Answering Services Key Terms

Gain the knowledge to understand answering services key terms

As a business owner, you may decide to outsource your incoming calls. The best way to outsource these calls is to utilize an answering service. Answering services can be located anywhere, and they do not have to even be in the same time zone as your business. When you use an answering service to intercept your incoming calls when you are away, your customers will still get the personalized service that the human voice offers. Before choosing an answering service for your company’s needs it is best to understand answering services key terms. Here are some basic terms to get you started.

Pre-qualify

Answering services not only answer incoming calls when you are away, but they can also act as a receptionist and pre-qualify your businesses calls. When a call is pre-qualified, it is screened and either directed to the correct person or ended.

Fully attended call center

A fully attended call center is fully staffed. There is nothing that is automated. Businesses choose fully attended call centers for the personal touch of a telephone associate at any time during the day or night.

Automated

An automated call center is a machine. It processes calls on a first-come, first-serve basis. These machines are used in businesses that have their own customer service representatives located in their office. The automated call center will screen calls and then route them to the appropriate person.

Interactive voice mail

Interactive voice mail is software that is used in addition to traditional voice mail services. It routes calls to specific voice mail boxes. Calls can also be routed to a live operator or receptionist.

Live operator

A live operator is the person who works in a fully attended call center. Live operators work in shifts so there is always someone available to answer calls. These operators are essential to the fully attended call center experience.

Call screening

One of the most important functions of any call center is call screening. Whether the center is fully automated or fully attended, call screening can occur. Call screening means that the right calls get to the right people, and any on-call staff members are not bothered without a specific reason.

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