Best Answering Service Companies of 2023

Are you looking for a top 10 answering service for your business? We can help you decide. Here we list the best answering service companies in 20232.

If you’re going to want your business to stay competitive you’re going to need to think about getting a top-rated answering service.

Your business loses potential revenue every time a potential customer calls and reaches voicemail. Forbes found that as many as 8 out of 10 people will hang up when reaching a recording.

But which of the scores of answering service companies will work best for you and your company?

We’ve assembled a list of the ten best answering service providers to consider.

Best Answering Services Review

Whether you’re a plumber or part of a law firm, or whether your goal is to make a great first impression during office hours or getting new clients through lead generation after hours, these 10 answering service companies were part of a review of over 100 call centers and can make it happen for you.

1. Ansafone

Ansafone has been offering reliable answering services for 50+ years. Instead of just delivering technology, Ansafone places emphasis on their employees and the companies they work with. They empower these people by allowing them to go above-and-beyond for each client company in order to foster success together – which leads us into an industry where tech plays a huge role while still providing human touch throughout all steps.

Ansafone Contact Centers is one of the leading call centers in America. They are well-known for their world-class customer service, but it’s not just that: they also promote from within and believe people are what make them stand out as a great company!

Ansafone Features

• Live Agents: Ansafone provides live, professionally trained agents to answer your calls 24/7. They can handle a wide range of calls, including general inquiries, order taking, appointment scheduling, and more.
• Customized Scripts: Ansafone will work with you to create customized scripts to ensure that their agents can answer your callers’ questions accurately and consistently.
• Multilingual Support: Ansafone offers support in multiple languages, including English and Spanish, to ensure that you can communicate effectively with all your callers.
• Call Recording and Reporting: Ansafone provides call recording and reporting services to help you track the performance of their agents and gain insights into your customers’ needs and preferences.
• HIPAA Compliance: If you work in the healthcare industry, Ansafone’s agents are trained to handle sensitive patient information and comply with HIPAA regulations.

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2. GoAnswer

A real bargain. Low prices, much-improved web chat support, solid service, HIPAA compliant, and their unique pricing system starts with a $50 base then adds less than a dollar per minute after that, so you only pay for what you use.

These folks specialize in the medical field, and they’re probably the first place to go if you’re anticipating a lot of Spanish-speaking customers. The only downside is that you’ll have to write your own script.

With Go Answer, small business owners can now compete on a level playing field with larger companies.

The world of competition has never been more intense and it doesn’t look like this trend will be slowing any time soon: Pros vs Cons are becoming less distinct as technology continues to merge the two industries together seamlessly. But regardless if you’re an IBM or Microsoft; there’s still room for all types in today’s marketplace because what sets big brands apart isn’t their size but rather how well equipped they are when handling customer service demands without sacrificing quality.

GoAnswer Features

• 24/7 Live Answering: GoAnswer provides live agents to answer your calls around the clock, including weekends and holidays. This ensures that your business is always available to your customers, no matter when they call.
• Customizable Scripts: GoAnswer allows you to create custom scripts that their agents will use when answering your calls. This ensures that your callers receive consistent and accurate information every time they call.
• Multilingual Support: GoAnswer offers support in multiple languages, including Spanish, to ensure that you can communicate effectively with all of your callers.
• Advanced Technology: GoAnswer uses advanced technology, including IVR and AI, to ensure that your calls are handled quickly and efficiently. This helps to reduce wait times and improve customer satisfaction.
• HIPAA Compliance: If you work in the healthcare industry, GoAnswer’s agents are trained to handle sensitive patient information and comply with HIPAA regulations. They also offer secure messaging and file transfer to ensure the security of your patient data.

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3. VoiceNation

VoiceNation, on the other hand, is perfect for IT, which is why Dell and Adobe (among others) prefer them. They won’t handle your e-mail, but honestly, no one hires answering service companies for that.

VoiceNation has a unique sliding scale for pricing that allows for everything from startups to huge businesses like their more famous clients. Just $40 a month will get you 40 minutes. Best of all, VoiceNation’s top-end “platinum” service doesn’t cost any more per minute!

VoiceNation is a family of talented, hard-working people who share the same goal as them to make this world better. They care about our employees both internally and externally with their dedication.

VoiceNation has always been at the forefront of innovation, leading this industry by working hard to develop an impeccable record and excellent customer service. They have won countless awards for their low hold times that are unmatched in other companies’ offerings while maintaining accuracy rates high enough so your calls get answered quickly without things getting lost among all those others vying for attention as they do with outdated PBX systems or voicemail services where you call into a central number only hoping someone will answer before it starts ringing again over 20 minutes later.

