Answering Service Blog

So, you've probably been shopping for an answering service, and you keep seeing the term "minutes". Sure, you get that its referring to how many minutes you use monthly for when you answer a call. But, while the idea is simple, figuring out just how many minutes of service you'll need can be a bit trickier. And what are the other factors that would increase or decrease the number of minutes you use?

You're probably aware that the customer service landscape is changing by the second. The need for a cheaper, more efficient, and consistent customer service solution grows greater every day, but what if that solution is already here?

When you use an answering service, you don't have to worry about your phones anymore. But those leads that come in, the appointments, employee call off data — you still have to manually enter that data... right?

Most people who know they need a telephone answering service don’t know how to pick one. They realize the value of a live person answering their calls but they don’t know what to do next. Here are some quick tips on how to shop for an answering service.

This blog was originally published on 7/10/16 and has been updated for relevance. When a business decides they need to hire a phone answering service or virtual receptionist, they are often anxious to start right away.

This blog was originally published on 5/10/22 and has been updated for relevance. When you hear the term ‘patching’ it usually refers to connecting or ‘bridging’ two people together by phone other than yourself. ‘Patching’ is a term used by call center agents, switchboard operators, virtual receptionists, and after-hours emergency dispatchers.

If you’ve found having to stay up late to answer work calls tiring, you're not alone. You've also likely heard of the solution: an after hours answering service.

Small business owners are used to working late. But burning the candle at both ends will start to take its toll. And for many, even yourself, your business may suffer.

A common question from people looking to hire a US Based Answering Service is “Where are you located?” Yet usually this isn’t the real question on their minds. They have a different concern, often several. But they don’t know how to ask it. Or they fear they might not be politically correct to voice what is on their mind.

This blog was originally published on 3/24/23 and has been updated for relevance.

Setting up call forwarding for the first time may appear intimidating, but fear not! Once you understand how it works, you'll find it surprisingly simple. So... how exactly does it work?

This blog was originally published on 3/1/20 and has been updated for relevance. If you search “answering service” on Google, you’ll likely find more results than you expected. While it’s great having so many options to choose from, it might be hard knowing which to choose.

This blog was originally published on 2/4/2019 and has been updated for relevance. You likely know that hiring a call answering service provides many benefits. And with businesses growing more each day, many turn to answering service companies to help solve their issues. Oftentimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

This blog was originally published on 5/10/22 and has been updated for relevance. If you have an answering service, there’s probably been a point when you’ve wished your bill was cheaper.

The telephone answering service industry does a great job at confusing the heck out of you when it comes to answering service pricing. You think a minute is really just a minute? Nope. It would make sense that a call is just a call too, right? Not even close.

We’re all trying to tighten up expenses during this crazy time and the family at Ambs Call Center is here for you. Learning about ways to streamline your account can dramatically reduce your answering service costs. All without affecting the service level to your customers.

This blog was originally published on 4/25/22 and has been updated on 3/28/24 for relevance. Have you ever looked for the price of a business’ service or product and come up empty? We're so used to shopping on Amazon where the prices of everything are listed. So, when it comes to answering services, why is hiding the service prices the norm? And is it necessary?

When you’re a busy HR Manager at a mid-size to large company, staying on top of employee absences can be a burden.

In looking at common answering service rate plans we warned that some answering services charge additional fees beyond the typical base rate and usage charges. Watch out for these ancillary charges. Left unchecked they can turn a reasonable rate into a budget buster. Here are some common monthly reoccurring answering service charges to watch out for:

Doctors answering services have been around for a long time. But that doesn’t mean they’re obsolete. In fact, they may be more important now than ever before. Throughout this time the medical answering service has continued to evolve to meet healthcare providers’ needs and their patients’ expectations. With an emphasis on the personal touch, a patient answering service applies the latest technology to their service offerings so they can provide best-in-class service to their healthcare clients.