Abby Connect

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO of a transportation and logistics company. We offer services to semi-truck owners, operators, and companies to park, cross stock, and receive repairs on their equipment and trucks.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Abby Connect?

We have customers constantly making reservations to park their trucks on our website at odd hours given that they are in the truck logistics industry.

According to federal law, truck drivers cannot drive or work more than 11 hours per day. When they come up on 11 hours, they have to stop their truck. It can’t even start because there are computers inside the truck that monitor activity. This can result in a $600 find from the federal government. When this happens, drivers hop on the internet and make a reservation, or else they have to park on the side of the road, which is very dangerous for them historically.

This is the engagement we get online and over the phone, and it was difficult for us to respond to and take calls 24/7 because finding employees for that was consistently very difficult.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Abby Connect acts as a virtual receptionist. I gave them a couple of communication scripts and redirections that guide callers to particular website pages. They also forward emails to us that they can’t answer themselves. People only ask a couple of questions when they call, so it’s been easy to redirect callers on our website. This is 98% of the work they do. They also email provide audio recordings of calls that come in.

What is the team composition?

I work with one contact person, but there were two people during the onboarding. Their operators also vary, given that they’re available 24/7.

How did you come to work with Abby Connect?

I found them through a radio ad on NPR. We’d reached out to another company, but they had prohibitive sign-on costs. Abby Connect was much more reasonable, and they seemed more concerned with who we were and what we needed.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $400 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since February 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Our users have been very happy and excited that whenever they call now, there’s a human being they can talk to. Previously, they had to leave messages after 7pm every night because we didn’t have the necessary staff.

I’ve only had .1% of calls turn into complaints — and the contents of the mistake usually rest on them, rather than Abby Connect’s service. You can’t make everyone happy.

How did Abby Connect perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been perfect. I’m a hard-nosed person in business; I don’t take excuses at all. Abby Connect’s team has done beautifully. I can’t speak highly enough of them.

Communication usually happens through email, and anything outside of that will happen through their customer portal. It’s very seamless and positive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their onboarding process stood out. We work with outsourcing companies in other areas, and Abby Connect’s process was the smoothest I’ve ever experienced.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there really is.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Follow their guidance because they truly care. I’ve told a couple of companies that have asked that Abby Connect is the best way to improve their customer service. They will give your customers more value for their experience.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Docsnap, a patient healthcare records platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Abby Connect?

We’re a young and growing company, and in order to manage our expenses more appropriately, we needed to use a qualified virtual group to answer and redirect all inbound telephone calls. That’s why we approached Abby Connect.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially talked to Karla (Receptionist Experience Manager) about how we would like them to answer the telephone on our behalf. They then put together a team of people who can provide a brief explanation of our products to customers and inquirers. They’re providing ongoing support, and apart from answering calls, they also forward to us a recording and transcript of any conversation they’ve held with a caller.

What is the team composition?

Karla is our account manager and she has 4–5 people answering inbound calls for us.

How did you come to work with Abby Connect?

I found came across them on a commercial, did my homework, and found that Abby Connect had some great customer reviews. I called them and we put together a contract.

How much have you invested with them?

We pay $300 a month. Thus far, we’ve invested $3,600.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in May 2021, and they’re providing ongoing services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

It was very easy to get onboarded with their team. They’re nice, professional, and bring a good opportunity for our company. The transcripts and recordings that they provide help our business development team better respond to the connections that we’ve made. 

How did Abby Connect perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve exceeded our expectations in terms of sticking to our schedules and budget. We typically communciate via email and phone call. They’ve recently arranged a meeting just to capture if we were satisfied with their services. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very professional, and that sets them apart from other providers. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t have any suggestions for improvement. They do a fine job. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’ve already referred them to a few folks, and each time I tell them that it's very easy to onboard the team. They’re cost-effective and provide a great service.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Arrow Security Advisors, a referral and placement company for senior living communities. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Abby Connect?

We hired Abby Connect for their call center services. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Abby Connect provides us with call center services. I’ve written the scripts, and they do everything remotely. We’ve also recently initiated our chat services through them. 

What is the team composition?

We work with a total of two people from their team. 

How did you come to work with Abby Connect?

I interviewed five call centers and checked their price levels, customer service, and professionalism. These things were important to me. Meanwhile, I found Abby Connect through an organization that was similar to ours. They recommended the team to me. 

After vetting each call center service, I became impressed with Abby Connect’s professionalism. Even though they didn’t have the lowest pricing, their professionalism and high-quality service made me choose them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $5,000–$10,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2021, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We don’t have any reports or metrics at the moment, but I’m 100% satisfied with Abby Connect’s work. I have zero complaints about their services. They’ve exceeded expectations. 

How did Abby Connect perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management has been great. To communicate, I typically call or email them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Abby Connect’s professionalism distinguishes them from competitors. Whenever they answer the phone, they sound as if they’re truly a part of our organization.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Get the same customer service representative that I have. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a sales and marketing specialist at Viking Capital, Inc., a multi-purpose loan provider.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Abby Connect?