VoiceNation Features

• 24/7 Live Answering: VoiceNation provides live agents to answer your calls 24/7, including weekends and holidays. This ensures that your business is always available to your customers, no matter when they call.
• Customizable Scripts: VoiceNation allows you to create custom scripts that their agents will use when answering your calls. This ensures that your callers receive consistent and accurate information every time they call.
• Intelligent Routing: VoiceNation’s advanced routing technology ensures that your calls are directed to the appropriate agent or department, based on your preferences and criteria.
• HIPAA Compliance: If you work in the healthcare industry, VoiceNation’s agents are trained to handle sensitive patient information and comply with HIPAA regulations. They also offer secure messaging and file transfer to ensure the security of your patient data.
• Bilingual Support: VoiceNation offers support in both English and Spanish, so you can communicate effectively with all of your callers. They also offer translation services for other languages upon request.

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4. Answer America

This answering service gets consistently great reviews from users, but even though their service has a decent rep, it’s mainly popular because of its flexibility: their basic plan is bare-bones and affordable, but you can add services until you get what you want.

They don’t offer live web chat, but a buck a call will get you a friendly voice to take down customer info, and they don’t charge for those pesky wrong numbers, either.

When a call comes in on your dedicated AnswerAmerica number, the operator will be guided by your preset requirements. You can make changes online and they are updated immediately!

Cost: $1.20/call, falling to $0.90 with larger packages.

Answer America Features

• 24/7 Live Answering: Answer America provides live agents to answer your calls 24/7, ensuring that your business is always available to your customers, no matter when they call.
• Customizable Scripts: Answer America allows you to create custom scripts that their agents will use when answering your calls. This ensures that your callers receive consistent and accurate information every time they call.
• Call Routing: Answer America can route calls to different departments or employees based on your preferences and criteria. This ensures that your callers are directed to the appropriate person or department to handle their inquiry or request.
• Online Portal: Answer America provides an online portal where you can access call logs, messages, and other important data. This makes it easy to manage your call center operations and track your performance.
• Flexible Plans: Answer America offers flexible pricing plans to suit your business needs and budget. They also offer a free trial so you can try out their service before committing to a plan.

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5. Ruby Receptionists

They may be the most consistently praised company on this list, but you’ll have to pay up for this level of quality. They’re the boutique brand of answering service companies, purposefully small but dedicated to quality.

You’ll pay about $250/mo for your standard 100 minutes, but their clients insist it’s worth the extra money, not just because of the excellent customer service but the hands-on, extremely personalized approach to dealing with your business.

The best way to grow your business is with customer engagement. Ruby provides small businesses the services, products, and analytics they need—to manage interactions while delivering exceptional experiences in an increasingly digital world. With their solution that authentically connects website visitors or callers – capturing more opportunities for you!

Cost: Starts at $340/month

Ruby Receptionists Features

• Live Receptionists: Ruby Receptionists provides live, friendly receptionists to answer your calls and provide a personalized experience for your callers.
• Customized Greetings: Ruby Receptionists allows you to create custom greetings that their receptionists will use when answering your calls. This ensures that your callers receive a professional and personalized experience.
• Call Screening and Routing: Ruby Receptionists can screen your calls and route them to the appropriate person or department based on your preferences and criteria. This helps to ensure that your calls are handled efficiently and effectively.
• Appointment Scheduling: Ruby Receptionists can also handle appointment scheduling and reminders, so you can focus on running your business without worrying about missed appointments.
• Mobile App: Ruby Receptionists provides a mobile app that allows you to manage your calls, messages, and appointments on the go. This makes it easy to stay connected with your customers and your team, no matter where you are.

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6. AnswerConnect

These guys offer a little bit of everything, which may be why they’re so respected in the industry. Answer Connect trains their staff longer than average and costs a little more because of it, but they’re large and built to handle any volume of business in any field.

Their plans are also very adaptable to an individual company’s needs, but one factor really stands out here: they not only don’t charge more for appointment scheduling, but they also have their own structure already in place to handle it. Perfect for legal and medical.

AnswerConnects team members are free to grow their skills while they give back by building connections with customers. This shows in the high level of service that Answer provides, which has been recognized many times over as one of Denver’s best business providers for its dedication and personal touch to making sure all requests get met within 24 hours no matter what size or importance your project might be.

AnswerConnect Features

• 24/7 Live Answering: AnswerConnect provides live agents to answer your calls 24/7, ensuring that your business is always available to your customers, no matter when they call.
• Customizable Scripts: AnswerConnect allows you to create custom scripts that their agents will use when answering your calls. This ensures that your callers receive consistent and accurate information every time they call.
• Multilingual Support: AnswerConnect offers support in multiple languages, including Spanish, French, and Mandarin, to ensure that you can communicate effectively with all of your callers.
• Call Routing and Transfer: AnswerConnect can route calls to different departments or employees based on your preferences and criteria. They can also transfer calls to your team members or voicemail as needed.
• Web Chat and SMS: AnswerConnect also offers web chat and SMS services to help you connect with your customers through multiple channels. This helps to improve customer engagement and satisfaction.

