| The ubiquitous and almighty telephone has been a part | | | | first customer, and you are in the business of running a |
| and parcel of our existence for almost a hundred | | | | home based business. |
| years. First there were strictly mechanical telephones | | | | Dual Service Model for Customers |
| served by nosy and inquisitive operators who would | | | | Answering service companies usually offer two |
| often listen in on party lines and chime in whenever | | | | service models. In the first model, customers are billed |
| they felt like it. Then came the touch tone telephones | | | | on a monthly basis for a predetermined number of |
| with first nationwide and then international direct dialing | | | | calls. In the other model, customers pay as they go on |
| service. We live in a cellular age today in which a | | | | a per call basis. You should offer both models since |
| phone can practically do everything for you except | | | | some low volume customers are sure to graduate to |
| book breakfast. A lot has changed since then. | | | | high volume status which is when they will begin |
| Setting up an Answering Service Business at Home | | | | subscribing to a monthly service plan. |
| There are hundreds of home based business ideas | | | | Customer-friendly Schedule that does Justice to you |
| that tend to stay afloat, some with major investment | | | | So that you do not have to entirely surrender your |
| and others with little or no upfront investment. An | | | | independence, offer your service initially as an |
| answering service falls in the latter category. Until as | | | | “after office hours” service, between 5:00 PM |
| recently as two decades ago, establishing and | | | | to 11:00 PM. Greet every caller warmly, jot down the |
| operating an answering service business involved an | | | | message and communicate it to your customer. You |
| investment to the tune of thousands of dollars. This | | | | can give them the option of either a phone call or a |
| was primarily because there was no caller ID service | | | | text message in order to communicate the message. |
| in those days and if you wanted to provide a | | | | If you have a personal computer, transmitting the |
| personalized greeting to your customers, you would | | | | message via e-mail is a third option. |
| have to work closely with Ma Bell and arrange for | | | | Home Business Logistics |
| additional equipment and services. Moreover, there | | | | Your phone instruments should be located in a |
| was keen competition from companies that provider | | | | separate room far from the din of television and other |
| beeper services—a service that was aggressively | | | | audible distractions. Carry your cordless phone with |
| promoted within the medical profession. Today, you | | | | you when you feel like rushing to the refrigerator for a |
| can set up your own answering service home | | | | quick late night snack. Telephones have a canny |
| business for less than a hundred dollars. | | | | tendency to ring at most inopportune moments. |
| Answering Service from Start to Finish | | | | The Drudgery of Paperwork |
| You don’t have to be a Rhodes scholar to figure | | | | You will also need to organize your accounting, billing |
| out how to set up your own answering service home | | | | and invoicing. Be regular and ask for a small initial |
| business. All you need is a telephone with caller ID that | | | | deposit in order to protect yourself. Like every type of |
| is integrated with a phone book. You should invest in | | | | business, home based businesses too take time to |
| two such phones one of which needs to be a | | | | blossom. Remain both patient and persistent, advertise |
| cordless phone. Your investment in both telephone | | | | regularly within your community and hopefully, some |
| instruments won’t exceed $100 tops. A little | | | | day, you will be able to transition to an impressive |
| competition analysis, some advertising that lands your | | | | official set up that will make you and your family proud. |