Call Answering Service

Minderwinter

Minderwinter

New member
Feb 22, 2010
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I'm looking at subscribing to a call answering service for my local business. Right now I figure I'm losing about 5-10 leads per month because I'm letting my phone go to message. I'm exchanging emails with a guy from AnswerConnect, which seems promising. Does anyone have experience with these kinds of services? I'd love to get some info on the various options out there, and maybe even someone's personal take on these services. I don't need anyone to take a credit card number. It would be sufficient for me to have them register people for my courses, and then have the client pay in person later.
 


Do they need to be able to answer questions about the product at all, or just basically be a live person at the other end who can be polite and take down info? Also, just for business hours, or do you need 24/7?
 
We've used Call Ruby. They have good American gals answering the phone. They can direct the call anywhere you'd like. Two downsides are price - it isn't cheap and the hours. They only answer the phone 5am to 6pm PST, M-F so it's basically a biz hours service.
 
Ya there are lot's of solutions. But how bout you go do your own research and find the fuck out for yourself? If it's really that important to you. Another Lazy fucking roach looking for handouts.
 
@ProHealth: Thanks for the intel. Call Ruby looks very promising, and it's great to know that they're all "American gals." +rep

@Gonzo:
Ya there are lot's of solutions. But how bout you go do your own research and find the fuck out for yourself? If it's really that important to you. Another Lazy fucking roach looking for handouts.
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Don't be a fucking tool. I'm relatively new here, but I've made some contributions. You can check my post history if you like. I weigh in when I actually have something useful to say instead of whenever I feel the need to prove what a l33t fucking baller I am.

Also, I wouldn't have asked this fucking question if I hadn't already done some research. This isn't the type of service that gets a shit-ton of authentic reviews all over the place, and the one thing you're NOT going to get from the reps (three of whom I've already spoken with on the phone) is the actual quality of their customer service before you bite and actually test the service out. I'd like to get some more intel before I start spending hundreds per month on one of these services.

So I guess what I'm saying is GTFO my thread, asshat.
 
Do they need to be able to answer questions about the product at all, or just basically be a live person at the other end who can be polite and take down info? Also, just for business hours, or do you need 24/7?
 
@ KBKUG (and mon7071 above... weird): Yes, they need to answer questions about the product. Business hours are fine. I don't need someone 24/7. They do need to be able to take down registrations (although not CC information or anything like that).
 
please pm the detail and what kind of product
and one last thing im from marrakech
 
Well, are the questions about your business pretty cut-and-dried? I mean, can you script 90% of your customer's questions with responses? Because if you can, you could use any of the VOIP services that ring to multiple numbers, set up some local people who can read the caller id and answer like an adult, and have them read your answer script.
I guess it depends on 1) volume and 2) your pain threshold of hiring people.
Seems if you're only missing 5-10 people a week, why not roll your VM over to a 2nd cellphone that you (or yours) keeps with them.
 
Seems if you're only missing 5-10 people a week, why not roll your VM over to a 2nd cellphone that you (or yours) keeps with them.
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Because I'm out and about all day for various reasons, and it's a lot easier to hire a reputable service for a reasonable monthly fee than it is to hire some asshole, figure out that he's an incompetent hack after a week, fire him and hire someone else. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Closing the sale with a single lead would pay for a month's worth of service, so it's well worth it to me if there's a team of pro's on the other end of that phone who can sign a customer up. Otherwise I'm going to be trying to close the deal while I'm on the bus, or train, or with yammering kids in the background, none of which inspire confidence in prospective customers.
 
Decided to go with AnswerConnect. Their sales rep got back to me immediately and assured me that they can do exactly what I want. Neither Call Ruby nor Pat Live have responded to my inquiries yet. I figure it doesn't bode well for a customer service solution if they take more than a day to return an email of someone looking to buy their product. They lose.

Since their prices aren't published, I thought I'd mention that at $99/mo for the basic plan (and no setup fee), AnswerConnect is cheaper than both Call Ruby and Pat Live. I'll update this thread after things are set up and I have a chance to gauge their performance.
 
If your in UK Moneypenny is the service we've been using. Very good service. They answer questions take messages etc and email the details to a said account.
 
Glad to hear it, Sean. I've been really impressed with them so far. They're testing out my account right now and tell me that it will be ready in a couple of days.
 
Hire an intern. Will pick up your phone and help you grow.
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Sorry, man, but this is shit advice. Do you know an intern who will work for $99/mo? And if I did hire one, where would he/she work? In my house with my wife and kids while I'm out and about doing all the other shit I do?

The whole point is to appear as though I'm a big organization while keeping the risk and overhead low. Hiring an intern adds way too many additional variables (even if some sucker is willing to work for free) to be even worth considering.

The service I've contracted with stakes its reputation on being able to answer for me in a professional manner and will even close deals for me. I'm actually shocked that something like this is available for less than $1/min. A fucking intern? Please.
 
Just got my account running on AnswerConnect. Tested it out by calling from an unlisted number and putting the guy through his paces. Super professional, and the test registration I gave him went through just fine. So far I'm pleased.
 
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