A lot of people think that the terms answering service and inbound call center service are interchangeable as they are both telephone answering services that provide assistance to incoming callers however there are some key differences to the 2 businesses. Lets look at answering services vs call center services and see how they differ.
An answering service is typically a third-party service that answers calls on behalf of a business or individual. Answering services are typically used to handle after-hours calls or overflow calls that cannot be answered by the business itself. They are often used by small businesses that do not have the resources to hire a full-time receptionist or staff a call center. Answering services typically provide call handling services, such as taking messages, providing basic information, and forwarding calls to appropriate staff members. They are generally less expensive than inbound call center services, but are generally not designed to handle complex or high-volume calls.
In contrast, an inbound call center service is a specialized service that is designed to handle a large volume of incoming calls on behalf of a business. Inbound call centers typically have a dedicated team of trained professionals who are skilled in handling a wide range of customer inquiries and issues. They are equipped with sophisticated call routing and management software that allows them to handle large call volumes efficiently. Inbound call center services typically offer a range of services, including customer service, technical support, sales, and order processing. They are more expensive than answering services, but they provide a higher level of service and are designed to handle complex or high-volume calls.
Answering Service vs. Call Center Services
In summary, in our assessment of an answering service vs. call center services, an answering service is a call handling service that is typically used by small businesses to handle overflow or after-hours calls, while an inbound call center service is a specialized service that is designed to handle a large volume of incoming calls and offers a wider range of services, including customer service, technical support, and sales.