If you’re thinking about hiring a telephone answering service or switching to a new one, you may wonder about answering service cost. We typically think of expenses in terms of cost per month, but when it comes to answering services, this is not a good default position. Read on to discover why.

Introduction: Setting the Stage for a Comprehensive Look at Answering Services

The question at the forefront of many business owners’ minds is: “How much does an answering service cost per month?” While the financial aspect is undoubtedly a crucial consideration, it’s essential to view the expense in the context of the various benefits an answering service can offer. From customer retention to effective handling of new business opportunities, telephone answering services are a multi-faceted investment.

This comprehensive guide aims to break down all the elements you need to consider when thinking about employing an answering service.

Section 1: The Importance of Customer Retention

The High Cost of Losing a Customer

Losing customers can be more expensive than you think. The cost of acquiring a new customer is generally much higher than retaining an existing one. An efficient answering service aids in customer retention by ensuring that their queries and concerns are addressed promptly and effectively.

Answering Services: The Frontline of Customer Retention

Answering services can play an invaluable role in customer retention. By providing round-the-clock customer service, they meet the increasingly demanding needs of today’s consumers. When you’re unavailable, an answering service ensures that you don’t lose customers to your competitors.

Don’t lose another customer due to missed calls or poor service. Contact us today to see how our answering services can help you retain more customers.

Section 2: Gaining New Business Through Answering Services

First Impressions Matter

In business, you rarely get a second chance to make a first impression. An answering service ensures that first-time callers are greeted professionally, increasing the likelihood they’ll do business with you.

Enhancing Accessibility

New business often comes from referrals or random inquiries. Having an answering service makes your business accessible beyond regular working hours, increasing your chances of landing new clients.

Call to Action: Are you missing out on potential new business? Sign up for our answering service to make sure you capture every opportunity.

Section 3: Why Answering Services Are Crucial

A Constant Brand Representative

Your answering service is essentially an extension of your brand. It sets the tone for how customers view your business.

Professionalism

Answering services bring a level of professionalism that automated systems just can’t match. They humanize your business and help build customer trust.

Want to level up your customer service? Contact us to discover how our professional answering service can elevate your business.

Section 4: Features to Look For in an Answering Service

Availability

Your answering service should be available 24/7 to capture every call that comes in.

Customization

Look for services that offer customizable scripts and call flow processes to fit your specific needs.

Bilingual Support

As we live in an increasingly globalized world, bilingual or multilingual support can be an invaluable asset.

Call to Action: Ready to find the perfect answering service that fits all your needs? Sign up now to make the best choice for your business.

Section 5: How Much Does an Answering Service Cost?

Billing Cycles

Understanding the billing cycle is critical. Whether it’s a monthly or a 28-day billing cycle, this will impact your overall costs.

What’s Included

Be sure to understand what your base rate covers and what additional charges may apply.

ROI

Remember, a good answering service will likely pay for itself by increasing customer retention and gaining new business.

Curious about how much an answering service will cost you? Contact us today to get a personalized quote.

Rate Plan Explanation

Telephone Answering services have three components in their rate structure. The first is a fixed recurring dollar amount. No matter how often or infrequently you use your service, this charge applies.

The second element is the amount of work that this reoccurring fee covers. Though sometimes it’s in units of work, often it’s a measurement of the time spent on your account. Tracking time is the fairest and most equitable approach. (Note that some plans, at a few services, include no work in their base rate. This is something to look out for.)

The third element of a telephone answering service rate plan is the charge for additional work. Though this could be a fee for each unit of activity, most answering services charge for additional time that exceeds what’s covered in the recurring fee.

Billing Cycle Discussion

Some answering services send invoices each month. For them it’s appropriate for you to ask, “How much does an answering service cost per month?”

Other answering services, however, take a more enlightened approach, moving from a monthly mindset to a 28-day billing cycle. For them, the question becomes, “How much does an answering service cost every 28 days?”

What is the difference between a monthly mentality and a 28-day perspective? If you don’t care about money, then it doesn’t matter—not really.

But if you do care about cost—and you must since you’re wondering how much does an answering service cost—the difference can be significant.

Monthly versus 28 Days 

Given that all answering service rate plans include a usage-sensitive component, each invoice will reflect the usage for that billing cycle.

Since a month can last between 28 to 31 days, this is a three day—or a 10 percent—variance from one month to the next. This means that the usage component can vary as well. But it might not be by 10 percent. It could be more.

This is because your usage for 28 days may be within the amount provided in your base rate. But if the usage for the last three days of the month pushes you over the threshold, you get billed for all that usage. The result is that your bill for a thirty-one-day invoice could be more than 10 percent higher than your bill for a 28-day invoice.

Billing every 28 days smartly avoids this painful reality of unexpected billing fluctuations that comes with monthly billing strategies.

Except for seasonal traffic fluctuations, with 28-day billing cycles you can expect to pay the same amount on every invoice.

Isn’t this the fair approach? Isn’t this the right way? Of course, it is.

How Much Does an Answering Service Cost?

To determine answering service cost, look at the service’s rate sheet. Select a package that works best for your historical or expected usage by picking a plan that covers all the anticipated work.

This base rate is what an answering service will cost you each billing cycle. It’s that simple. But if unexpected traffic occurs during the billing cycle, they have you covered. They’ll answer all those additional calls and simply charge for the extra work. 

For example, assume that you will average for calls a day and each call will last 45 seconds. This means that in 28 days you’ll use 84 minutes of work (4 calls a day x 28 days per month x 45 seconds per call / 60 seconds/minute).

The entrepreneur plan, which includes 100 minutes of work, is the ideal plan for your projected usage of 84 minutes per the billing cycle.

The cost of this plan is only $79.99 each billing cycle. And (barring unforeseen changes) this will be your answering service cost.

Contact us today to learn more about telephone answering service cost. Or if you’re ready to start now, sign up online any time.