We needed their phone answering services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Abby Connect answers the phone calls we receive outside our business hours and forwards the call summaries to our designated resources. We’ve sent them a list of our sales team’s contact details, and they respond to calls according to pre-provided scripts.

What is the team composition?

A few of their resources have reached out to me, but I’m not sure how many people from Abby Connect are working with us.

How did you come to work with Abby Connect?

I found their team through a Google search.

How much have you invested with them?

We pay them a monthly retainer fee amounting to $1,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing partnership with Abby Connect started in September 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Everyone from our company is pleased with Abby Connect’s detail-oriented answering services. We’ve never received any negative feedback from our customers, which is one of our main success metrics for their team’s work.

How did Abby Connect perform from a project management standpoint?

Abby Connect accomplishes their work on time and assists our customers with dedication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We appreciate their tailored approach to addressing our small business’s needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have anything constructive to say about their work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Allocate enough time to prepare your requirements and scripts to be utilized by Abby Connect’s team.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO/OWNER of Ginny's Custom Embroidery Inc.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Abby Connect, and what were your goals??

We are experiencing excellent growth and were finding it very difficult to answer the phones, concerned that we were missing potential new clients, our current customers. In addition, wasting time with solicitation phone calls. We hired Abby to screen our calls and make sure they were transferred to the right person. We do not have a store front, so the need for a full-time receptionist on site was not a cost effective option.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Online research lead us to Abby Connect and the free trial to see if things would work out.

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package, including any calling tools used.

They provide answering service to us M-F 9:00-5:00PM. Ask basic questions on service the client is interested in and transfer as quickly as possible. We have a bit of a complex business and list of services, I would saw we are still finetuning these calls, but the customer service is responsive and addresses our concerned. I feel overtime this will run seamlessly and we are no longer missing potential clients and are better servicing our current client base.

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

Katherine is our account rep and she is very responsive and understanding. I feel she has a true desire to create the right team for GCE and cares about our customers experience.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the service?

We have seen an increase in new accounts, providing affirmation of our concern that we were missing potential new clients.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Very receptive and adjusted to the way I would like to be reached, via email.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The receptionist have very happy, good personalities that represent our brand well, which is an absolute must!

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

I believe this is a process and as long as they are willing to listen and correct issues as they arise I feel this will be a very long relationship.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the manager of a massage therapy company that provides services to the Washington, D.C. community. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Abby Connect?

We needed to improve our front desk phone coverage to capture people who call outside of our regular business hours. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Abby Connect provides us with call center services. We’ve completed a trial period and have moved onto a full partnership with Abby Connect. I’ve supplied their team with a phone script and basic information about our business. Their team takes down messages from callers and relays them to us; they also forward callers to our website. 

What is the team composition?

I am not sure how many teammates we’re working with from Abby Connect, but I’ve had some interaction with the manager from Abby Connect. 

How did you come to work with Abby Connect?

My boss led the search for a call service provider, but I believe he found them through an online search. 

How much have you invested with them?

We pay Abby Connect $550 a month for their services for a total of $1,500–$2,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership with Abby Connect began in October 2021, and it’s ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Our partnership with Abby Connect has allowed us to capture clients who call outside of our business hours when we don’t have an in-house front desk teammate on duty. Abby Connect provides us with information about what the caller wants when we call them back. They’ve also helped me filter out spam calls so I can accurately target clients who are interested in doing business with us.  

How did Abby Connect perform from a project management standpoint?

Overall, Abby Connect’s project management has been good. However, since their team doesn’t schedule appointments, there have been 1–2 times when Abby Connect couldn’t assist a caller. I’ve balanced that out by following up with those callers to ensure they get the specific care they need. I generally communicate with Abby Connect through email. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Abby Connect made it easier for me to manage customer interactions because they’ve weeded out the spam calls.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We did have a minor issue with a teammate from Abby Connect going off-script and causing an issue with a client, but that was an isolated incident. Also, it may be out of their provided services, but I wish Abby Connect would schedule appointments for us. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Customers need to know precisely what questions callers will have and provide information to answer those questions when setting up the partnership with Abby Connect. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of administration for Integral Group, a real estate and development firm. I’m part of the property management division and we manage over 60 entities nationwide.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Abby Connect?

We were previously engaged with another company and they helped escalate the concerns of our residents who didn’t get the support they needed at the site level. However, their services didn’t really meet our needs and their cost was out of range. On top of that, the issues they turned over had several issues such as grammatical errors and missing information.

Those issues created a lot of pain points for us because we were supposed to simply escalate issues to appropriate parties instead of taking time to review the work of our previous vendor. We were very particular with grammar because there were times that issues escalated as far as our CEO. As a result, we searched for another company that could support us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

On our initial calls with Abby Connect, I provided them with our property listing and our instructions for a particular community. We indicated where they should send specific things and what they needed to do in specific situations. For the call log, they took our information and put it right into their system. We also made it clear that each call should only last a few minutes because all cases need to be turned over as quickly as possible.