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7. NovusCall

NovusCall is also bare-bones, like AnswerAmerica, but also lets you add just about any service you might need to your basic plan.

And what a basic plan! 500 minutes for not quite $400 a month is a good bargain — if your customers’ calls tend to take a while. That plan only covers 150 calls, so choose wisely. However, they can handle any service under the sun, and you can easily track the length and nature of your calls.

NovusCall is North America’s top-rated telephone answering service center. They offer a wide range of live receptionist services that are both affordable and flexible, with customers able to take advantage of their Virtual Receptionist system which captures every call LIVE.

The NovusCall team only hires the best receptionists and trains them on your company’s procedures. This ensures that they can make customers feel welcomed with a smile, no matter what time of day or if there is an emergency situation happening in their office. The live virtual receptionist service manages all incoming calls for you 24/7.

NovusCall is a better way to save money. You pay by the call, not minutes and you can even change your plan at any time because of this flexibility! Plus their receptionists get paid however much time they need without having any rush or stress on behalf of clients who are waiting for help from them in an emergency situation like fire alarms going off middle-of-night deep sleep mode so it’s best if we don’t wake anyone up then right. In other words NovuScall gives us more control over how many calls our company takes per day while still providing predictable prices which helps keep budgets intact as well since nothing else needs changing when coming here than just giving out phone numbers

Cost: $199.95/month for 75 calls.

NovusCall Features

• 24/7 Live Answering: NovusCall provides live agents to answer your calls 24/7, ensuring that your business is always available to your customers, no matter when they call.
• Customizable Scripts: NovusCall allows you to create custom scripts that their agents will use when answering your calls. This ensures that your callers receive consistent and accurate information every time they call.
• Call Screening and Routing: NovusCall can screen your calls and route them to the appropriate person or department based on your preferences and criteria. This helps to ensure that your calls are handled efficiently and effectively.
• Appointment Scheduling: NovusCall can also handle appointment scheduling and reminders, so you can focus on running your business without worrying about missed appointments.
• CRM Integration: NovusCall integrates with popular CRM platforms like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zoho, so you can manage your customer data and interactions in one place. This helps to improve your team’s productivity and efficiency.

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8. MAP Communications

MAP is the self-sustaining nerd hive of answering service companies. They’re not only one of the largest around, but they’re also owned by the employees and develop their own software in-house, which makes them both fully invested and fully capable.

Their service at MAP is quick to set up and they can handle just about anything except IT or financial; they’re also HIPAA compliant so they can handle medical service as well. The only downside is the price, which will run you about $100 a month more than their competitors. But you may find the extra money worth it anyway.

The only downside is the price, which will run you about $100 a month more than their competitors. But you may find the extra money worth it anyway.

MAP Communications Features

• 24/7 Live Answering: MAP Communications provides live agents to answer your calls 24/7, ensuring that your business is always available to your customers, no matter when they call.
• Customizable Scripts: MAP Communications allows you to create custom scripts that their agents will use when answering your calls. This ensures that your callers receive consistent and accurate information every time they call.
• Call Routing and Transfer: MAP Communications can route calls to different departments or employees based on your preferences and criteria. They can also transfer calls to your team members or voicemail as needed.
• Appointment Scheduling: MAP Communications can also handle appointment scheduling and reminders, so you can focus on running your business without worrying about missed appointments.
• On-Call Scheduling: MAP Communications offers on-call scheduling services for businesses that need to respond to urgent calls outside of business hours. This ensures that your customers can always reach someone in case of an emergency.

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9. MoneyPenny

The new kid on the block, MoneyPenny (that’s right, like the secretary in those James Bond movies) is about as pricey as Ruby — $2 a call, which is more than twice the standard rate — but it’s already developed a sterling customer rep.

Don’t use this service as an all-around lead capture; this is strictly about establishing a personal connection with your customers. The overwhelming feedback on MoneyPenny is that it’s just like hiring a personal receptionist who only deals with calls. Put that way, it’s not so expensive.

