCMSI is that there isn't a client portal on its website that you can access to view monthly usage information, call details, or to customize your call script. As a client of PCMSI, you can set up email and text message notifications to receive the information typically available to you through a portal; however, that information isn't available to you at a moment's notice.
\r\nThe representative we spoke with told us a client portal could be coming soon, but at the time this review was written, no portal was available.
\r\nA second limitation is that if you need to make any changes to your script, you'll need to call or email the company and coordinate with them to implement those changes.
\r\nOur customer service experience with PCMSI was exceptional. We spoke with a knowledgeable representative who patiently walked us through their services and explained their billing structure. The representative was friendly and thorough, offering us insights into billing policies like second increments, deposits and setup fees. After requesting a follow-up email with more information, the representative quickly reached out and followed up multiple times to see if we had any additional questions. Even after we explained we were only in the research stage and wouldn't be making a buying decision, he remained engaged and attentive and was never pushy.
\r\nEditor's note: Looking for an answering service? We can help you choose the one that's right for you. Use the Compare Quotes button below to have our vendor partners contact you about your needs.
"},"pricing":{"isCapped":false,"isFeatured":false,"primary":true,"selected":"widget","widgetId":"10094","widget":{"id":"10094","cta":"Compare Quotes","isExclusive":false},"affiliate":{"cta":"Visit Site","link":"http://www.pcmsi.com/","name":""}},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://staging.business.com/images/rz/5ce424f59c658a0c208b4567/PCM.png"}}},{"bullets":["Six pricing plans","No setup fee","Free trial and instant activation"],"description":"BPO American is our best pick for a customizable answering service because it has a unique self-service instant activation option, which gets you up and running the same day you sign up. BPO American offers 24/7/365 live answering based on client-provided scripts and covers all the core functions we looked for, including taking messages, processing orders and capturing leads.\r\n \r\nBPO American offers clients a three-day, full-featured free trial to test the service out. Instant activation gets client accounts up and running immediately, so the free trial covers a full 72 hours. The company offers six pricing plans ranging from $29 per month to $369 per month, each of which is priced at competitive per-minute usage rates.\r\n \r\nBPO American offers both inbound and outbound call center services in addition to its answering services. These include functions like sales, technical support and market research. Call center services are subject to an additional setup fee and monthly minimums.","descriptionTest":"","fullTitle":"Best Customizable ","isFeaturedBestPick":false,"isJumpLink":true,"tabTitle":"Best Customizable","review":{"displayName":"BPO American","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/reviews/bpo-american/","id":"c4afd96d5564c4cf6701673070d5583d","url":"https://www.bpoamerican.com/","review":{"pros":["You can immediately begin using this answering service with BPO America's instant activation option.","You are not charged a setup fee."],"cons":["Features such as live web chat are not included in the monthly subscription."],"fullReviewTest":"BPO American is our pick as the best customizable answering service. It offers both answering services and call center services. (The primary difference between both types of services is that answering services are a specialized version of call center services, geared specifically toward small offices, unique businesses and niche industries.) BPO American has six different pricing plans for various call volumes and can develop custom packages for clients with specific needs.
\r\nBPO American offers an easy-to-use instant activation service, with an online tool that automatically builds a script based on your responses to a few questions. You can immediately get up and running with the instant activation option, which allows for basic answering services. You can add other common services like appointment setting, live web chat and order taking. All calls are answered by BPO American agents in the company's South Carolina-based call center. It offers a three-day, full-featured free trial following instant activation.
\r\nBPO American has six service plans, starting at $29 per month and topping out at $369 per month. There is no setup fee, and all plans run month-to-month with no penalty for canceling.
\r\nHere's more about the price structure of BPO American's answering service plans:
\r\nBPO American offers custom packages as well. Contact a sales representative to discuss your options and to get a custom price quote. BPO American offers a three-day, no-credit-card-required free trial with 75 minutes included.
