What Is a Live Answering Service?

Cheerful female customer service representative

Businesses can receive calls any time, day or night, on weekends, and even on holidays. A live answering service avoids forcing callers to be greeted by an automated voice response system. Bots and voicemail reduce the quality of customer service. Rather than frustrating people and creating a negative impression, a telephone answering service allows a live agent to respond to every call—and even enables small businesses to compete with larger organizations.

Taking call after call can be time-consuming. Most small business owners have many tasks to tend to throughout the day. Depending on their industry, some may be out in the field and unable to answer calls. With a live answering service, telephone answering is outsourced to a third party. Live receptionists are trained in how to answer calls and deal with a variety of situations your business faces; they can provide full customer service and support.

How Live Answering Services Work

headphone with telephone answer machine on table with virtual circle wheel business technology

AnswerMTI offers customized plans. Our account specialist works to understand your company, brand, and specific challenges, as well as who your customers are. A custom call script can be created so live agents know how to address your callers and relay the appropriate information to callers and your team. You’ll never miss an important call, and our virtual receptionists can:

  • Screen Calls: Not every call may need to be transferred to you. Our virtual receptionist can ask specific questions to understand the nature of the call. If it needs to be forwarded, they can brief you on the customer’s needs or set up a follow-up call. We also offer call patching and transfer based on specific requirements you set.
  • Set Appointments: If the caller’s goal is to schedule an appointment, our trained agents can do that and update your online calendar. This ensures you never miss a meeting or appointment. You’ll also have real-time updates to your schedule always available.
  • Take Bilingual Calls: When the person on the other end is Spanish-speaking, our receptionists can communicate in their native language to address their needs. This is a positive reflection on your business, as it shows you’re committed to customer satisfaction.
  • Handle Urgent Calls: Our team is trained to respond to high-priority situations, whether the customer has a crisis or an emergency event in your area is impacting your ability to handle calls. We are always ready to calmly address any situation.
  • Be Remote Secretaries: Live receptionists can answer questions and also provide a wide range of remote assistance to customers. They can process sales orders or assist with technical support as well.

Benefits of Live Answering Services for Businesses

Young beautiful Call center operator

A live answering service allows your staff to be more productive rather than spending much of the day taking calls. Since we employ unlimited call scripting, our agents greet callers in any way you’d like to represent your brand. Receptionists are informed on how to handle various situations. Customers are greeted almost instantly by a real person, so they know their needs are being met, which can help improve satisfaction as well as customer loyalty. Every caller realizes they are valuable to you.

A live answering service reduces overhead costs too. Hiring a receptionist staff and procuring the necessary equipment is expensive. Now, there’s no need to train part-time or full-time employees to manage calls. Our services grow with your company; use only what you need. We are flexible and can meet your requirements during times of increased call volume. Every call we answer is an opportunity to provide personalized help to the customer and improve your reputation.

Sign Up for Your Free Trial Today

phone with headset

AnswerMTI provides live answering support across the U.S. Our clients represent a diverse range of industries. Long-term contracts are not needed. You receive a complete live answering service with 24/7 caller support and customized solutions, with affordable month-to-month pricing. Call 844-798-1027 to set up your free 7-day trial.