What to look for in an after-hours answering service

No matter the size of your business, running day-to-day operations while simultaneously attending to and keeping track of incoming calls can be a challenge. Having a reliable after-hours answering service comes in handy, offering several benefits including 24-hour customer support, message taking, and call transferring. With calls and queries answered promptly and efficiently at any given time, you can be more effective in managing other vital tasks for your business.

However, since there are plenty of after-hours answering service providers in the market, businesses must first carefully consider the right one to invest in. From round-the-clock availability, professional assistance, to affordable pricing, we’ll go over some of the important factors that go into choosing the best answering service for your business.

Accessibility and Availability

Whether it’s after-hours, overflow during the day, or even weekends, the best phone answering service should be available 24/7 to provide accurate responses and instant support to your customers’ queries and needs. Investing in a phone answering service means that your business is always ready to answer calls and be relied upon to deliver at any time. Apart from offering live support, having the ability to capture new leads and be 100% accessible -both day and night- is why you should seriously consider a 24-hour answering service.

If you can consistently provide on-time responses at any hour of the day, customers will surely recognize and appreciate how your business goes the extra mile for them. With all incoming calls handled promptly and properly by your telephone answering service, your business ultimately stands out and gains a unique competitive advantage.

An Alltel 24/7 live phone answering service gives your business a simple, cost-effective way to have your customer calls answered at any time. A live answering operator answers your calls, takes messages, and relays them to you, so you can respond at a convenient time. Meanwhile, a virtual receptionist also performs basic phone answering and message-taking, on top of handling simple questions and service requests.

Whichever way you choose to set it up, your customers will always have their calls answered with Alltel’s live answering service.

Professionalism & Expertise

It’s no secret that the quality of customer service can either make or break a business. Customers have to be fully engaged and satisfied in each stage of their interaction with your company, which is why the professionalism of your phone answering service can greatly impact brand loyalty.

In order to deliver excellent service, live operators and virtual receptionists must ably represent the business they are answering for, and quickly adapt to the varying needs of callers. They should have the ability to properly assess every situation and react appropriately, whether that’s noting down information or responding to questions.

For an after-hours phone answering service to truly be an effective extension of your business, live operators must know how to handle calls in a direct, personal manner. A personalized experience during a call makes customers feel like they matter and presents your business as one that is truly service-oriented.

With an Alltel live phone answering service, you can be assured of top-quality call handling as our professional Australian-based operators answer all incoming calls in your business name, take messages and forward these to you immediately via SMS and email.

Your live answering service can also be customized to suit your business needs, such as including call transfers, sending messages to multiple teams or representatives, as well as unique scripts.

On the other hand, a virtual receptionist service can resolve basic questions and complete requests such as scheduling appointments, sending reminders, patching calls, or relaying messages.

Budget and Pricing

Before selecting an after-hours answering service, having a set budget and knowing the exact requirements your business needs are highly important. Finding a service provider offering flexible pricing and scalable solutions is a great way to save on expenses in the long run.

Providers that allow you to customize your phone answering service and choose additional features are often the ones that are most cost-effective. In connection, the size of the company also becomes a determining factor in whether it is necessary to customize the answering service with additional features. For example, smaller companies looking to expand could benefit from having additional questions or SMS recipients.

Moreover, having a good understanding of your daily call volume and how you plan on managing the answering service can help you settle for the right provider at the right price.

Alltel Phone Answering plans start from as low as $25 per month for 15 calls, while Virtual Receptionist plans start at just $30 for the pay-as-you-go plans. You can easily customize your service with features such as personalized greetings, additional questions, and extra call packs to accommodate more calls. Your answering service also scales up as you add more teams, move offices and take on more phone calls- providing the perfect solution for your growing business.

A professional answering service that has your business covered

Investing in an after-hours answering service can make a significant impact on the overall success and reputation of your business. Before deciding which one is best, it’s recommended that you first do a careful evaluation of a phone answering service from all angles.

Featuring 24/7 customer support, professionally-trained operators, and cost-effective plans, Alltel live answering services offer flexible, scalable solutions that can be customized to fit your business needs.

Our expert consultants are happy to help you get set up with your very own live answering service in as little as one business day.

Give us a call at 1300 255 835 or visit our official website at www.alltel.com.au.