","fullReview":"BPO American is our best pick for a customizable answering service. It offers both answering services and call center services, as well as a unique instant activation option that can get you up and running on the same day you sign up. BPO American has six different pricing plans for various call volumes and can develop custom packages for clients with specific needs. It also offers a three-day, full-featured free trial following instant activation.
\r\nFor all our answering service recommendations, visit our best picks page.
\r\nBPO American offers six main answering service plans, starting at $29 per month and topping out at $369 per month. Custom packages are available for clients with more specific needs. There is no setup fee for answering services, and all plans run month to month with no penalty for cancellation. These are BPO American's answering service plans:
\r\nCall center services require a special quote from a company sales representative and a $750 setup fee. For our hypothetical business, we required about 6,000 minutes of call center services per month, which BPO American offered at a competitive rate of 80 cents per minute. Including the $750 setup fee (which covers scripting, agent training and technology setup), the total initial cost came to $5,500. Unused minutes roll over month to month and never expire, unless you are inactive for six months. All service is month to month and can be canceled with no fees.
\r\nBPO American bills in one-second increments, which means it never rounds calls up to the nearest minute and you only pay for the time you use. This is superior to the industry standard of six-second billing increments.
\r\nWe were also offered a monthly billing option, which demanded less upfront expense but charged a higher per-minute rate. That option included a monthly minimum of $2,000 for 2,105 minutes, plus the $750 setup fee. The per-minute rate came to a high 95 cents.
\r\nBPO American's call center features expand on the answering service to include complaint handling and full-scale customer service. Call center agents can also make outbound calls on your company's behalf and engage in market research such as surveys and polls. These are some of BPO American's key call center services:
\r\nFor all our call center service recommendations, visit our best picks page.
\r\nBPO American offers an easy-to-use instant activation service, with an online tool that automatically builds out a script based on how you fill out a series of required fields. You can immediately get up and running with the instant activation, which allows for basic answering services. You can add on other common services like appointment setting, live web chat and order taking. All calls are answered by BPO American agents in the company's South Carolina-based call center.
\r\nBPO American's call center services require a relatively steep setup fee, which can make upfront costs a bit high. However, setup fees depend on the complexity of your needs, so more straightforward businesses might find that BPO American's setup fee is lower than the one in the proposal we received for our hypothetical business.
\r\nThe answering services do not include call recording, which is an $89 monthly charge on top of the monthly subscription and a one-time setup fee of $100. Services like live web chat and email management are not included in the subscription price either, so you'd need to pay extra if you want them.
\r\nOur customer service experience with BPO American was positive. While the representative we worked with was not overly friendly, he was extremely helpful and responsive, and he followed up with additional information immediately upon request. We received a detailed proposal that the representative walked us through, but he never pushed us to make a buying decision. Even after we expressed that we were not yet ready to subscribe to a service, he remained fully engaged and helpful in each of our interactions. He broke down the pricing model and explained clearly when additional fees would be incurred if we added on services such as call recording and detailed monthly reports.
\r\nEditor's Note: Is your business looking for a call center service? Fill out the below questionnaire to have our vendor partners contact you about your needs.
