10 Ways an After-Hours Answering Service Acts Like an In-House Employee

One of the things our virtual receptionists love most is being mistaken as an in-house employee for the businesses we answer for. It means that our attention to detail, customer service efforts and weekly training meetings really help us to provide the best service possible.

Here are the top 10 reasons our after-hours answering service is often believed to be an on-site employee or receptionist.    

How our after-hours answering service acts like an in-house employee

1. Confidently Answering Your Calls 24/7 

You train our virtual receptionists how you want your business line to be answered and we follow your instructions with each call. Our local call center brings uniformity and consistency to your business’s customer service. By confidently answering your incoming calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year; we help you build a trustworthy brand.    

With tailored call handling procedures (customized by you or your office manager) your callers will never suspect we aren’t sitting in your office.   

2. Taking Detailed and Informative Messages

Our professionalism and attention to detail astonishes our customers’ customers. We provide a virtual receptionist team that is highly trained in call handling and quality assurance. Our team takes down detailed information and forwards the caller’s confirmed contact information right to your email or smartphone. We possess certain caller control characteristics that allow us to gather pertinent information that will help you prioritize your callback list.    

3. Providing Elite Customer Service to Callers

Since first establishing in 1986, we’ve been the proud recipient of countless awards and accolades for our outstanding customer service. One of our mottos is, “We aren’t JUST the answering service. We’re THE answering service.”

Our job as professional virtual receptionists is to handle your calls in a manner that helps you save time, while making your customers feel appreciated and assisted. We will never dismiss your callers’ inquiries just because we’re your after-hours answering service. We’ll try to resolve any issues or inquiries to the best of our ability while we have your customer on the line.      

4. Scheduling and Managing Your Appointments

Just like a personal assistant or in-house receptionist manages your calendar, so can we. Our digital call center has the ability to synch up to your calendar and assist you with scheduling, canceling or confirming your appointments. Take advantage of our 100% customization services to train us on your agenda preferences and we’ll take care of the rest. And don’t worry, we follow up with any changes made to your schedule in real-time so you still have complete control without the hassle.    

5. Patching Calls to Specific Employees

One of the roles of a receptionist sitting in your front office is directing calls to specific employees or departments. If that employee isn’t available, it’s your receptionist’s job to either take a message or forward that caller to the appropriate voicemail. We act as your in-house receptionist by having the ability to do these administrative tasks as well. Just because our corporate office is located in Orlando, Florida doesn’t mean that our state of the art technology doesn’t make call patching and transferring seamless.

The tasks we can complete virtually might surprise you. It’s all about being creative when customizing your account with us.     

6. Delivering Messages in Real-Time

If you have an on-site employee answering your ringing business phone, they’ll most likely email or text you any missed calls you receive. Our virtual receptionists will do the same and we will deliver your messages in real-time. With our digital call center, our virtual receptionists are trained in forwarding your messages the moment the conversation has ended.

You can elect to have these messages sent to you via email, text message, live phone call or even via facsimile. Our job is to help make your telecommunications as easy and as streamlined as possible.    

7. Being Available to You 365 Days a Year 

Have you ever worked on a weekend or holiday and needed to know if someone called your office? Or are you away from your contact list and need an important phone number? Want to call someone at any time of day to go over your schedule or agenda? Need a wakeup call when traveling out of town in a different time zone? We are literally available to you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; that’s right, we don’t sleep and we don’t leave the office to celebrate holidays. Our priority is answering the phone whenever you or your customers call.

With our digital call center, you don’t have to pay time and a half for help during holidays or after-hours. At no extra cost, our customers enjoy being able to get administrative support on their timetable.

8. Processing Payments as Your Billing Department

Not only are we capable of handling your customer service department, allow us to show you our skills when it comes to acting as your billing department. We can process credit card payments right over the telephone just like a billing manager would. After the payment has been posted, we’ll even send you an email alert or text notification letting you know the funds have been transferred. 

Our specialized answering service packages start as low as $49 per month and truly showcase how our team handles tasks that are normally assigned to in-house employees.   

9. Providing a Dispatch and Communication Hub

Service professionals and technicians love our virtual receptionists who dispatch service calls with speed and accuracy. We have a special dispatch unit within our digital call center that streamlines your incoming and outgoing communications. We answer your incoming calls, dispatch service orders, process payments and confirm completion of jobs booked.    

Click here to read a featured article that goes into great detail on how exactly we assist service professionals (the list is long).     

10. We have PERFECT Attendance

Okay, so maybe this example shows how our virtual receptionists have an advantage over in-house receptionists and employees. We promise to never call in sick, take a vacation, come to work late or be unavailable during the holidays.   

Our after-hour answering service, located in Florida, has been through hurricanes and weather conditions that have left competitors’ customers with dial tones. We have the incredible honor of never having our equipment down since first opening in 1986. Our equipment, backup equipment and generators promise to continue with our track record and reputation as we have for the past 3 decades.

An After Hours Answering Service You Can Trust!

Since you now know more about the capabilities of a digital call center, you may understand why callers mistake us for in-house employees. Here at A Courteous Communications, our team prides ourselves on doing our best to integrate with your office and internal staff.    

Give us a call today at 1-800-785-6161 to speak with an account specialist about what we can bring to your business.