A Better Answer Blog

There are many reasons a company would hire an answering service. One of those reasons is efficiency. You want to be able to focus on your primary business and trust someone else to handle the customer service or after-hours calls. You also want to build a business and save money. If you’re thinking of hiring a cheap answering service, however, it may end up costing more than you think. Here are a few reasons why you often get what you pay for when it comes to hiring a cheap answering service:

Quality Customer Service

In order for an answering service company to attract better clients, it first needs to attract great employees. These employees understand the importance of their job and have had extensive training and previous experience handling phone calls of all types. Employees who provide excellent customer service skills are in high demand, which translates to a better salary. As with anything else, quality costs a bit more, but happier clients are worth it. Happier clients are also willing to pay more and refer more businesses as well.

Client Retention

You’ve seen it all over the news. Social media means that if your customer or client has a bad experience, that experience can spread like wildfire. At first, it may seem you’re saving money by hiring a cheap answering service, but one bad experience can lead to many a marketing nightmare. If your branding is damaged, how much time and money do you have to repair it? You want more clients for your business, of course, but isn’t it less expensive to keep the ones you have?

A Comforting and Positive Experience

The small business experience means just that — no red tape and the ability to talk to a real human. No one expects to talk to a dispassionate and emotionless person on the other end of a phone line when they’re having a real problem or in an emergency situation. People want empathy and human kindness. A cheap answering service may get the job done for you, but are they invested and caring enough to provide a comforting and positive experience for those who are calling? Or are they just fielding the call with little to no training, experience or compassion for the client with whom they are speaking?

At A Better Answer, we’re never “just” an answering service. Our employees love working for us and often stay with us for years. They are happy to answer your phone for you and touch people’s lives on a daily basis. We pride ourselves on the quality customer service and satisfaction we offer every day. We’ll keep your customers and clients happy! 

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in August 2014 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.