\r\n"},"pricing":{"isCapped":false,"isFeatured":false,"primary":false,"selected":"widget","widgetId":"10094","widget":{"id":"10094","cta":"Compare Quotes","isExclusive":false},"affiliate":{"cta":"Visit Site","link":"https://www.bpoamerican.com/","name":""}},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://staging.business.com/images/rz/5ce420e67b4374d1238b457b/bpo.png"}}}]},{"__typename":"SectionWidget","id":"get-a-quote","isInToc":false,"type":"widget","title":" Find the Right Answering Service for Your Business","widget":{"widgetId":"10094"}},{"__typename":"SectionOurApproach","id":null,"isInToc":false,"type":"ourapproach","isActive":null,"ourapproach":{"isClonable":false,"servicesConsidered":"53","servicesTested":"12","servicesSelected":"4","linkText":"How we evaluate products and services","linkUrl":"mailto:editor@business.com"}},{"__typename":"SectionContainer","id":"compare-our-best-picks","isInToc":true,"type":"container","title":"Compare Our Best Picks","container":{"isBuyingGuide":false,"html":"| \r\n | Specialty Answering Service | \r\nPATLive | \r\nPCMSI | \r\nBPO American | \r\n
| Pricing | \r\nStarts at $31 per month | \r\nStarts at $39 per month | \r\nStarts at $67 per month | \r\nStarts at $29 per month | \r\n
| Billing increment | \r\n\r\n Second-to-second \r\n | \r\n6-second increments | \r\nSecond-to-second | \r\nSecond-to-second | \r\n
| Free Trial | \r\n14-day free trial | \r\n14-day free trial | \r\nNo | \r\nThree-day trial and instant activation | \r\n
| Charged for agent work time | \r\nNo | \r\nNo | \r\nNo | \r\nYes | \r\n
Pricing varies. Most services charge by the minute or charge a monthly subscription. Some employ long-term contracts, but this is uncommon. Whichever model you choose – by the minute or monthly subscription – depends on your business's call volume, the features you need and how long you intend to work with a service.
\r\nIt's important that the answering service understand your business so that its agents are armed with extensive knowledge about your company so they can assist your customers. Answering services are highly personalized; it requires time for agents to learn your business inside and out. Some answering services charge a setup fee, while others build it into their rates.
\r\nAnswering services may charge various other fees and upcharges. When you call for price quotes, ask about additional fees (such as for setting up your account) as well as any recurring and incidental fees (such as overages or holiday rates) that you may be charged. Before selecting a service, pore over the company's contract to ensure you're aware of all possible fees.
\n"}},{"__typename":"SectionBuyingGuide","id":"features","isInToc":true,"type":"buying-guide","title":"Buying Guide","containers":[{"title":"Answering Service Features","html":"\nAnswering services advertise many different features, but there are some that are considered \"core\" features. (Most of the answering services we evaluated provide these \"core\" features.) As you do your research, you'll likely encounter these terms. Below is a brief definition of these \"core\" features.
\r\nAs you do your own research, we recommend that you consider which of the features below are most important to you, which ones are nice to have, and which features aren't necessary before you request proposals from companies.
\r\nAnswering services can help your business in a number of ways. For some small businesses, for example, an automated answering service, known as an auto attendant, might be sufficient to direct callers to the right person in your company. For other businesses, a live operator might be needed, because it's imperative that your callers reach a human who can answer their questions then and there. Here's a short explanation about the features offered by answering services:
\r\nMany services offer all of the options described above. If you aren't sure how or even if an answering service will work for you, we suggest that you partner with one under a limited agreement. For example, you could just work with an answering service to answer overflow calls at first. If you are pleased with the initial results and think transitioning to 24-hour live answering could benefit your business, most companies will happily upgrade your plan.
\n"},{"title":"Frequently Asked Questions","html":"\nWhen selecting an answering service, it's important to ask the right questions. There are a few industry policies that are somewhat complicated. If you're not aware of these policies, it can significantly inflate the cost of the service, so it's critical to learn the details of a company's policies before making a purchasing decision.
\r\nThe following questions will help you identify an answering service that's a good match for your business and won't try to gouge you with surprise fees and costs.
\r\nTypically, there's an intake or onboarding period, during which the answering works with you to capture crucial information about your business. As part of this process, many services will work with you to create a guideline or script for its agents to use when speaking with your callers. These guidelines and scripts can often be updated through an online web portal. Following the onboarding process, the answering service will then begin handling calls in the way you specified.
\r\nSome answering services make real-time reports available through a client portal so you can monitor billing, the number of calls coming in, how quickly they are being answered and how long they typically last. Others offer an end-of-month report only. A good answering service will be transparent into how your calls are being managed by their agents.
