Why hire a temporary phone answering service?

Adam Alred • 02 Dec 2022 • 3 min read

While texting, email, and Live Chat services have become popular in recent years, phone calls will always be the primary means of communication between a customer and a business.

And for most customers, there’s nothing more comforting when trying to make an appointment or deal with an issue than to speak to a real person who can help them right then and there.

However, while always desirable, this sort of service can be difficult to offer if you don’t have the staff numbers to meet call demands. Be this due to employees being away or the result of a hiring gap, it makes sense that you’d want to resolve such a problem quickly.

Which is exactly where a temporary phone answering service can help!

Keep reading to learn more about what a temporary phone answering service is, how they compare to traditional temporary receptionists, and the benefits a temporary Virtual Receptionist can offer your business.

What is a temporary phone answering service?

At its core, a short-term answering service is a company that’s contracted to cover your calls for a specific period of time. All you need to do is provide their operators with an answering script and you can be sure your customers will be given the same level of quality and attention you’d expect from your usual staff.

If you hire the right team of experts, then chances are that your callers will have no idea that the person they’re talking to isn’t in your office, never mind part of your business as a whole!

How does a temporary virtual receptionist differ from a traditional one?

The main difference between temporary virtual receptionists and traditional ones is in the name. Virtual receptionists work remotely, while traditional receptionists have to come directly into your office.

And that’s it, besides this point, their roles are largely the same. However, as you’ll see below, virtual and remote receptionist have a few benefits over their traditional counterparts.

What are the benefits of a temporary answering service?

Given their uniquely remote role, there are several benefits that come with using a temporary answering service, all of which you should look to take advantage of. Below are just a few such bonuses:

  • No missed calls – first and foremost, with a Live Answering Service on hand, you won’t be missing any calls, no matter how understaffed you are, ensuring the needs of your customers are met.
  • Improved productivity – handing your calls off to an external team gives your direct staff the time they need to focus their attention where it’s needed most.
  • No training costs – as an external call team are already professionally trained, you don’t need to bring them up to speed with correct call etiquette. They’re already experts in delivering a professional service.
  • Personalization – just because a call answering service is external, that doesn’t mean it can’t be personalized to your needs. Any call team worth their salt will work with you to master any answering scripts you provide so they can best represent your business.
  • Reduced overheads – naturally, much like not having to train an external call team, you also don’t have to worry about paying the additional overheads that come with hiring and paying new staff.
  • 24/7 answering – while your business might not be open 24/7, most remote call teams certainly are, meaning you can answer customer questions and enquiries even when your main business is closed.

Handle your call overflow with VoiceNation

With those points covered, you should now have a good idea of just how a temporary answering service can help your business. Of course, if you think this sort of service might be useful to have full-time, then look no further than what we offer here at VoiceNation!

Experts in the communication field, our staff are highly skilled in multiple fields. So, whether people are calling to make appointments, get help with questions about orders, or even request emergency dispatching, we can assist your customers quickly and professionally.

Get in touch today to learn more about our free trial period and our price packages, and don’t forget to check, out some of our other blogs on this topic as well, such as answering services vs voicemail, IT call answering services, and live answering vs auto-attendants.

By Adam Alred

VP of IT @ VoiceNation