Answering Service?

marlinspiker

marlinspiker

Participating member
Location
Pennsyltucky
I am looking to streamline operations and possibly start using an answering service. We do have office staff now but the cost of an answering service pales in comparison to having an office staffed 40 hours a week. Who has used answering services and what do you think?
 
This is something I've been interested in knowing more about too.

When a potential customer wants to call about their tree, they want to talk to someone now, so they can check it off their list. If they get a recording, many times they'll call other companies until they get a live person, and more often than not, that company gets the job.

Has using an answering service helped your company?
 
One thing that comes to mind about this; I'd much rather get an estimate request via website. All of the info is emailed directly to me from the customer with no middle man needed. It seems to an extent that the newer generation of customers would prefer to make the request online anyway. But plenty of old-schoolers left too.
 
I think your regular clients may not feel as connected to a message-taking answering service, as they would to an office staffer to whom they've spoken previously, and have perhaps established a rapport.
 
This was a debate years ago when I worked with another co. In the end we went with a P/T admin who answered calls while at the office from 10-2 then it went to voice mail. Key was promptness of the return call.

In your case, its moving from live answer F/T to another option. A good answering service would be a better bet if you really need to cut your costs and not sacrifice the level of service your clients are used to. What other options are you considering?
 
Does anyone have calls forwarded to their cell phones? I've often thought about this.....even though most of the time I'm working, there are times when I could answer the call and set up a consult. At least more than just returning messages at 7 pm at night. I also agree with people wanting to speak with someone. Ever look at your caller id, and have say 5 calls and 2 messages?
 
I use Google voice for my business line. It allows simultaneous forwarding to multiple lines. In my case the office, my cell and my wife's cell.

I have it set to show the called ID as my business number on incoming so I know if its business or personal. If I'm busy I ignore it and she gets it or it goes to voicemail. When I can I take the call,.sometimes its been an estimate down the block from where I was working.

From my cell I can choose to call from the business number or my cell number. That way I can protect my personal cell from business.

Its been great for me so far.
 
I agree with Treehumper on the speed and percentage of return calls really being the difference in getting the business. I've seen more arborists who lose business because they didn't get back to a new client who called, and that was even in the case of a company who had a F/T office manager who kept saying she'd have an arborist call my friend back. He never did. The solo guy with an answering machine did.

Answering services, from what I have learned about them, adhere to strictly taking name and phone number and dating the message. I would want to know if you can get someone who could do some essential frontline triage (or 'treeage', har! har!) A virtual secretary or virtual assistant that specializes in answering business calls (I don't do that, don't even ask) may be more advisable because they can work more flexibly on doing call backs for messages left, work from a script to get more information so you know more when you go to call back, etc... It may be a bit more expensive on the one hand (hourly rate) but you wouldn't have the employment taxes and benefits to be paying out and actually have a bit more help in the office when things go crazy busy, cut back when things are slow without dealing with unemployment taxes and all that stuff. You'll also know you have the same person taking care of it all instead of who's live at the call center.

Maybe set up a special line to cell phone in the event of an emergency such as "Help! Help! The tree has fallen through my roof!", just like doctors' office now say if you need immediate medical assistance, call 911.

One thing about using websites and the internet for customer interaction is contact forms can collect a lot of that information for you for non-emergency cases. You can have them pick out a service from a list of services you do, have them specify if they need it done by a certain time, and even if they have a price point (like the bridal consultants at Kleinfelds' wedding dress salon do in "Say Yes to the Dress") they need to stay within. No need to limit yourself to getting name, email and phone number and a comment that could be vague or meanders like a stream of consciousness.
 
From my understanding of typical answering services, they just answer the phone and take a message. This is of course better than an answering machine and may help a bit but it doesn't take any work off my plate.

What's ideal is an office manager who can answer the phone schedule appointments, route crews, handle payables and receivables, payroll, administrate a health and safety program and more. Problem is you need at least 3 or more crews on the go to pay for a full time body.