\r\nAny business that is overwhelmed by its current call volume, is missing late night calls or is hindered by declining customer satisfaction could benefit from an answering service. Agents are trained in customer service and can deliver exceptional support to your callers. The two main goals of hiring an answering service are, one, to free up your internal staff so they can focus on operations, and, two, increase customer satisfaction.
\r\nAnswering services can work with virtually any type of business, but they are especially common in niche areas. For example, attorneys commonly rely on answering services to help manage client communications with care. In the healthcare industry, medical answering services are frequently used, because they comply with the strict security standards set by laws like HIPAA and the HITECH Act. However, you don't need to be in one of these industries to use an answering service.
\r\nAn answering service offers several features for your company, which includes call screening and recording messages. These services also help companies manage clients during times when call volume is high, such as over the holidays. Having an answering service ensures clients' calls are received and answered in a timely manner.
\r\nThere are a few major reasons why you should consider outsourcing your customer service to a call center or answering service:
\r\nYou want an answering service with agents who understand the ins and outs of your business. Make sure it offers an online database where you can check and analyze call history with ease. Also, a service that can cater to non-English speakers makes your customer service accessible to more clients.
\r\nYou also want to find the pricing structure that works best for your company's budget. For example, would per-minute or per-call billing be cheaper for your business? See if the company charges for agent work time, which is any time agents spend working on your account when they are not on the phone with customers.
\r\nAlso consider in your budget whether the company rounds up to increments and, if so, what they are. For example, a call center that charges second by second will only charge for the actual time an agent spends on the phone; one that rounds up to the nearest six-second increment will round a call that lasts 1 minute and 1 second up to 1 minute and 6 seconds on your bill. Six-second increments are the industry standard, but some call centers round up time to the nearest minute, which could significantly inflate your call center costs.
\r\nA virtual receptionist manages a business's appointment schedule, fields client calls, helps customers find who and what they need, and takes down messages and leads. A virtual receptionist is just like an in-house receptionist in that they help connect customers to the appropriate department or employee. Most call centers and answering services offer a virtual receptionist who can carry out these tasks as if they were a member of your staff, making your callers feel they are communicating directly with your business.
\r\nAn auto-attendant phone system is also called a digital receptionist or interactive voice response (IVR) menu. It offers a voice menu system without the need of a live operator. Like an answering machine, an auto attendant helps you navigate callers' messages. Callers can be transferred to the extension they want by dialing in the digit the IVR provides for it. Auto attendants tend to be more cost-effective than shared agents, automating the customer service process to route the call to the appropriate person at your company.
\r\nVirtual receptionists and answering services are closely related, and often through the same vendors. The main difference is scale and capabilities. A virtual receptionist answers calls on your company's behalf, takes messages and forwards calls.
\r\nAnswering services do the same thing, but generally have a higher capacity and offer some more sophisticated functions, such as order management. They can also generally handle after-hours or overflow calls, which a virtual receptionist service might not include.
\r\nUltimately, while these services are similar, there are some differences that might make an answering service more appropriate for a scaling business. However, some companies define the terms \"virtual receptionist\" and \"answering service\" differently; always get an explanation in writing of what a company expects its responsibilities to be in terms of each service. Always secure in writing the details of exactly what you are paying for each month when working with an answering service or virtual receptionist.
\r\nAnswering services commonly charge setup fees, plus fees for additional services. We recommend that you obtain a proposal that includes a complete breakdown of the price, letting you see exactly what goes into the total bill. And, if possible, request a breakdown of a typical month's pricing as well, as the first month often includes deposits and setup fees.
\r\nMost of the answering services we evaluated base their billing on month-to-month subscriptions and can be easily canceled. Some, however, require a contract or monthly minimum. It's important to know upfront if there is a mandatory contract, or if you are required to provide advance notice to the answering service before canceling. Read the proposal closely for the cancellation terms.
