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How to Start or Buy a
Telephone Answering Service:
Start Up
By Steve and Chris Michaels
Updated January, 2007
You currently have a business that is
a 24-hour
operation and would like to
use your current employees
to increase
your cash flow. There are many businesses like yours including paging companies,
alarm monitoring, and call centers who have a staff. They would like to be able
to generate additional revenues by optimizing their present staff and offering
their
customers other logical
extended products or services under the confines of the existing company.
Since
you already have a cash flow and a trained staff, it would be advantageous to
start out with state of the art, computerized equipment. If you want to start
out small, then read the previous section on Entry Level. But if you really want
to get into the exploding
Teleservices
world, then we would recommend
paperless,
fully computerized equipment
for the following reasons.
Paperless Telephone Answering Service (TAS) equipment allows you the ability to do the following:
-
Displays customer information on a computer monitor screen with extra pages
of info available.
-
Distribute the calls evenly among the operators and give them access to the
customers' messages with a simple keystroke.
-
Access up-to-date information on call counts, operator statistics, billing
information, etc.
-
Automatically deliver messages to clients through alpha page, fax pick-up,
voice mail, fax-on-demand or email.
-
Hook up a voice mail system for message delivery, which will cut down on
operator time and enhance your bottom line.
-
Purchase sophisticated software packages to enhance features offered by your
system, such as order taking and Web enabling.
-
Answer calls off premise for the disabled or in another location for cost
control.
-
Take advantage of T1 telephone lines, ISDN and 800 services.
-
Utilize VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol).
These
plus many more features are made possible by using
fully computerized
equipment. There are several major manufacturers of phone answering service equipment who advertise
in this magazine [see Message Taking Systems]
or check out the Used
Equipment Section].
To get
started you will need an investment of between
$25,000 -
$150,000 depending on the number of
operator positions required and the level of sophistication and software needed.
In the used market, these prices would drop to between $10,000
and $30,000.
Like
the Entry Level answering service owner, you will have to look into ordering DID
trunks,
ISDN or T1
lines. Another point to
consider is Yellow Pages advertising. Try to coordinate the opening of your
business with the publication of the new phone books
and getting a
presence on the Web is a must since you now have to compete nationally…not just
locally.
Since
you already have a customer base, create some
advertising
inserts to put into your
billing. It is also helpful when first starting out to do
promotions
such as, "A free month's
service if you recommend someone who signs up for the service."
Having
a computerized, paperless system can be a real asset to your business. Once you
have become familiar with the system and what it can do, you will probably want
to join the users group your equipment. The telephone answering service industry has approximately
six
such equipment user groups, such as NAEO for Amtelco users, SNUG for Startel
users, TUG for Alston Tascom users, PIN for PInnacle users, TUNe for Telescan
users, CEO for Onvisource users, each of which meets regularly. [See
users groups and
events calendar.] At these
meetings, the owners discuss their shared problems, concerns and learn how other
TAS owners are using their systems for moneymaking projects. They also come up
with a wish list for software/hardware enhancements that
is given to the
manufacturer. They have chat lines on the Internet that enable you to have
discussions with other members regarding anything and everything relating to
your equipment, software, employees etc.
Another way to learn about the industry and socialize with your peers is to
attend meetings set up by the regional associations, and of course, the National
Convention and Expo sponsored by the Association of Teleservices International
(ATSI). [View the current events schedule.]
For
more information:
Steve and Chris Michaels operate TAS Marketing, a business brokering
company focusing on assisting clients buying and selling telephone answering
services and outsourcing call centers. Contact them at 800-369-6126 or TAS@tasmarketing.com
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