subject: Most Local Answering Services Have Expanded Nationwide [print this page] Call centers provide both inbound and outbound calling services for the companies and individuals they work with. While some call center clients prefer local answering services, most have gotten used to outsourcing operational areas of their business to professionals across the country.
Years ago, what we know today as a call center was really no more than an agency that offered a phone answer service. Early clients included professionals such as doctors, attorneys, dentists, psychologists and therapists and others who couldnt afford to miss an urgent or emergency call.
In most cases these services were local or regional based. The technology simply didnt exist for a center in Portland, Maine, to effectively and economically market its services to a doctor in Portland, Oregon. But that was fine, because a local answering service met the needs of its market.
As time went by and both computer and telecommunications technology grew in leaps and bounds, call centers were able to offer many more services to their clientele. They also had the capability to expand nationally thanks to exposure to their corporate websites and much more sophisticated marketing tools.
Today, most phone answer services offer far more than many people realize, including:
Bilingual phone agents
Complete voice mail capabilities
Direct client website interface
Disaster and emergency response programs
Fax to e-mail services
Live phone answering around the clock, all year long
Secure messaging
Service and support across the U.S., 24/7
Taking and confirmation of appointments and reservations
Taking of orders
Temporary coverage for client vacations
Virtual receptionists
Wake-up calls
Wellbeing checks
The first bullet above, bilingual phone agents, is a service call centers today cant afford to not provide. With the growth of our Spanish-speaking population, smart call centers hire and train Spanish-speaking phone personnel to allow their clients to tap into a huge market sector.
Another important feature of the top phone answer services is their ability to field and direct calls and messages during a disaster. If a company has had an explosion at one of its plants that could affect the local community, or if a manufacturer has announced a product recall, call centers can step in and free up company personnel to focus on the issues at hand.
In summary, local answering services have grown and expanded to be able to serve clients throughout the country. Enhanced technological capabilities have made it possible for call centers to provide a full range of inbound and outbound calling services that can be customized to each clients needs, wherever they are.