\r\nThe billing increment should be a major consideration when searching for an answering service. The billing increment determines how much the answering service rounds up per-minute usage, and it can significantly impact your monthly bill.
\r\nSome answering services bill second by second; the industry standard is to bill in 6-second increments. This means a call lasting 1 minute and 1 second would be billed as a 1-minute and 6-second phone call, appearing on the bill as \"1.1 minutes.\" Some of the services we evaluated bill in 12-second increments, and the service with the highest billing increment rounded up to the nearest minute.
\r\nBe sure you understand the billing increment before signing up with a service, because they can make a seemingly affordable service expensive in reality.
\r\nAnother common pitfall businesses run into with answering services concerns the 28-day cycle. When a service bills in a 28-day cycle, you have less time to use your minutes. Moreover, it adds a 13th billing period to the year, so, essentially, you pay for an extra month. Taken together with billing increments, 28-day billing cycles can increase your costs.
\r\nMany answering services offer client portals where you can review your account usage, run reports, and update the script that agents use when answering the phone on your company's behalf. These portals are useful windows into how an answering service is managing your account, not to mention a nice tool to have if you'd like to update how they answer the phones and interact with your customers. Most client portals include an on-demand reporting function that allows you to run detailed reports, granting you additional insights into who is calling and why. Finding out a portal's reporting capabilities and the types of reports they provide could make your buying decision more clear cut.
\n"},{"title":"Answering Service Trends to Watch in 2021","html":"\nAfter a year that saw the frequency of \"difficult\" customer calls increase by over 100%, experts predict a bounce-back 2021 for the answering services industry, which will find itself in higher demand among businesses unequipped to handle unprecedented numbers of frustrated customers.
\r\nAnswering services in 2021 will employ the recent advancements in cloud computing and AI to better serve customers. Over 85% of future customer service interactions will occur without the customer speaking to a live agent, and the rapid implementation of AI algorithms into these answering services has accelerated that timeline. Expect to see answering services promote their AI functionality as a chief selling point rather than an afterthought, especially with reduced staffs. Some of these improvements will come as chatbots are better able to integrate with your website. The number of integrations and their ease of use will be a key differentiator between options.
\r\nAlthough many of these services will expand further into automated messaging, their ability to handle live customer calls will remain the primary emphasis. Over the last year, according to a Zendesk report, 81% of customers used the phone to speak with customer service, and 76% preferred to speak to a live person over the phone when they had complicated requests. Limits on personal interaction will increase the importance of empathetic agents in the coming months. Look for companies to proactively promote the qualifications and experience of their representatives, and be prepared to assign higher value to these factors than in previous years.
\r\nJanuary 2021: Market research from Orion Market Reports suggests that mass adoption of artificial intelligence in the call center and answering service industries will speed up in the coming years. The market analyst estimates that AI solutions will be worth $2.8 billion in call centers by 2024, up from just $800 million in 2019.
\r\nThe growth is likely to be driven by the proliferation of AI chatbots for live chat services. In addition, AI is expected to play a key role in the gathering and contextualizing of business intelligence, which will be used to inform brands about the customer experience and their customers' motivators. For small businesses, call centers could be a way to leverage AI technology without the upfront expense of implementing a platform.
\n"},{"title":"Community Expert Insight","html":"\nAs part of our research, we reached out to readers for their input about which answering services they use.
\r\nOllie Smith, the CEO of Card Accounts, uses RingCentral. \"I like the fact that you can add specific features such as additional users, the fact that it integrates well with over 100 external apps, and its affordable price of just $20 per month,\" Smith told business.com.
\r\nBruce Moss, of the Law Offices of Bruce A. Moss, is a family law solo practitioner who has used Answer Connect for more than three years. He said he has received positive comments from his clients about how nice his receptionist is.
