Considering telephone answering service - any recommendations?

Considering telephone answering service - any...

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I am a sole trader currently working part time from home.

I haven't yet done any advertising but will be doing so in the coming months and will need to ensure that any callers are not put off by getting my answering machine and actually get a real human being to answer my calls and so hopefully increase the liklihood of them leaving a message.

Can anyone share their experiences of telephone answering services and tell me how much you pay for them please? I don't know currently how many calls I get a day/week but I get very few messages. I suspect most calls are trying to sell me a new mobile phone contract but there may be real potential clients out there.

Thank you
CFL

Replies (6)

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By User deleted
18th Feb 2008 09:53

Thanks
for your responses. I'll look into them all.

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By alastair.c
14th Feb 2008 12:51

Kendlebell
I use a company called Kendlebell and they have proved fantastic. Pricing is good and they note only take messages but have learned the products and will take telephone orders and genuinely show an interest in keeping my clients satisfied.

The contact name is Karen McMillan - karen.mcmilla[at]kendlebell.co.uk

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By dnicoll
13th Feb 2008 16:39

Best thing I ever did
Having one of these services was the best move I made. Not only do clients prefer a human voice but I also have my diary done by them too. So they can sort out client appointments as well. Cost depends on usage but for 50 calls a month I pay £60 plus the cost of any text messages if the call is urgent. They were invaluable the other year when we had a family tragedy last year. I just rang the team up and asked them to clear my diary for a week. I then turned my phone off and knew my clients would be dealt with well. I recommend www.theofficegenie.co.uk any day! P S They also do secretarial and Sage book keeping so they are a fab backup for the busy small firm.

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By User deleted
13th Feb 2008 16:15

.
We use a company as our fall back, if no one here answers the phones, or everyone is busy then it rings on the next target number which is www.answer-4u.com and they are fantastic.

Clients who have spoken to them are very impressed, more so than when we answer the phones apparently, but there you go!

We dealt with Lucy who set it all up for us. You pay for what you use, but with a minimum of £20 per month.

Jason
Holden Associates
A Blog for Small Business

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By Melanie221
07th Mar 2012 15:50

vote for alldayPA

http://www.alldaypa.com/

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By Jet Virtual
05th Dec 2012 23:59

Jet Virtual - Telephone Answering Service For Accountants

Hi we have been recommended by a number of our accounting clients on a different thread on this forum :)

 

We are a London based Professional Telephone Answering Service catering specifically to Accountancy Practices.

You can put us to the test at no risk with our no obligation one week FREE TRIAL

Contact us on 020 7183 3788 or visit www.JetVirtual.co.uk 

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