The following are some concepts that you will want to understand when reviewing service options:

Knowing the number of calls you plan to receive per month is the perfect way to start understanding the type of account that you need. Because of staffing issues and system resources involved in the answering service industry, the amount of calls your account will generate is essential to the pricing of your account. The best way to determine your call volume is to look at past phone bills and adjust accordingly for new business growth. If you have a new business and are not sure of the volume of calls, estimate your volume based on planned advertising. The account sales representative at an answering center should be able to assist you in planning your call volume.

When reviewing quotes from answering services, you will see estimates with a per minute charge or a per call charge. Many people prefer the per call option because it is easier to track. Many answering centers quote on a per minute basis because companies that are unfamiliar with the answering center industry may underestimate the time it will take to complete a call. Calls could take up to 3 times the amount of time you estimate for the customer service representative to handle a call. Remember: Not every caller is concise and to the point, and sometimes calls become more involved than simply taking and recording information.

Do you need dispatching? How should your messages be delivered? Before calling an answering service representative, think about what answering service applications will work best with your business system. Because every business is different, be sure that the answering services you review will be able to build an application to fit your needs. Many answering services prepackage their systems to save themselves time and money.

When choosing an answering service, ask the sales representative who the account manager is that will be handling your account. Your service should provide an account manager that can respond to the concerns and setup issues you might encounter. Some answering services will refer their clients to a customer service center. You should choose an answering service that will assign you a specific account representative that will be familiar with the specific details of your account.

Having calls answered by a live person is always more costly than using recordings and voicemail boxes or combining live operators with automated functions. To trim the cost of your per call fees, ask the sales person at the answering service how automated services can help you save money on the per call fee. Sales representatives have experience with setting up various applications and should be able to automate your account and still present a professional system that meets the needs of your company.

How are you advertising your business? Because calls are generated by various means of advertising, answering service sales representatives should ask you how you reach customers. Direct mail and newspaper advertising generally do not present problems with call volume. However, radio and television advertising generates short bursts of calls, and answering services must staff according to media schedules for that advertising. Be prepared to keep your answering service abreast of advertising schedules and changes in advertising frequency.

It has been a long tradition for answering services to provide toll-free numbers for their clients. Since answering services are not in the long distance or toll-free number business, answering centers buy those numbers from a phone company (just like you do) and pass on those charges to you. Ask your sales representative to forward your toll-free number to their location. Since they will add per minute charges to their cost for a toll-free number, you may be able to save money in the long run by providing your own toll-free number that forwards to their local number.

With the answering service industry moving toward the latest in digital technology, make sure your answering service digitally records all calls. You will be able to better address customer issues if your answering service can produce recordings of calls in question and email sounds files to you in a timely manner. Since there are always two sides to every story, a digital recording of a phone call is the perfect way to end any dispute with a client or with your answering service.

Because unforeseen trouble can occur, answering services should provide backup plans for their accounts. Uninterrupted energy supplies and backup operators should be in place to ensure that your calls will always be answered.

Answering services should provide you with references from other clients. An answering service should be able to connect you with three or more clients that have applications similar to your own needs.

Choosing an answering service can be a rough or pleasurable experience depending on the timeline for implementation and the experience of its sales representatives. Since the answering service industry is unknown to many people, the sales representatives at answering services are used to answering questions from potential clients. Make sure that you ask any questions that arise and do not hesitate to have them explain whatever you don’t yet understand.