What is a Telephone Answering Service?

A telephone answering service is an outsourced provider who answers calls on behalf of your company, as if they were based in your office, giving you a dedicated PA without the cost of an in-house hire.  

A telephone answering service (or call answering service) is an outsourced service provider who will answer calls on behalf of your company, as if they were based in your office.

Service levels, prices and quality differ from provider to provider but the core offering remains the same. Not to be confused with a call handling service where calls are handled by 'the next available operator', a telephone answering service will offer dedicated PAs or receptionists who get to know your business and function as part of your team.

Why do businesses use telephone answering services?

Businesses of all sizes use telephone answering services to free up their time for key tasks and make sure they don't miss important calls, avoiding the inevitable lost revenue that comes from customers who go elsewhere when their calls are unanswered. A telephone answering service can be used for all calls 24/7, for overflow support (taking calls when you're too busy) or out-of-hours cover.

Beyond these general practicalities, a telephone answering service is also great for smaller businesses who want to improve the impression of their operation's size, quality and professionalism.

Does it really matter if I miss a few calls?

Take a moment to consider every call you get as an opportunity to make money. Who's calling? Is it a brand new enquiry? Returning customer? It could be someone you've spoken to before who needs just one more question answered to get them on board. When you see your callers this way (and not just interruptions to your working day), the calls you miss become missed opportunities.

Whether it's lost leads or bad customer experiences, every missed opportunity has the potential to impact your bottom line or damage your reputation. A larger company might consider employing someone to solve these problems, but with the average salary for a receptionist in the UK at £15,961 this isn't always an option, the most effective cost saving alternative is a high quality telephone answering service.

Introducing Moneypenny

Moneypenny is the UK's leading Telephone Answering and Live Chat provider, offering solutions for businesses of all sizes. With our Telephone Answering Service, you will have your own dedicated Moneypenny PA, someone you know and trust to look after your calls exactly as if they were based in your office.

Our Telephone Answering Service is ideal for sole traders and small businesses who want to ensure:

• every call will be answered promptly and professionally
• an excellent first impression for new customers
• time saved from unwanted canvassing calls
• every new enquiry is captured
• the flexibility to use our services only when they need them
• peace of mind, you'll never disappoint an important client or miss an opportunity agai
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