Let's get to the fundamentals of answering services: how does this answering service thing actually work?
One of the first things people usually think about when it comes to answering services is its cost. But the real heart of the matter is the call itself. What’s the journey of that call from the moment it leaves your caller's phone to the point where the information lands in your software at your desk?
I'm Aaron Boatin, President at Ambs Call Center, and I've worked in the answering service industry for over 30 years. While it might seem intuitive to some, how an answering service—or call center—handles a call from start to finish is fairly detailed. A good answering service will walk you through these steps in detail in their set-up. Usually through best practices for protocols, call flows, etc. But, if they don't...well that's what this blog is for.
In this blog we also look at how medical answering services and employee call-off hotlines (absence management hotlines) work, if you'd like to skip ahead to those sections.
So, without further ado, let's break it down—in six easy steps—keeping it simple and easy to understand.
- Step One: The Call Connects to You (and Your Answering Service)
- Step Two: Your Answering Service Makes a First Impression
- Step Three: Your Answering Service Gathers Your Caller’s Details
- Step Four: Helping Your Caller Right Away
- Step Five: Handling More Complex Inquiries
- Step Six: Getting You What You Need, How You Need It
- How a Medical Answering Service Works
- How an Absence Management Hotline (or Employee Call-Off Hotline) Works
Step One: The Call Connects to You (and Your Answering Service)
Someone needs to reach your business. They dial your number, and instead of ringing directly to your office, that call is seamlessly forwarded to our answering service. This is because your answering service would have set you up with a call forwarding number. (This handoff is invisible to the caller). Think of it as a detour, but the caller doesn’t even realize they’ve been rerouted.
Step Two: Your Answering Service Makes a First Impression
The phone rings on our end, and one of our trained agents picks up. Now, these aren’t just people reading from a script. We invest time in understanding your business, your brand identity, and the specific way you want your calls handled.
It's important to remember that some answering services trade-off this specialized service for a instant set up, free trial offerings, and more.
Now, the agent will answer promptly and professionally, often using your company's name. "Thank you for calling [Your Company Name], how can I help you?..."
That’s the kind of greeting you can expect. Most businesses we've set up intend on having us represent their business as if we were sitting right there in their office. That being said, sometimes businesses want us to answer in our name, or with their parent company's name, and we accomodate that!
Most answering services you work with will be customizable in their set-up to allow you to choose the name they answer with, whenever. But, it's so important to clarify this with your answering service before setting anything up.
Step Three: Your Answering Service Gathers Your Caller's Details
Next, the agent needs to determine why the person is calling. This is where the call flow we’ve established with you comes into play.
It’s essentially a roadmap for the agent, so they know what questions to ask based on the caller’s initial inquiry. Assuming your business is B2C and intends on creating leads through calls, you probably will want to know:
Are they a potential new customer looking for information about your services? Are they an existing client with a question or an issue? Are they trying to schedule an appointment or place an order?
The agent will ask questions (that you provide your answering service with) to quickly understand the purpose of their call.
Now, if your business does not intend to generate leads through calls, then what?
What if your business is looking for an answering service to manage customer support only? Or, what if you're looking for a medical answering service or an employee call-off hotline? Don't worry! You can customize your set-up with your answering service however you like! Again, any great answering service provides a specialized set up precisely so you can do this.
Step Four: Helping Your Caller Right Away
Sometimes, the caller’s request is straightforward and is considered 'general information'. They might be looking for your business hours, your physical address, or details about the basic services you offer.
(These pieces of information, again, would have to be provided to your answering service upon set-up).
Do note that while an answering service can handle complex inquiries like seminar registrations, call dispatching, and more, it is not built for very complex scenarios. What I mean by that is that an answering service is not an in-house receptionist.
But, if general information is all you need, an answering service will more than satisfy your needs! In these situations, our agents are equipped to provide that information directly, right then and there. This immediate assistance can save you valuable time and effort, freeing you up to focus on more complex tasks. It also provides a better experience for the caller, giving them the answers they need without delay.
Step Five: Handling More Complex Inquiries
Now what if it is a complex inquiry that an answering service can handle?
When the caller’s needs go beyond simple information, or if the agent can’t directly resolve their query, the next step is to take a detailed message. This is more than just scribbling down a name and number on a sticky note. Our agents are trained to capture all the essential information you’ll need to follow up effectively.
This includes the caller’s name, their phone number, the specific reason for their call, and any other relevant details you need! Accuracy is so important here. We want to give you all the pieces of the puzzle so you can address the caller’s needs efficiently.
And for you to assist them, we first need to deliver the information over to you!
Step Six: Getting You What You Need, How You Need It
Once the message has been taken, it needs to get to you in a timely and convenient manner. There are several ways this can happen, and it often depends on your preferences and the technology we have in place.
