Automated Phone Answering Service

Automated Phone Answering Service

There is no better way to handle your telephone calls than with a live voice. While it is true that we have entered an age of automation, people still need human interaction. Voicemail has become a way of life in the past twenty-five years. Nearly everyone has voicemail, and nearly everyone uses it. Yet, seven out of every ten callers that reach a voicemail, do not leave a message. Seven out of ten? That's seventy percent. There are not many companies that can afford to lose seventy percent of their business. So why then do so many people opt to use an automated phone answering service?

Is an Automated Answering Service a Good Idea?

On the surface automated telephone answering may seem like a good idea. Voicemail is a relatively inexpensive option. There is not a tremendous monthly investment and a voicemail doesn't make mistakes. Today, many automated answering service providers offer a variety of options. The front end announcement can route calls directly to cell phones, turn voicemail to email and delivery as a .WAV File. Automated phone answering services can often be changed instantly both over the phone and online. The automated phone answering service is far more intelligent to use than old fashioned voicemail. There are many benefits to using automation, including:

• Cost Effective: Automated Answering Services can greatly reduce labor costs and cut overhead. An automated attendant can save companies thousands of dollars every month.
• Reliability: Automation never calls off sick, has a bad day, or takes a day off. Automated answering services can work around the clock and can answer any call at any time.
• Enhanced Features: An Automated Answering Service can go above and beyond the call of duty. While it can provide simple voicemail, it can also be designed as a sophisticated virtual PBX
• Customization: With an Automated Answering Service, you are in charge of everything. You can design, change and customize any feature to meet your company's needs.
• Announcements: Automated telephone answering works great to announce events, give detailed directions and instructions. Automation works wonderfully when an event is cancelled or altered

Automated Telephone Answering Works - But it also Doesn't

While there are so many features and so many benefits to using an automated phone answering service, there is one drawback that makes automation not such a good idea. That reason is that people do not leave messages on voicemail. While these systems are designed flawlessly, and are impressive they fail to accomplish the goal of any answering service. Capturing the phone call is what needs to be done. Automation fails to do that. A live operator answering service is two to three times more likely to capture a message. While on paper the benefits of using an automated answering service seem to outweigh that of using a live operator, the live option is truly the only option in making a business succeed.

IVR - Another Type of Automated Telephone Answering

IVR, or Intelligent Voice Response is a form of automated phone answering service. This is quickly becoming a very popular option, as it combines the benefits of automation and a live voice. While still in its infancy, IVR is dazzling the telecommunications world. IVR is like voicemail, PBX, Live chat, email support and help desk, all rolled into one automated package. IVR can speak and recognize virtually any language and adjust to handle the nuts and bolts of many receptionist and secretarial tasks. Intelligent Voice Response actually has the ability to "learn" tasks and gets "smarter" the longer it performs it's functions While IVR is a phenomenal technology, it still lacks the human touch. IVR is truly an amazing technology. And while it is getting closer to being able to sound, appear and feel more human, it still has a way to go.

Live Operator Meets Automated Answering Service

Specialty Answering Service believes in the value and the importance of a live voice. They also know that some businesses insist on automation. Specialty has married voice and IVR technology with the value of a live operator answering service. Specialty has designed a hybrid package that gives the customer all the features and conveniences of an automated phone answering service with a live operator standing by. The hybrid package works in one of two ways. The first option is to have the automation answer the call, but to leave the caller an option to speak with a live operator. This option is often used by physicians to handle their after hour emergency calls. This allows the operator to be there only if needed. This option helps cut down on cost by eliminating unnecessary operator time.

Another way that clients utilize the hybrid package is to have the operators initially answer each phone call live, and to then transfer the calls to the automated answering service. This option is excellent for call capture. This method also utilizes the many unique features that an automated phone answering service can offer. With Specialty's automated telephone answering, it does not matter what you need or how you want your calls answered. Specialty can design a live operator or automated phone answering service to handle any need.

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