An answering service handles a company’s communications, usually with its customers, but could also be used to handle employee calls. Answering service representatives take inbound calls from existing and potential customers using branded welcoming messages and scripts to carry out the main services of:
An answering service works similar to a virtual or in-person receptionist—fielding easier communications and forwarding the more complex issues to the appropriate business contact, so your employees are not overburdened by simple requests and have more time to dedicate to more serious inquiries or other job tasks. Answering services can also serve as the first line of customer support, fielding calls and escalating when necessary.
Answering services are a business-to-business service, offering an outsourced service for answering a company’s phone calls.
Answering services are popular in certain industries, providing the right level of service the business needs. Answering services are commonly employed by:
An inbound call center typically provides more in-depth call handling services with a greater range of responsibilities and permissions to take actions on behalf of the business. Call center agents will typically use scripts to help them through the steps of managing a call or customer need—most frequently, these calls can entail:
Call centers generally replace—or provide a significant addition to—a company’s customer service, sales, IT support, human resources, or financial departments. Call center services go beyond answering and directing phone calls by being empowered to take specific actions as directed by the employing company.
Call centers can also be a business-to-business service, although some major companies may own their own call center to manage the high level of calls and more intensive customer or employee support.
Some businesses require more hands-on handling of customer or employee calls, so a call center better suits their needs. These businesses aren’t necessarily categorized by their industry but rather by their size. Larger companies, conglomerates, organizations, corporations, and businesses that span the nation (or are even global) are more likely to employ the services of a call center.
Call centers and answering services have their own benefits for outsourcing your inbound calls to. Speak with a CallStar® representative to discuss your business needs for communication handling and the services we have to best meet those needs.
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