MoneyPenny Features

• Dedicated Receptionists: MoneyPenny provides dedicated receptionists to answer your calls and provide a personalized experience for your callers.
• Customizable Greetings: MoneyPenny allows you to create custom greetings that their receptionists will use when answering your calls. This ensures that your callers receive a professional and personalized experience.
• Call Screening and Routing: MoneyPenny can screen your calls and route them to the appropriate person or department based on your preferences and criteria. This helps to ensure that your calls are handled efficiently and effectively.
• Appointment Scheduling: MoneyPenny can also handle appointment scheduling and reminders, so you can focus on running your business without worrying about missed appointments.
• Mobile App: MoneyPenny provides a mobile app that allows you to manage your calls, messages, and appointments on the go. This makes it easy to stay connected with your customers and your team, no matter where you are.

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10. Specialty Answering Service (SAS)

SAS brings a lot of experience to the table. Three decades’ worth, in fact, making them one of the cornerstones of the industry. There aren’t many bells and whistles included in their service, but their receptionists are among the best.

You’ll pay a little more than some of the other services on this list, but SAS has lasted so long precisely because they train their pros twice as long as anyone else. This is where you want to go for that personal touch… and order placement is baked into their prices!

Specialty Answering Service Features

• 24/7 Live Answering: Specialty Answering Service provides live agents to answer your calls 24/7, ensuring that your business is always available to your customers, no matter when they call.
• Customizable Scripts: Specialty Answering Service allows you to create custom scripts that their agents will use when answering your calls. This ensures that your callers receive consistent and accurate information every time they call.
• Call Recording and Reporting: Specialty Answering Service provides call recording and reporting services to help you track the performance of their agents and gain insights into your customers’ needs and preferences.
• Appointment Scheduling: Specialty Answering Service can also handle appointment scheduling and reminders, so you can focus on running your business without worrying about missed appointments.
• HIPAA Compliance: If you work in the healthcare industry, Specialty Answering Service’s agents are trained to handle sensitive patient information and comply with HIPAA regulations. They also offer secure messaging and file transfer to ensure the security of your patient data.

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There you have it – The Top Rated Answering Services!

Our picks for the best answering service companies for your business, no matter the size or industry. Comparing the top answering service companies can be confusing and exhausting, which is why we’re here to help.

Still haven’t made a decision? Get a free online quote right now!

Answering Service Trends in 2023: Embracing the Future of Customer Support

How technological innovations and customer expectations are shaping answering service companies

As customer support becomes increasingly crucial to businesses’ success, answering service company trends are evolving rapidly to meet changing consumer expectations and technological advancements. This article explores the most recent trends shaping the answering service landscape, including artificial intelligence (AI), omnichannel communication, personalized services, and enhanced data security. By understanding these trends, businesses can adapt their strategies to stay competitive and provide exceptional customer experiences.

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Integration

AI-powered virtual assistants are taking the answering service industry by storm, transforming how businesses interact with customers. These intelligent chatbots can handle repetitive tasks, resolve simple issues, and offer immediate support, enabling human agents to focus on more complex inquiries. As AI technology becomes more sophisticated, virtual assistants can learn from previous interactions, adapt to customer needs, and provide more accurate and personalized solutions.

2. Omnichannel Communication

Today’s consumers expect to connect with businesses through various channels, including phone calls, email, live chat, and social media. Omnichannel communication allows customers to seamlessly switch between different channels without losing context or repeating information. This trend encourages answering services to adopt a holistic approach to customer support, integrating multiple communication platforms to provide a consistent, unified experience.

3. Personalized Services

The demand for personalized customer support is on the rise. Answering services are now leveraging customer data and advanced analytics to tailor their services to each customer’s unique needs. By providing relevant, customized solutions, businesses can forge stronger relationships with their customers and enhance overall satisfaction. Personalization can also extend to agent training, ensuring staff can empathize with customers and adapt their communication styles accordingly.

4. Enhanced Data Security

Data breaches and privacy concerns have led to increased scrutiny of how businesses handle sensitive customer information. As a result, answering services are prioritizing data security to protect both their clients and their customers. Secure, encrypted communication channels and robust data storage solutions are essential for businesses to maintain trust and comply with data protection regulations. Additionally, staff training and regular security audits can help minimize the risk of data breaches.

5. Remote Workforce and Flexible Scheduling

The remote work revolution has impacted the answering service industry, allowing businesses to tap into a global talent pool and provide round-the-clock support. This flexibility enables companies to scale their customer support teams efficiently, catering to different time zones and languages. Flexible scheduling options can also improve agent satisfaction and retention rates, contributing to a more motivated and skilled workforce.

In an era of rapidly changing customer expectations and technological advancements, embracing the latest answering service trends is essential for businesses to stay competitive. Integrating AI, omnichannel communication, personalized services, and enhanced data security into your customer support strategy can significantly improve customer satisfaction and foster long-term loyalty. By adapting to these trends, businesses can ensure they are well-prepared for the future of customer support.

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