There are various message delivery options you can choose from. It could be through a simple email notification, a text message alert, access to a secure online web portal where all your messages are logged, or even direct integration with your existing CRM system. The goal is to get you the information you need in the format that works best for your workflow.
From here, you'll be all set to follow-up with your leads, customers, and vendors in a timely manner that makes you look like the best person to work with! It's really that simple!
But, what if your needs aren't just to generate leads like we talked about before? What if, for instance, your needs were to improve patient care with a medical answering service?
How a Medical Answering Service Works (and What Makes it Different)
While the general call flow provides a solid foundation, answering services can also be highly customized for the healthcare industry. As a call center that first starting handling patient calls in 1932, we're fully aware of what needs to go into a medical answering service to make a practice manager and a patient's life easier.
So, let's take a look at how medical answering services work.
Handling Calls After-Hours (or Not)
When a medical practice closes for the day, their phone lines are forwarded to our medical answering service. Our agents are trained to answer the phone as if they were part of the practice itself. We offer reassurance and a familiar point of contact for patients calling outside of normal operating hours.
If your practice wants the entirety of it's calls handled by a medical answering service, don't worry. A good medical answering service will accomodate your needs without charging more for after-hours or regular hours!
Triage for Calls
A key difference in medical answering services is the emphasis on identifying the urgency of the call. Our agents are trained to ask specific, medically relevant questions to help determine if the caller needs immediate medical attention or if their issue can wait until the office reopens. We usually go over these questions with you in our set-up process.
Handling Routine Inquiries Efficiently
For non-urgent calls, such as requests to schedule appointments, inquire about prescription refills, or ask general questions that can wait, the agent takes a detailed message. This message is then relayed to the medical office staff so they can pick it up in the morning.
Escalating Urgent Calls Immediately
When a patient calls with a medical emergency or an urgent health concern, our agents follow strict, pre-defined protocols to escalate the call to the on-call physician. This might involve immediately paging the doctor, sending secure and HIPAA-compliant messages through specialized healthcare communication platforms, or directly connecting the patient to the provider. The speed and accuracy of this escalation process is essential in ensuring patient safety and well-being.
Ensuring Patient Information is Documented Before Sending it To Your Practice
Every call handled by our medical answering service is meticulously documented, including the nature of the call, the time it was received, the actions taken by the agent, and any information relayed to the on-call physician. This detailed information is often made available to the medical practice through secure, HIPAA-compliant web portals or daily reports, providing a clear record of all after-hours communications and ensuring continuity of care
How Absence Management Hotlines Work (and What Makes Them Different)
Managing employee absences can be a significant administrative burden for businesses of all sizes. Employee call-off hotlines offer a streamlined and efficient way for employees to report when they are unable to come to work. But, how do they work and what sets apart a good hotline from a great one? Let's get into it.
You Get a Dedicated Call-Off Hotline
Employees call a specific phone number designated solely for reporting absences. This ensures privacy and keeps personal calls separate from business operations on your end. No more having to get your security to manage call-offs.
Our Agents Record Their Absence
An agent answers the call and guides the employee through a brief, standardized process to record their absence. The agent collects key information required by the employer, such as the employee’s name, their department or job title, the specific date and time of their absence, and the reason for their absence. The agent carefully and accurately records this information.
Remember, you can customize what is it you want the absence management hotline to note! Want them to include their department? Done! The employee's shift? Easy! Sky's the limit!
Sending Their Information to You Through Integration (Saving You Hours Every Week!)
Instead of relying on manual message relay, the absence data is often directly entered into the company’s workforce management software (WFM) or scheduling system. This automated notification ensures that the relevant departments, such as HR and the employee’s direct supervisor, are immediately informed of the absence, allowing for efficient workforce management and minimizing disruption.
A great absence management call-off hotline would even allow you to be notified of low staffing levels so you and your supervisors can adjust your team as necessary!
Are You Ready for the Benefits of an Answering Service?
Understanding the inner workings of an answering service reveals that it’s far more than just someone picking up the phone. It’s a carefully designed system, using the latest technology and always relying on trained human professionals, to handle your calls the best possible way.
But, choosing the right answering service involves looking for a partner who understands your specific needs, communicates clearly, and provides reliable service—and that's hard.
Related educational articles for you:
That's why we've outlined 7 tips you should know when choosing an answering service.
You might also want to know how much answering services cost today to better inform your budget planning.
And, if you're in the market for an answering service, consider how an answering service that understands the value of integrations can really benefit you.
When you understand the process, you can ask the right questions and ensure you’re getting the most value for your investment. We hope this blog helps, and if you would like to know more about our answering services, request a detailed quote from us here!
