How a Telephone Answering Service Works
What happens from the moment a caller dials your number to the moment you receive the message.
Quick answer
A telephone answering service has trained operators answer your calls in your company’s name, collect the information you need, and deliver it to you. With Answer Center, live receptionists do this 24/7/365 and deliver messages by text, email, voice mail, fax or phone.
Step 1: Callers reach Answer Center
Depending on your needs, Answer Center answers every call, steps in only when your office gets busy, or covers after-hours calls. We can step in as your receptionist during the day when things get busy, after hours once your office is empty, or on a 24/7 basis.
Step 2: A trained operator answers in your company’s name
Our professional and friendly operators greet your callers in your company’s name. Every employee at Answer Center, including the owners, has worked as an operator, and they use that experience to give callers the best customer service possible.
Step 3: Operators follow your customized account
Your customized account tells our agents what information to collect so they can help your clients. Plans are fully customized, so the questions, the details and the people to contact reflect how your business works.
Step 4: You receive messages and appointments
Operators deliver your messages by text, email, voice mail, fax or by calling you directly. They can also set, reschedule or cancel appointments, using our software or your own web based software.
Step 5: You stay informed
Stay on top of your busy schedule with 24/7 live answering and the convenience of our mobile app and portal.
What happens behind the scenes
- Proprietary, Linux based telephone answering software.
- A triple redundant backup system so a call is not lost.
- All incoming calls are recorded for quality assurance.
- A generator to keep operators on the phones during prolonged power outages.
Answering is the foundation for related services: appointment setting, event registration, information requests and a disaster recovery plan.
Common questions
What is a telephone answering service?
A telephone answering service uses trained operators to answer calls on behalf of a business, take messages, and handle tasks such as appointment setting. Answer Center’s live receptionists are 100% U.S. based and answer 24/7/365.
Can an answering service book appointments?
Yes. Answer Center’s staff can set, reschedule or cancel appointments, using our software or your own web based software.
What happens if there is a power outage or disaster?
Answer Center can keep your office open even if the roof is gone. During Hurricane Isabel we took a record number of calls while running on an emergency generator for over 30 hours, and we can help you write a disaster recovery plan.
How can I try an answering service before committing?
Answer Center offers a free 7-day trial with no obligations and no contracts. Start a free 7-day trial or call 888-817-1177.