From Answering Machine to Answering Service

When answering machines became available that were widely affordable, many businesses everywhere were relieved. Finally there was a way to ensure that every call that came in was answered, even if it was by a machine. Previously, calls to a specific extension that went unanswered had to be taken by a staffed secretary or they went unanswered. These days, answering machines or at least voicemail are the standard and everyone assumes that if their call goes unanswered, they are at least going to get a machine. What was once hailed as a major advancement in business is now just normal and considered fairly unprofessional.

The future of business lies with each and every call being answered by a human operator. Answering services are not merely an extension of an answering machine but instead go against the tide and offer old-fashioned personal attention that was the norm 30 or 40 years ago. When you make the choice to offer your customers the personal attention of an answering service over the cold, unfriendliness of an answering machine, you are taking steps to make them feel welcomed and appreciated. This is especially true when you consider that messages dispatched to you or your colleagues will likely be responded to quicker than if allowed to linger on voicemail. Callers leaving a voicemail can''t be so sure their message will be heard by you in a timely manner, so it is much more comforting for them to give the message to a colleague.

It would be ridiculous to try and answer each and every phone call, but you sure want to follow up as soon as you can for calls you do miss. When a live operator gets in contact with you right away to make sure you get the message, you are a whole lot better off than automated systems that simply record and don''t notify. The whole point, after all, is to allow you to stay in touch as much as possible when you are unavailable to take calls. Modern answering services do a great job at walking the fine line between not enough visible enough and being in your way. Because of the myriad ways your calls are dispatched, you can choose to get them in the most helpful way.

For example, many business people that are frequently in meetings opt to get their messages via text message so they can discreetly check them when in the meeting room. Another big reason you ought to consider using this sort of service is that because it is operator-based, the receptionists can know who to send the message to. For example, if a customer calls your company and leaves a message for you, the operator will know your contact information and your messaging preferences. This ensures that you receive the information relevant to your position and needs rather than large volumes of messages irrelevant to your job.

Perhaps there is a message for a coworker of yours and the operator has their email address. The answering service can be set up to dispatch their messages directly to them instead of clogging up your inbox or the inboxes of everyone else in your office. This is an example of what makes an answering service so good, which is targeting handling calls and delivering messages to relevant parties and doing so in a quick and efficient manner. Much like a receptionist that might work in your building, answering service operators are able to know how to handle callers on a call-by-call basis instead of just treating everything in the same way time after time. Try having your corporate voicemail do that.