Businesses everywhere work diligently to improve themselves and their efficiency. Having the right tools can make a tremendous difference in this process, which is why an answering service can make all the sense in the world for your business’s needs.
Before jumping in, it is important to know more about an answering service, answering service cost, and why it is a good idea to do so. In the end, you will have a monthly answering service cost and a litany of reasons to make the move. Here’s everything to know when it comes to answering services.
What is an Answering Service?
An answering service is a way to communicate with the customer. Think of it as an extension of the business, that friendly voice that greets customers takes notes, helps with any questions that the customer may have, and provides all of the necessary details so you can know confidently that everything is under control.
One of the great things about having an answering service is that there are different types. Answering service cost depends on which type you go with, but there are generally three to go with:
- Full Coverage: Full coverage takes every call, at any time of day. Some businesses benefit from having a 24/7 answering service so there is never a chance of missing a valuable customer call.
- Partial Coverage: The concept might be the same though answering service cost per month will drastically go down because you’re not getting quite as much in the way of service. Not only is partial not 24/7, but it tends to only answer calls that go past the third or fourth ring.
- Machine-Based: If your business doesn’t have the manpower to dole out to the phones, a machine-based answering service can help. Answering service costs can vary for machine-based services, but AI chatbots can gather customer information rather than requiring a human.
What are the Benefits of Using an Answering Service?
As a business, there are few things worse than missing customer calls. Each missed call is a potentially missed business opportunity, something that can begin to hurt your bottom line before long. If you’re still uncertain if the answering service cost per month is worth it, here are some of it’s biggest benefits.
1. Improved Customer Satisfaction
One of the most important goals of any business is to deliver quality service and create a satisfied customer. Though most businesses tend to focus on answering service costs, it can wind up proving more than beneficial in the long run. The biggest reason is that it can help amplify customer satisfaction in several ways.
For starters, there is no concern about missing calls. Customers can get through and provide their information 24 hours a day with the right service. There will never be missed after-hours calls, allowing businesses to streamline scheduling and grow their customer base. The majority of people are looking for reliability and convenience in the business they choose; an answering service provides both.
2. Reduction in Man Hours Spent on Answering Phones
One of the biggest issues facing businesses is the cost of labor. It isn’t getting cheaper and businesses that fail to streamline everyday tasks wind up paying far too much for essential tasks and services that need to be done. That is why answering service costs can be so worth it: it saves heavily on man-hours spent answering the phone.
Rather than giving the task to a person, who could step away and miss calls or provide subpar service, an answering service can cover every base. This is critical for other reasons as well. Employees will feel stress having to deal with one less task. Additionally, their time and attention can be redirected to other important areas of the business.
3. Reduce the Bottom Line
At the end of the day, businesses across the globe are looking to reduce their costs. Some of those are inherent and can’t be changed. Others can be reduced or even eliminated by having the right tools available. Answering service costs per month might feel like additional money spent but it can wind up providing savings as well.
There will be less money spent on the labor needed for answering calls, not to mention money generated from being able to respond to customers more consistently. The old saying in business is that you have to spend money to make money. Think of an answering service cost as a small investment that pays big dividends for your business.
What is HCP Assist from Housecall Pro?
To reduce your answering service cost per month, a great option is HCP Assist from Housecall Pro. This service can provide a tremendous boost for businesses, providing 5-star customer service along the way. Book jobs and estimates into your calendar effortlessly without question.
More importantly, plans are customizable. Choose from weekday, weekend, and 24/7 non-emergency coverage. Having the luxury of responding to customer calls at any time, day or night, is what separates businesses from the rest of the pack. Receive a post-call message for every call and even get SMS alerts if there is something that requires immediate attention.
What is the Average Cost of an Answering Service?
Answering service costs vary depending on the company and service chosen. Generally speaking, however, there is an average cost involved. But what will an answering service cost on average per month? For something more basic, you could be looking at $50 to $149 monthly, sometimes with additional fees charged per call or minute.
That said, answering service costs can range even higher, up to $400 to $450 per month. The more services that your business requires, the higher the cost. That said, your business doesn’t have to worry about payroll taxes, 401k, insurance, worker’s comp, and all of the other expenses that come with hiring someone to handle the calls.
What is the Cost of HCP?
When looking into answering service costs, you need to check out Housecall Pro’s pricing. There are options for virtually any budget and need. Let’s take a look at the three service tiers available now:
Basic: Starting at $59 – $79 per month, this is perfect for businesses looking to streamline and optimize operations. This tier includes real-time dispatching, paperless invoicing, easy estimates, drag-and-drop scheduling, in-app employee chat, and more.
Essentials: For $149 – $189 per month, you get all the basic features and then some. This plan builds on the Basic tier with added benefits like equipment tracking, technician performance reviews, flat rate pricing generation, a visual price book, detailed job and estimate reporting, and QuickBooks integration.
