Updated on December 30, 2019 by Jordan McGlone
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3 Tips to Reduce Your Monthly Answering Service Bill
With so many different billing options, it’s very easy to get lost and while some programs on the surface may seem cheaper, they can actually cost you a lot more. When making your decision about the company you will be doing business with, it will be equally important to remember that price alone should rarely be the deciding factor in determining which company will get your business. However, assuming you have screened the best-qualified companies that can adequately meet your needs, you are now ready to choose the pricing options that will best fit your budget.
Most answering service providers charge in different ways and charge different fees, and your ability to understand them will help you get the best deal possible. To begin, you must be aware of the fees that some providers will charge, but remember to read the service agreement fully before signing off.
1. When consumers go to a company and leave a message in the office, they naturally assume that their call will be returned in less than an hour. The natural human response when their call is not returned is to call back and make sure the message has been delivered and then leave it again. So you have now paid for the same message twice or more, depending on the severity of the problem and how many times the customer has called your office. The solution is to stop every so often and return your calls or let someone do it for you.
2. Ask the service what type of plans they offer. Patientcalls plans consist of 3 different billings styles in regards to how the client prefers to be billed along with custom rates if you can provide a sample invoice for review. The best way to make this decision is to get hold of your last three bills and do the math to see if you would do better with a smaller package.
3. Most answering services allow their customers to fully personalize the caller experience by creating call scripts that guide the conversation and ask specific questions to capture important data.
In the United States, tens of thousands of businesses use call centers to answer their calls and send messages when they are not available to answer calls from customers themselves. Most of these businesses are already saving money because the cost of a remote receptionist is much less expensive than a full-time employee with health insurance and other benefits. Although only one week’s salary can often offset two or three months of service, several tips can reduce the cost of responding to services by a few hundred dollars a year.