subject: Call Answering Service Vs Voicemail: Pros And Cons [print this page] If you're like most people you'll probably be surprised to learn that answering machines were first invented way back in the 1930s. Now those early ancestors of what we all recognize as a modern-day answering machine were a bit cumbersome though, so they really didn't take off.
In fact they stood a full 4 feet tall and weighed close to 100 pounds, so the very first real working answering machine models had to wait until the early 1970s. It was back then that more compact and lighter 10 pound models that could record 20 phone calls found their way to market.
They were incredibly popular, more so in businesses than in households where they relieved managers and owners of having to pay a receptionist to manually answer telephones. But the answering machines dominant run only lasted a very short time because it wasn't long until telephone service providers began offering voice mail.
Voice mail does all the work of an answering machine and more. For one thing voice mail is for sure more affordable because the user doesn't have to pay for the machine. Also early answering machine users were quick to make the switch to voice mail when they realized that they could check their messages by telephone.
The Voicemail and Call Answering Service Showdown
So now for the vast majority of telephone owners, when it comes to deciding between which type of absentee phone fielding technology to choose, it really comes down to voice mail or a call answering service. People really just aren't buying answering machines any more.
Chalk One Up for Voicemail!!
So the first 'pro or benefit' that voicemail has over a call answering service is that it's by far more affordable. In fact you can easily now find phone service providers that offer voicemail free of charge, and nothing is cheaper than free. So hands down voicemail beats out an answering service in this respect.
Chalk One Up for Call Answering Service
Even so, while voicemail is decidedly the cheaper alternative, it definitely comes up short in 'interactivity'. That is that callers can only leave messages, whereas with a call answering service they can ask questions, receive answers, and if it's a business find real help for real solutions.
What About Clerical Service Options?
Then when it comes to service options for business owners voice mail just can't hold a candle to a call answering service. It's the advent of the Internet that in turn led to these types of businesses being able to offer a broad range of front desk clerical services that they perform by accessing business computers online.
Services like appointment management where service operators actually take down, verify and cancel office appointments, just as an in-house employee would. Today's answering services are also assisting businesses with lead management, and even closing sales.
The Bottom Line:
So what it really does all boils down to is needs and finances. For some people voice mail works just fine. It fulfills all their needs, and best of all it falls right in their price range. For other folks though, particularly business owners and managers, in spite of the higher cost, a call service center turns out to be the better choice.