\r\n\"They answer 24/7/365,\" Moss said. \"They patch all calls to me directly. If I am unavailable, I receive a text message and an email with the message. I have rarely had any problems with them.\"
\n"},{"title":"Our Methodology","html":"\nFor this year's update, we began our research by compiling an extensive list of vendors in the answering service and call center industry. We gathered these vendors from our existing database and by searching the web, reading reviews, and contacting active companies.
\r\nNext, we analyzed each company's website, comparing prices and features. From there, we narrowed our list down to a dozen finalists. We then contacted each service to learn more details about the onboarding process, the services offered and pricing, and to obtain a proposal from the company.
\r\nWith the proposal in hand, we examined the policies of each company and looked to see whether there were any hidden fees or charges. We also contacted each of our dozen finalists to evaluate the quality of its customer service.
\r\nIn determining our recommendations, we strived to pick companies that offer the best balance of affordability, useful features and first-rate customer service.
\n"}]},{"__typename":"SectionContainer","id":"what-to-expect","isInToc":true,"type":"container","title":"What to Expect in 2021","container":{"isBuyingGuide":false,"html":"\nIn 2021, the answering service industry will likely see continued growth after several consecutive years of expansion. Market research released in 2020 suggests the global call center and answering service industry will grow to nearly $500 billion by 2027. That projected growth rate was recently revised upward after the COVID-19 pandemic prompted many businesses to shift to remote employment and customer service, many outsourcing to call centers and answering services in the process.
\r\nThat trend should continue into 2021, as businesses of all sizes will still be dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and its eventual aftermath. Remote work will remain the norm for at least part of the year, so many companies have turned to answering services to handle incoming customer calls.
\r\nMany answering services have seen significantly increased demand as businesses transition to a fully remote work environment amidst the pandemic. For answering services, this means finding at-home employees who are prepared to make or receive customer service calls. According to a story in The New York Times, many answering services and call centers are hiring people with disabilities to fill their vacant positions. The at-home agent will likely become a more prominent part of answering services' business models in the future. The impact of that trend on the industry and its clients remains to be seen.
\r\nAs in years past, automation will play a major role in customer service at all stages of a small business's growth. In fact, researchers at Ameyo predicted four years ago that 85% of all customer service interactions would be automated in 2020, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence supporting automation of the simplest tasks. While automation has grown to be a major part of today's customer service equation, Gary Pudles, CEO of AnswerNet, says call-answering services will remain integral.
\r\n\"Artificial intelligence doesn't really understand how to make inferences based on a large number of answers … it can't pull information out of contextual speech,\" Pudles said. \"Answering services are actually able to. [These services] are able to operate side by side with technological advancement.\"
\r\nTo put that into perspective, Pudles added that \"as technology continues to increase, answering services will continue to be the place where the human lives.\"
\r\nWhile many answering services offer phone trees and interactive voice response (think \"press 1 for sales, press 2 for technical support,\" etc.), do not overlook person-to-person service's importance in customer satisfaction and loyalty. Consumers will still interact with chatbots and other AI going forward, but you should always give them the option to speak with a live person when the bot doesn't answer the question.
\r\nToday's average consumer communicates in multiple ways on a daily basis, such as telephone calls, video chat, SMS and any of the various social media platforms. According to data from Microsoft, as of 2017, 66% of consumers had used at least three different communication channels to contact customer service. A 2018 survey by Forrester found that 33% of customers have contacted a company using Facebook and similar social channels.
\r\nThat diversification of communication methods will continue to spill over into customer service methods, with answering services likely to address the trend in 2021 and the coming years.
\r\nAnother anticipated change for the answering service industry is the more widespread introduction of data portals that will let users access call data on a whim. Over the course of the year, more services will probably offer a centralized online location where companies that outsource their call-answering needs to a third-party service will be able to log in and find data on each call. In some cases, those users can even listen to the interaction and extract data to use for follow-up.
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