5 Best Answering Services of 2024: Expert’s Choice

Whether you need to answer the questions of the patients of your clinic, solve issues of the clients of your eCommerce platform, or handle the inquiries of the clients of your law firm, you need to use a reliable customer service team that can solve all these tasks efficiently. If you decide to hire in-house staff members, it might put a strain on your budget.

This is why many companies opt for reliable answering services instead to guarantee that the requests of their clients will be handled in the most efficient manner.

Using dedicated customer service software, businesses can deal with client requests more efficiently. Such tools make it easier to schedule appointments, handle orders, and perform other tasks. Due to this, companies have more time for development.

Top 5 Answering Services to Improve Customer Satisfaction

  1. MAP Communications - ($47 per month) - Affordable per-minute plan
  2. SignMore - ($275/month/team) - For real estate business
  3. AnswerConnect - ($325 for 200 minutes) - Integrates with popular tools
  4. VoiceNation - ($59/month) - All plans include bilingual operators
  5. Ruby - ($219/month) - Outbound calls for marketing campaigns

Using a small business answering service, you can get access to professional receptionists that can answer customer inquiries in real time. They can record contact information, make appointments, and handle orders. Such tools often have additional features that allow users to perform call routing and custom scripting.

Many teams also include bilingual receptionists. Due to this, companies can improve the experience of their clients and turn them into long-term customers.

1. MAP Communications - Our Choice

Affordable per-minute plan
  • Useful service with great value for the money
  • Convenient native software
  • High-level live chat support
  • Call forwarding to Microsoft Teams
  • No app
  • No call transcription tools

Verdict: At the affordable price of just $47 per month, MAP Communications is a perfect call answering service and scheduling software for small companies with a limited budget. It allows its clients to access its call centers which are available 24/7. The call agents perform call routing, forwarding, overflow, and transfer.

You can use this service to schedule appointments, screen calls, and get access to the technical support team that includes English and Spanish-speaking agents. Due to this, the company can provide services to clients from all over the world. If you have some reservations about using call centers, you might be pleased to learn that their call centers are employee-owned.

The only disadvantage of MAP Communications is that this service doesn’t have a native app. You need to access its web-based version to keep track of your calls.

map communications answering service interface

2. SignMore

For real estate business
  • 24/7 service
  • Top-level tech tools
  • Integrates with many platforms
  • Native apps
  • No free trial
  • Focuses on the real estate market

Verdict: In case you want to find an answering service for small business that is available 24/7, then SignMore might be exactly what you need. It has a team of agents who know the real estate market well and work tirelessly to answer calls, collect customer data, and schedule appointments.

One of the key advantages of SignMore is that it allows you to use other features as well. For instance, you can use it to create virtual tours to make your listings more attention-grabbing. Besides, it supports quick video calling. Another benefit of this service is that it has a mobile app that allows you to keep in touch with your team and clients regardless of your location.

SignMore integrates with many popular real estate apps. It allows agents to synchronize data with other tools that they use regularly. This service integrates with CINC, BoomTown, Real Geeks, Top Producer, Wise Agent, and Follow Up Boss. To use it, you need to pay at least $275/month per team.

signmore answering service interface

3. AnswerConnect

Integrates with popular tools
  • Professional service
  • Free web chat
  • Advanced tools for businesses
  • 24/7 access
  • Relatively expensive
  • Doesn’t support out-call services

Verdict: AnswerConnect is considered one of the best answering services available on the market now. It is a perfect choice for companies that have to handle a high volume of monthly client inquiries.

While most other similar services allow their clients to get less than 100 receptionist minutes covered by standard plans, this tool enables you to get up to 200 minutes after paying for a basic package. Due to this, it’s the best choice for businesses that need to deal with high call volumes. More advanced plans allow companies to get from 500 to 15,000 receptionist minutes.

If you aren’t sure whether you need to pay for this handy answering service, you can test out its features by using its free chat tools. It makes it better than other services available on the market that offer a paid live chat service.

The only disadvantage of AnswerConnect is that this service is hardly suitable for budget-conscious users. It bills in 60-second increments, which means that you will be charged the full fee starting from the first second. You can use this service after paying $325 for 200 minutes and $1.95 per additional minute.

answerconnect answering service interface

4. VoiceNation

All plans include bilingual operators
  • 7-day trial
  • Tools screening for solicitations and robocalls
  • Streamlined on-call scheduling for teams
  • Easy-to-use management dashboard
  • Outbound calls cost 10 cents per minute
  • No appointment scheduling tools
voicenation answering service logo
VoiceNation

Verdict: VoiceNation is one of the best business answering services that can be especially useful for small companies that need to find a reliable virtual receptionist. Using this service, you can quickly set up your virtual office and start using it without any delays. You don’t need to pay any setup fee. Another advantage of this service is that it is much cheaper than competitors.

The prices for subscription plans start at $59 monthly, which allows you to get access to operators who will answer to questions of your clients, process orders, forward calls, and make appointments. Using this service, a company can convert its leads more effectively and boost its profits.

Regardless of the subscription plan you opt for, you will get access to custom scripting tools, bilingual receptionists, and a handy mobile application. You can install it on any business tablet to speed up your workflow.

This service also allows you to use reports and analytics tools, which make it easier to make forecasts and improve your team’s performance. However, only those who pay for the Enterprise plan can get assigned a dedicated account manager.

voicenation answering service interface

5. Ruby

Outbound calls for marketing campaigns
  • 24/7 availability
  • Texts are sent from your company’s number
  • Helpful customer support
  • 21-day money-back guarantee
  • Doesn’t allow recording calls
  • Bilingual receptionists are available only during business hours
ruby answering service logo
Ruby

Verdict: Ruby is a convenient project management tool that doubles as an answering service. You can use it to increase your sales and manage your tasks more efficiently to save valuable time.

Users are especially impressed by its mobile application that allows them to forward calls to virtual employees, receive voice and text messages, as well as keep in touch with clients and promptly answer their requests by receiving real-time notifications.

It allows you to keep your number hidden, which makes it one of the best answering services that care about the privacy of their clients. You can change your status in the apps, while your receptionists can decide how to take calls.

Paid subscription plans start at $219 per month, which allows you to use up to 50 receptionist minutes. If you pay $1499 per month, you will get up to 500 receptionist minutes. All the subscription plans allow you to get access to the mobile app, voicemail transcriptions, custom greetings, customer support, and live-transferring features.

ruby answering service interface
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