Does a Receptionist or an Answering Service Cost More?

When it comes to having your business phone answered, you’ve got plenty of options. There is lots to consider to make the right choice, so it’s always important to ask if a receptionist or an answering service costs more.

In-House Receptionist vs. Professional Answering Service

Many businesses choose between having an in-house receptionist and a professional answering service handle their calls. In a microcosm, both are very similar. Someone calls your business and speaks to a helpful person that can assist them by scheduling appointments, processing orders, sharing information about the company, transferring them to the person they need to speak with, and more. A receptionist and an answering service are two alternatives to achieving the same result when you look at it on a call by call basis.

Receptionist vs. Answering Service Cost

AnswerMTI offers very competitive pricing when it comes to answering services. This chart compares the cost of receptionist services versus an answering service across three pricing tiers—Business, Growth, and Premium—highlighting monthly fees, included minutes, and additional per-minute charges.

Now let’s look at the cost of using a receptionist to handle your phones. The median salary in the United States for receptionists, office managers, and administrative assistants is about $36,000 per year. Straight away we can conclude that $36,000 per year for a receptionist is more than $3,600 per year for an answering service. However, there is more to consider.

Additional Costs of an In-House Receptionist

The cost of hiring a receptionist to set up in your office does not stop at $36k/year. Consider the time you must spend training them, money that must be used purchasing the equipment they need to do their job, payroll taxes, and benefits. Think about the paid vacations and breaks during which they won’t even be answering your phone. Don’t forget the cost of missed opportunities if they aren’t able to take a call because they are away from their desk or on the line with another caller.

And finally, how long does a receptionist normally stay in their position before moving on to another job, and you’ve got to go through the process of finding, interviewing, hiring, and training another one?

Let’s look at one more thing to consider when thinking about receptionist cost versus hiring an answering service. What happens to your business phones when your receptionist inevitably goes home for the day or doesn’t work weekends? Odds are that people will still try to get in contact with your company after hours and only a 24/7 live answering service can reasonably provide that kind of coverage.

The numbers don’t lie. It is far more cost effective to use a professional answering service than it is to hire a receptionist. It’s more convenient too. In the end, a great telephone answering service can provide much better phone coverage at a mere fraction of the cost.

Hidden Value of Answering Services

When comparing the cost of an in-house receptionist versus a professional answering service, it’s essential to consider the additional value answering services bring to your business. Beyond affordability, answering services offer unique benefits that enhance customer experience, streamline operations, and support business growth.

Here’s what makes answering services an invaluable asset:

Scalability for Growing Businesses

As your business grows, so will your call volume. An answering service can adapt seamlessly to increased demand, ensuring you never miss a customer phone call, regardless of how busy you get. Unlike an in-house receptionist who has a fixed capacity, an answering service scales to meet your needs without requiring additional hiring or training to answer calls.

Specialized Training and Expertise

Professional answering services train their operators to handle a wide variety of scenarios, including:

Managing industry-specific inquiries (e.g., medical, legal, or technical support)
Assisting with appointment scheduling, order processing, or lead capture
Providing a polished and professional brand image to every caller

This level of expertise ensures that your callers receive high-quality service, no matter the complexity of their requests.

Consistency and Reliability

In-house receptionists have limitations—vacation time, sick days, or other unplanned absences can disrupt operations. Answering services, on the other hand, operate 24/7, 365 days a year. Whether it’s during holidays, after hours, or during a surge in call volume, you can count on uninterrupted service for your customers.

Enhanced Customer Experience

With an answering service, your customers never have to deal with unanswered calls or lengthy hold times. Quick, consistent, and courteous responses improve customer satisfaction and reinforce your brand’s reputation for reliability.

Cost-Effective Call Handling

Answering services often include advanced features, such as:

Call routing and prioritization
Message transcription and delivery via email or SMS
Integration with your scheduling or CRM software

These additional functionalities eliminate inefficiencies and free up your team to focus on high-priority tasks, all without the high costs of additional staff.

Multilingual Support

For businesses with a diverse customer base, some answering services provide bilingual or multilingual operators. This allows you to cater to a broader audience and improve accessibility for non-English-speaking clients.

Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity

In case of emergencies or unexpected events (e.g., power outages or office closures), an answering service ensures your business stays connected. Your customers can always reach someone, even when your physical office is unavailable.

Professional Answering Services From AnswerMTI

If you’re curious how much it might cost you to use a call answering service, contact us today for a free consultation. Our team will help you find a tailored plan that fits your business needs and ensures you never miss an important call, day or night.

You can also sign up to try our free trial now.