| Who will answer your office phones? That is a | | | | employing in house staff to handle |
| question that so many businesses ask every day | | | | communications, an office will find a tremendous |
| in this country. There are many options. A | | | | cost in payroll. Employee also adds to a |
| company can staff its office with a receptionist or | | | | company's overhead, including taxes, insurances |
| an in house call center. A company can utilize | | | | and supplies. An in house staff is also very difficult |
| voice mail or automated features such as | | | | to manage. With high employee turnover, |
| Intelligent Voice response (IVR). A company can | | | | employee theft and absenteeism, an employee is |
| also choose to outsource their telephone calls to | | | | often a nightmare proposition. |
| an outside answering service or call center. If | | | | Voicemail to Answer Office Phones |
| using an outsourced option, there are several | | | | Many companies utilize voicemail to answer their |
| considerations. There is a choice between using an | | | | phone calls. Voice mail is a very inexpensive |
| answering service and using a call center. To | | | | method of handling a business's phone calls. With |
| complicate matters even more, there is a choice | | | | voicemail there is usually a fixed cost and it is |
| between a United States and an overseas option | | | | very affordable. Voicemail is a very dangerous |
| and a choice between a bilingual answering service | | | | proposition. Seven out of every ten phone calls |
| and an English speaking center. | | | | that are answered by voicemail do not result in a |
| To answer office phones, a company needs a | | | | message. While the upfront costs of using a |
| plan. In planning the options, every factor must be | | | | voicemail is something that any business can |
| brought into consideration. By knowing the pros | | | | afford, the lost revenue that occurs from the |
| and cons of how your office phones will be | | | | extraordinary percentages of hang ups, make |
| answered is key making the right decision. | | | | voicemail a very expensive proposition. |
| In House Staff to Answer Office Phones | | | | Answering Service and Call Center |
| Many businesses employ their own in house staff | | | | Outsourcing to an answering service or call center |
| to primarily answer their telephones. This is a | | | | is a best of both worlds' options. The answering |
| common practice that most business practices. | | | | service combines quality and affordability. Using an |
| By having an in house telephone staff, an office is | | | | answering service is a way to get live operator |
| able to train, oversee closely and make | | | | quality employees at a fraction of what they |
| adjustments to the staff. Direct contact between | | | | would cost in house. It is also a way to get the |
| management and telecommunication is usually the | | | | affordability of automation mixed with the high |
| best way to effectively handle phone calls. | | | | quality service that is needed to handle each and |
| In house staff does have its drawbacks. By | | | | every call. |