It is with great pride and elation that we celebrate A Better Answer’s 55th Anniversary! Back in 1971, as the only employee, with six telephones for six customers, Dee Hawkins started a small operation called Keystone Park Secretarial & Answering Service in Dallas, Texas, becoming one of the first women-owned and operated answering services in the state. Five and a half decades later, that small startup secretarial service has grown into A Better Answer Call Centers, but the heart behind it hasn't changed one bit.

Then and Now

In the beginning, our agents took messages by hand, kept track of who was on call, and even billed clients by weighing stacks of paper messages. Today, our Telephone Service Representatives answer live calls from all over the world and pass along thousands of messages a day by voicemail, text, email, and web. The tools have transformed completely but the care behind every call remains the same.

Still Family-Owned. Still Texas Through and Through.

For 55 years, ABA has remained proudly 100% woman-owned and operated; a Certified Minority Owned Business with deep roots in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston. Our teams don't just answer phones for clients, they become an extension of their businesses, learning the details that make every caller feel truly taken care of.

That kind of consistency doesn't happen by accident. It happens because of our incredible staff in Dallas, Houston, and across the country, and every Call Handling Hero® who has picked up a phone on our behalf over the years. Collectively, our managers bring well over 100 years of combined call center experience to the table, and our representatives' experience adds up to over 300 years of taking and delivering messages!

A Legacy Built on Recognition

We've been fortunate to have that hard work noticed along the way. Dallas Magazine voted us the city's best answering service all the way back in 1982. Our ABA Houston office is the only-ever recipient of ATSI's "Miss Emily" award for courtesy and professionalism. This year, we are so proud to receive the  ATSI Award of Excellence for the 27th year.

Here's to the Next 55

Anniversaries like this one are a chance to look back with pride and forward with excitement. Our team is skilled, experienced, and professional, our clients keep us energized, and our mission hasn't wavered: no matter what, 24/7/365, we are your call handling heroes and we create memorable customer experiences people will want to share.

Thank you to every client, every customer, and every community we've had the privilege of serving over the past 55 years. Here's to being your better answer for many more to come!

December 19th, 2025, Vicki Young-Ferreira, my sales manager, has retired. We are all so sad to say goodbye so we are all wishing her our best and fondest “fare thee well” and thank her for 2 months short of completing 44 years with A Better Answer.

There's something special about bringing the A Better Answer family together under one roof, and our annual fall company party at Dave & Busters proved once again why these gatherings are the highlight of our year! Seeing everyone's faces light up as they reunited with colleagues they don't see every day reminded us that while technology keeps us connected, nothing replaces the warmth of in-person connection.

Another wonderful company spring picnic is in the books! This cherished annual tradition brought our team together for a perfect day of relaxation, delicious food, and meaningful connections outside the office.

Companies of all sizes can benefit and cut costs by outsourcing certain roles to an answering service. Top-tier answering services do far more than simply answer phones and provide basic information to customers — they can also act as brand representatives and handle administrative tasks. When professionals handle the lines of communication, you can focus on your business. 

You may be unable to handle every aspect of daily operations when your business starts growing. An answering service can assist customers in relieving your in-house staff. It’s important to hire a call center with the best features that meet your needs.

Let’s review what qualities to look for when hiring an answering service.

The challenges facing small businesses are similar to any other — the difference is, they have to address them with smaller teams and fewer resources. They need to be creative in solving any emerging issues without compromising quality customer service. One of the main reasons some small businesses never reach their full potential is because they neglect customer service; whether you are a team of one or working with a small group, you should be using your time and resources wisely.  

Here are six customer service tips for startup businesses to help them reach their goals.

Our May Call Handling Hero® award goes to Dena! She went beyond what was expected in handling this call in order to assist the caller.

This month's Call Handling Hero Award goes to Michelle Rowe, who showed exceptional customer service for our customer in reworking and fine tuning their account.