How Much Do Answering Services Cost?
How much does an answering service cost, and can you control the fees? Yes, you can! Whether you prefer flat rate, pay-per-call, or pay-by-minute plans, we help you secure the most competitive rates. No tough negotiations needed—providers offer their best prices because they know you’re shopping. Save time and money with our one-stop solution: complete a 30-second form, and within one business day, we’ll connect you with qualified call service providers who match your needs. They compete for your business, and you get the best deal.
Pay For Time Usage Only: This type of plan bills you for actual time used. Most of the time you will be billed by the minute. Some companies bill in one minute increments so it’s best to use a service that bills in 15-30 second time increments, and ideally actual seconds used. Expect to pay a typical monthly base rate of $39 – $145 plus your actual usage. The cost per minute will vary between $1.28 – $1.41 depending on requirements.
Pay Per Call: As with the vast majority of call centers, our affiliates no longer offer these type plans. However, the cost per call can easily be managed by limiting the amount of data the agent collects. For example, a call that can be completed in 30 – 45 seconds will cost somewhere between $0.71 – $0.95, whereas calls lasting 1 – 2 minutes will cost around $1.15 – $2.30. For example, calls to capture contact info and a brief message are usually billed for a fraction of the cost of ones that schedule appointments or field multiple questions.
Flat Rate Plans: A program that promises flat rates can be offered in a few ways, but the basic understanding of this solution today is you pay a flat fee for a predetermined number minutes. In the past call centers would offer unlimited levels of calls for one low cost, but excessive calls caused them to nearly go extinct. Today’s plans still offer various numbers of calls for a flat rate plus a reasonable fee for any overage time you may incur.
Pay as You Go: This program is rarely offered today, but it allows a monthly base rate of $0.00 and you only pay for the actual time used. In some cases a small security deposit of up to $100 may be necessary to protect the supplier in the event you have excessive usage and don’t pay your invoice. A credit check may also be requested which you may or may not be required to pay for.
HOW TO GET THE BEST RATE
Most call centers will offer you a free trial. The free trial service two purposes:
1-QUALITY TESTING. It allows you the opportunity to experience the quality of the company you are considering hiring. This is a safe, risk free way to make sure you don’t hire a so called ‘cheap answering service’ and end up getting exactly that. A cheap answering service, not just in price, but also in value. One that doesn’t answer calls fast, takes inaccurate messages, or potentially hangs up on your callers.
2-COST ANALYSIS. During the free trial period the call center can get a more accurate picture of how many calls you will get each month, how long the average call last, and what your needs are. This will allow your account manager to apply the best package available to meet your needs.