The Telephone Answering Service Industry

Do you want to own a telephone answering service? Would you like a nice double-digit profit every month? A mature answering service can do that for you. That’s the good news. The bad? If you don’t do it right, it could be the worst decision of your life. You could lose your shirt. Learn the inside story from Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, who has spent his career in and around the answering service industry. He’s owned, managed, bought, and merged answering services. He’s also an industry writer and publisher. And he worked as a consultant. In this essential book, you’ll discover: - The precise steps to set yourself up for success - Key shortcuts to minimize risk - The secrets that will make you become profitable faster - How to avoid the surprising mistakes most answering service startups make - If your personality fits this high-risk, high-reward industry You’ll learn about equipment, cash flow, and managing a team. And you’ll discover a sound growth strategy, how to make the startup phase as short as possible, and the specific methods of thriving answering service companies. If you’re considering starting a telephone answering service, this indispensable guide is a must read. Buy How to Start a Telephone Answering Service today and dive into this exciting industry.

WARNING: this book is a master’s thesis (1998) and contains academic research. It’s made available primarily to aid others who are conducting their own industry research. If this is what you seek, here’s an overview: The telephone answering service industry is facing uncertainty due to misconceptions, rising costs, and company closures. This book presents extensive research on the industry, including a SWOT analysis and input from industry professionals. It identifies six core items for survival and success: flexibility, customer-focus, management skills, service quality, staffing practices, and employment attractiveness. The book recommends conducting company-specific SWOT analyses and developing strategic plans, as well as increasing rates, improving sales and marketing efforts, and capitalizing on 24/7 staffing. Readers must assess their specific circumstances to determine if these strategies are applicable. This book equips industry insiders with valuable insights and recommendations to shape the future of their businesses. By being proactive and prepared, the industry can overcome its challenges and flourish in the ever-changing telecommunications world.

WARNING: this book is a PhD dissertation (2000) and contains academic research. It’s made available primarily to aid other academics who are conducting their own industry research. If this is what you seek, here’s an overview: The telephone answering service industry is maturing and undergoing rapid changes. In recent years, the traditional client has been vanishing, switching to alternative technologies, bypassing their answering service. Telephone answering services have reacted in various ways, such as mergers and acquisitions, pursuing niches, or expanding their businesses’ scope. The conventional wisdom is that there will always be a need for the human interaction which an answering service provides. It further assumes that answering services will serve fewer clients and generate less revenue unless steps are taken to increase their reach or obtain non-traditional clients. Previous research has recommended becoming a call center to better tap and capitalize on the needs of an emerging non-traditional client base. The findings of this research effort determined there were the essential elements which should be present for a telephone answering service to transition into a call center. Additionally, there were five items which are common industry dilemmas to be addressed. An inventory of significant call center characteristics was also developed. Most importantly, several areas of focus were advanced.