I've been looking for a similar sized company that I can work with where I can share an office manager. Have someone to answer the phone when it rings but only devote 10 to 15 hours a week to other tasks. That person doesn't even have to be in the same city. Probably the same country though.

Here's a business idea for someone enterprising: be an office manager for multiple tree companies. not competitors in the same region of course. Maybe this is happening somewhere already?

Vince
 
I used an answering service for 3-4 years.

An admin assistant is far better value for the expense. He or she can take a great deal of workload and allow for personnel to focus on money making or money digging (sales) endeavors. Our admin was primarily hired for phone reception. But helps with so many other tasks.

For example:
$15/hr wage
$18.25/hr expense after payroll overhead expense
$112.50/6hr day

If an admin takes only 2 hours off my plate - the value of my time saved pays for them.
 
Michael, how many people do you have in your office? What are their tasks(job description). Are you streamlining due to reduced revenues or are you looking to reduce your workload? Are you the salesperson for your business? How much administrative work are you doing that could be reallocated to the staff to free up time for increased sales and marketing efforts?

So many questions....
 
Thanks Carol! I'm not surprised that such an association exists but I don't think I ever would have found them without your referral.

I reviewed the Association's site and it may actually help me connect with someone who could fill the role that i'm looking for. The difficulty is finding the trust for someone that you likely won't meet in person and not having the control that you would have if it were a direct employee and not a subcontractor.

Vince
 
Vince (thank goodness, I didn't like calling someone "Nuthin' Special"!)

You should ask for references you can call for any candidate you are considering. I also remembered a network run by a woman in British Columbia that has a large following including a lot of VAs in Canada so you can check that out here: http://www.vanetworking.com/clients/

I had to double check my geography but I was pretty certain you were closer to Sault Ste Marie instead of Toronto, and I was right. I'm originally from Michigan (lower peninsula) and that's up there! Gorgeous country, I'm sure.

Good luck with the quest.
 
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What's ideal is an office manager who can answer the phone schedule appointments, route crews, handle payables and receivables, payroll, administrate a health and safety program and more. Problem is you need at least 3 or more crews on the go to pay for a full time body.


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I think your numbers are off. I run a small 3-4 person crew. One truck one chipper and we have a full time office manager that does all you described and more.
 
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Answering services, from what I have learned about them, adhere to strictly taking name and phone number and dating the message. I would want to know if you can get someone who could do some essential frontline triage (or 'treeage', har! har!) A virtual secretary or virtual assistant that specializes in answering business calls (I don't do that, don't even ask) may be more advisable because they can work more flexibly on doing call backs for messages left...

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I just heard a commercial on the radio the other day and it said, "are you tired of answering services that don't know anything about YOUR company? ...

They went on to describe that they are a call center that designates a small team that becomes experts on your company.

So this is worthless because I didn't get the name of the company- but I'll listen gooder next time and report back.
 
Sena bluetooth. Ropetek.

You can answer the phone quite often when working when all you have to do is bump the button with a gloved hand. You're talking.

People are so shocked when I tell them I can't take down their info because I'm in the tree (like you probably all have done). "ohh, ohh, I'm sorry, I should let you go."
"no worries, you wouldn't trust me to work in your trees if I couldn't manage a cell phone, right?" laugh. good rapport.


A live friendly informed voice with a one minute conversation does a lot.

"Would you mind emailing me your contact information and you're tree issues, and I'll try to at least email you back tonight, if I run out of time to return calls this afternoon."



If you mention you're on a helmet radio, you might drive some people away, but if you say, "no worries, I didn't even have to take my phone out of my pocket. Our helmet radios are some of the best investments we've made in terms of safety and productivity."

Getting them to write somethind down does part of your pre-screening for you, too.
 
Here's the one I mentioned previously. I heard their commercial again yesterday. They provide a team of people that supposedly understand your company and continue to learn more about you so they can provide better service. Don't know how good it is. I just heard the commercial and thought of this thread..

http://www.callruby.com
 
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