Understanding Answering Service Costs

Hiring a quality answering service can do a great deal to improve the image of your property management business and increase your revenues. It ensures that your potential customers know that they are a priority and will get the service that they need on time. It also dramatically reduces the amount of business that is lost when a live voice does not answer a call. However, many business owners are concerned that they do not have the disposable income to make using such a service worthwhile.

Fortunately, almost every quality answering service understands that each property manager has different needs and can afford different levels of service. The most basic services, which can be extremely beneficial to any company, typically include call answering, message taking, 24-hour service, appointment setting and alerts as desired. While this is basic service, it can be critical when it comes to ensuring that you do not lose any business while you are busy with other tasks that you must attend to.

While the costs of this type of service can vary, a property management answering service typically charges by the minute. This means that you will only pay for the services that you use. In most cases, there is a flat fee that covers a certain number of minutes each month with an additional cost for each minute that exceeds the original contracted amount. The benefit is that you are only paying for the services that you use and you can change your plan as your business needs change and grow.

More complex services can also be offered, depending on the resources of the company that you choose. Some companies will even provide customer service representatives that can walk your customers through your website to make an online purchase or provide other limited technical support. This, of course, is more expensive, but it can still be far less cost prohibitive than hiring a full-time employee of your own. The key is understanding your business needs and how these services can benefit your business on the whole.

Every company will offer different pricing structures and services. The primary goal should be finding a company that will provide you with exactly what you need at a fair price. Take your time to compare your options so that you can find the best answering service available at a price that your business can afford. You will likely soon be expanding these services as you watch your business grow.

Choosing the Right Answering Service

A live answering service is your virtual receptionist when you can’t answer your business phone.  There are phone professionals that are available 24 hours a day so that you never miss a phone call.  Your phone will be answered and your callers greeted with your business name they won’t even know that it isn’t a member of your staff taking the call.  These calls can be screened, transferred or a message can be forwarded to you.  Let us help you with choosing the right answering service for your property management company.

The Benefits

Each and every call that is answered by a live answering service improves your customer satisfaction rating.  Three quarters of your customers will hang up if they reach your answering machine.  You can increase your productivity by not having to stop what you are doing to answer the phone.  You can make a good first impression with a potential tenant by having their calls answered.  You also build better relationships with your tenants by having someone answer after hours calls.  A live answering service is far less expensive than employing someone around the clock full time.  Here are some other benefits to a live answering service.

Local Call Answering

Ideally you want to work with an answering service that is local to you, if you can’t get someone local then at least find someone in the same country.  Your customers won’t have to worry about language barriers and they can be comfortable knowing that their concerns or issues are clearly understood.

24 Hr. Services

Finding a service that is available around the clock is a must especially when it comes to tenant issues.  If a tenant has a flood at 2 am and you don’t take the call until 8am the next morning then you are looking at extensive damage to your property.  You need a service that will be there for you when you need it most.

What is Included in the Service

You may have special requirement such as certain messages get forwarded to your rental agents while other calls need to go to the maintenance team.  Call the live answering service handle that?  Will it cost you more for these services?  Can they send you or your team your messages via text or email?  Can they transfer emergency calls live if need be?  You need to look at the services they offer aside from just answering the phone.

By carefully choosing the right call center for your needs you can save yourself time and money while keeping your tenants and staff happy.

Managing Tenant Phone Calls

Managing Tenant Phone Calls

It is estimated that small business in America answers more than 400 million phone calls from customers each and every day.  Despite having text messaging, the internet and all the means of communication we have phone calls still rank number one.  If you own rental property or manage property then answering calls from tenants is important.  They call you when there is a problem or when you are trying to rent a vacant apartment.  They need someone to be on the other end of the phone.

Building Connections

Building a connection is important to your relationship with your tenants.  A tenant doesn’t call just to say hello they call when the toilet has exploded or there is a leak coming through the roof.  They trust that you as the landlord will be there to answer the phone and manage the situation.  It is also in your best interest to deal with repairs in a timely manner before they become really expensive.

Taking Your Business Seriously

Whether you have 4 rental units or 400 it is a business and you need to take it seriously.  That includes having an online presence as well as having someone to answer your phone.  Resources for small business are often tight but if your tenants don’t feel like their concerns are being addressed then they will look to move elsewhere.  You may not get enough phone calls to justify full time 24 hour staff but you still need a solution.

Answering Calls

If have 24 hour staff on hand to sit in the office and answer the phone isn’t an option for you then you need a solution to your problems.  A missed call can lead to disaster, it can mean repairs aren’t done on time.  If you are advertising your rentals and no one is there to answer the phone it means the perspective tenant will look for another apartment and that means lost revenue for you.

For years it was only large businesses that used answering services to manage their customers.  Today live answering services are affordable and available to almost every small business.  Outsourcing your customer service is easier than ever and your tenants will be happy to call and have someone live on the other end of the line.  You can rest easy knowing that your business in good hands and emergencies will be handled on time and everyone is happy.