A phone answering service is a third party company that answers incoming calls on your business’s behalf. These services can help you optimize communications, streamline processes and increase productivity without sacrificing customer service standards or damaging your brand image.

A specialized answering service can answer calls for any number of reasons, including answering questions about products and services, scheduling appointments or providing product support. Most answering services operate as virtual receptionists, taking and routing a caller’s request to the right person or department. They can also handle emergency calls, and some are specialized for specific industries, such as health care, limousine companies or funeral homes.

Many businesses are finding that their customers and clients prefer human connections over automated options. Invoca research shows that 80% of consumers are more likely to become repeat customers after a positive experience with your company’s customer service team. But it can be difficult for your employees to manage all of the incoming requests and questions, especially if your business is growing.

A good answering service will be able to integrate its work into your systems, allowing you to view call logs and other data in real time. This allows you to see how the answering service is performing and if there are any gaps in your customer experience. To find an answering service provider that can do this, check out the Association of Teleservices International (ATSI) list of member companies through its Connections magazine, or visit our directory. phone answering service