MAX: Pricing is available after contacting Housecall Pro. In addition to all of the essential features, MAX users can utilize an onboarding specialist for key accounts, integrate data via open AI, take advantage of advanced reporting, use a sales proposal tool, and even create recurring service plans.
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See plan options and feature breakdown on our pricing page.
Why Use an Answering Service vs. a Receptionist?
If the thought of an answering service cost seems unappealing, you may be wondering, “Why not just hire a receptionist?” While that may seem simple, there is a lot that comes with hiring someone to handle calls and other tasks related to scheduling and dispatching.
For starters, an in-house receptionist is going to be pricy. Even if you find cheap help, it is going to cost far more than an answering service. That’s not even mentioning the potential for human error when it comes to taking down and sharing customer information.
Most importantly, you can’t have an in-house receptionist there for after-hours calls. Well, you could, but that just adds to the costs. Having a 24/7 answering service means never missing potential business opportunities or customer calls. That alone makes it worthwhile compared to hiring a receptionist.
How Can an Answering Service Save Money for Your Business?
Since the goal of a business is to save money, hiring an answering service can wind up doing the most to do just that. Unanswered calls are perhaps the biggest drain on a business, costing the company lost revenue in the process.
How much money is lost by missed calls? It is estimated that an average of $1,200 is missed by businesses who miss out on a customer phone call. That’s just for one phone call! Now imagine that your business is missing a handful of calls or more per day. That adds up quickly and the impact is incredibly damaging to your business.
There are other hidden costs to the business that come from missed phone calls. In addition to being far less efficient, missing calls can impact the reputation of your business as well. Word travels fast and customers who hear that they can’t get through are less likely to call at all.
How Can You Choose the Right Answering Service?
A few important steps can help you know which answering service is right for you. Skip the hassle and go with HCP Assist to cover all of your bases. Otherwise, consider these factors before making your choice.
- Call Volume: The best thing about an answering service is having options. Look at how many calls you receive each month to help find the plan that makes the most sense for your business.
- Average Call Length: Some services charge based on a per-minute rate. Knowing the average duration of your customer calls will provide a much clearer picture of the kind of costs that come with call length.
- Plan Options: Now that you have a better idea of the volume and call length your business receives, it’s time to choose a plan. Finding the right fit is different for everyone, but there is nothing better than total coverage for your business.
- Additional Needs/Costs: Before finalizing anything, consider any additional needs you may have. Those costs will need to be factored in before making your choice.
What are the Benefits of Using Housecall Pro with HCP Assist?
The benefits of choosing an answering service are numerous, especially when you go with HCP Assist. Housecall Pro’s customizable service is perfect for businesses of all sizes and industries.
- Seize Every Opportunity: Never miss out on a potential business opportunity again. With 24/7 coverage, you can ensure that calls coming in after hours are always met with courtesy and customer service in mind.
- Protect Your Earnings: Don’t get stuck paying expensive salaries for services that can be made cheaper and more efficient. Save toward the bottom line, limiting overhead and ensuring that you can direct those essential funds to other necessary aspects of the business.
As a small business owner, missing calls isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s potentially lost revenue and diminished trust. HCP Assist provides seamless support that keeps communication channels open, allowing your team to stay focused and responsive. Here’s how it’s made a difference for another satisfied user:
“HCP Assist is so beneficial to us. It allows us to take a break from work and spend time together as a family. We love the multi-day appointment feature, especially for our larger installs. I can’t say enough good things about HCP! It’s helped us run our business and be successful!”– Melissa Ortiz, The Little Guy’s Heating and Air Conditioning
Is an Answering Service Worth It?
Hem and haw no longer. If you weren’t sure whether or not an answering service cost was worth it, this is your proof that it is. It is difficult enough to stand out from the rest of the pack in any industry. Missing customer phone calls only compounds the issue.
Gain a better, more reliable reputation and ensure that no opportunities are missed out on. Even adding a partial-coverage answering service can provide a litany of benefits that your business has been missing out on.
Why Businesses Love HCP Assist
“Thank you so much, HCP Assist, for taking care of us when we are not able to answer every call. This service ensures that we never miss an opportunity to deliver exceptional customer experiences. We are so pleased that HCP has our back! Best decision we ever made.” – Jason Julian, Julian Heat & Air, LLC
How Do I Get Started with HCP Assist?
Never worry about missed calls for your business again by signing up for HCP Assist today. In no time at all, you can set your business up to receive calls without having to assign a dedicated person to the task again. It can be the launching bad to greater efficiency and success for your business than ever before.
Don’t get bogged down by the inefficiencies of a secretary again. Make sure that your business is there to answer customer calls when they come in, no matter what time of day it is. Make the move today and see the difference it can have on your business.
