Cell Phones and Answering Services

For the modern small business owner, having a cell phone as well as an answering service can be quite effective in managing your communications. Having one complements and makes the other even more useful. Many use their answering service as a first point of contact for incoming calls, which are then dispatched by the operator to the appropriate extension or outside phone line. Because many users of answering services work outside the office, cell phones are frequently where calls are sent. The popularity of this arrangement is fairly recent; however, as cell phone service was once very expensive. Average call quality was also of great concern but, thanks to better technology, it is hard to tell whether someone is on a cell phone or landline.

Another benefit to utilizing cell phones along with an answering service is that operators can make appointments for clients and alert the appropriate people in the company by text message that a new appointment has been made. Similarly, if an order was taken or service request has been made, you can be made aware of it immediately in order to take appropriate action. If desired, the message can be sent to a list of contacts in order for the first available representative of your company to respond. This may result in a shortened response time and increased customer satisfaction. No reasonable person would expect you to answer their calls at any moment of the day, but they do hope you will call them back in a timely fashion and have some idea of why they called in the first place.

At one time, cell phones were a luxury item and prohibitively expensive for most businesspeople. As technology developed and economies of scale pushed the cost of a cell phone down, its popularity skyrocketed. Initially, however, many cursed the cell phone as inferior to a landline telephone. Issues of call quality and privacy arose as many more began using their cell phones in public places. Although the cellular phone has since become ubiquitous, the concerns about confidentiality continue to exist. This is a major reason why many people allow their answering service to take messages for confidential calls coming into their cell phones while in public places.

For privacy-conscious cell phone users, an answering service isn't simply just for missed calls or those late at night. These individuals also understand that there are times when answering a call is not appropriate or safe as far as confidentiality and privacy of client communications goes. Much like not reading sensitive emails in the company of strangers, you would be a lot better off having an answering service answer sensitive calls to your cell phone when out in public. Also, the messages that are taken can be sent as text messages which make an answering service even more convenient. When a customer in this situation leaves a voicemail, if they do actually leave one, you are forced to call and retrieve it which can be inconvenient but also dangerous if someone were to overhear the message.

Unlike cell phones of years past which were expensive and frequently hard to use, a good answering service is simple to operate and always well worth its remarkably affordable cost. As well as simplifying communication, it should also make you money by allowing you and your business to be available at all times. Some of the most successful businesses have contacts answering their lines at all times, day or night. Although you might not have the resources or need to staff a 24/7 call center. Why not set your company up with the same professional image at a fraction of the cost with an answering service.