Abby Connect’s intake call center services are currently ongoing, and they have several people ready to take multiple calls from our residents. On some days, we may get 3–5 calls and on other days we might get 15 calls at once. No matter how many calls we get, Abby Connect ensures that they have an agent ready to assist our residents and ready to take the information they need to escalate to us. Overall, we’ll forever need an agency because of our high call volume.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with several people, including Katherine (Account Manager) and their receptionist team. Katherine is in charge of checking in with the team and she reminds the team about our requirements.

How did you come to work with Abby Connect?

I researched on Google for possible companies we could work with and several companies popped up. After that, I reached out to some of them and had initial discussions about my project. The majority of the companies I interfaced with told me that they weren’t capable of providing the services I needed.

Once I found out that Abby Connect could support us with the functionalities we needed such as updating our voicemails, I became interested in working with them. In addition, their price point matched our budget. They offered their trial services so I tried their services for a week and decided to continue working with them. I was also shocked that Abby Connect could easily implement the changes we wanted to integrate. Their services were really a big step up compared to our former company that had to involve their other departments trying to figure out if they could do implement what we wanted.

How much have you invested with them?

On a monthly basis, we spend an average of $1,200–$1,300.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in June 2021, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

They have great attention to detail, which makes the cases they turn over to my desk very accurate. Due to that, we have faster turnaround times and issues get resolved immediately. We also appreciate that they can implement all of the changes we request, and while they’re doing that, they ensure that we remain operational.

We only have two incidents where we didn't receive accurate information. When we reached out to Abby Connect about that, they listened to the recording and we confirmed that our residents mentioned one community when they meant a different community.

How did Abby Connect perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate through email because I’m in so many meetings. In connection with that, whenever we send an email to Katherine, she responds within 24 hours. They label cases as urgent if they think it’s not similar to the usual cases that they receive. However, we consider all cases coming from Abby Connect as urgent because it means that our site didn’t resolve their issues. As such, the urgent subject line on their email is not needed, but it’s appreciated.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They took their time to understand our needs in order to set us up for success. Their customer service has also been impressive; they’re very professional, and they ensure that someone immediately supports us if we have issues. Overall, they’re an extension of our team and we're very satisfied with our partnership.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing for them to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Start by mentioning your pain points. After that, explain all the functionalities and customer service that you need.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of Legacy Dance Studio LLC, a dance education provider for children.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Abby Connect?

We had to cut down on expenditures because of the pandemic, so we considered hiring an offshore team to handle our customer service.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve initially discussed our project scope with Abby Connect and touched base on our requirements and customer base. Their team mainly handles our phone operations to ensure that customers will always have a designated resource to talk to about their concerns. Additionally, Abby Connect replies to email inquiries on our behalf.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact is one of their primary coordinators.

How did you come to work with Abby Connect?

I was listening to the radio when I encountered one of their company ads. Abby Connect had the skill set I needed, so I reached out to them.

How much have you invested with them?

Our monthly retainer fee amounts to $300.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement started in August 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We’ve seen increases in revenue and customer satisfaction rates upon subscribing to Abby Connect’s answering services. They attentively listen to our customers’ needs and provide them with in-depth explanations, and their systematic approach and databases have rewarded us with more e-mail sign-ups. Overall, we’re happy to be working with a team that we can always rely on to take good care of our customers.

How did Abby Connect perform from a project management standpoint?

We mainly communicate via phone calls. They’re a highly professional and approachable team that takes all our requirements seriously.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What stands out about Abby Connect’s team is the accessibility of their services.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We can always benefit from cheaper services.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Set up clear goals and assign a dedicated resource to coordinate your needs to Abby Connect’s team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner, operator, and instructor at a motorcycle training company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Abby Connect?

We have instructors that teach our actual classes, and my husband and I work in our office. We answer phone calls, handle the paperwork, and do all the busier work. The phone calls have taken too much of our time, so we’ve hired Abby Connect to help us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In the beginning, I contacted them and described what we do in the business. I gave them a script of frequently asked questions to help them answer the questions of the callers. 

As we’ve grown together, they now answer more complex questions. 

What is the team composition?

Initially, I worked with one of their sales representatives. She answered all my questions and set up the timeline for the engagement. 

Now, we’re working with another person who’s taken over the more technical part of the engagement. She answers my questions and concerns and serves as a more hands-on technical assistant. 

How did you come to work with Abby Connect?

I heard Abby Connect’s advertisement on the radio, and then I contacted them. They gave us a two-week trial period. When we set it up, the trial gave us a chance to explore the website and app they gave us. We could hear how operators were speaking to our students. In other words, we were able to explore the unknowns while they did the two-week trial; we were completely comfortable with it. 

Our team could see where we could tweak the script. We also knew how many minutes it took them to conduct the calls in two weeks. Our team extrapolated those minutes for a two-month period. Eventually, we decided to officially partner with them for our calls. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’re averaging between $1,200–$1,400 per month. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Abby Connect in July 2021, and the partnership is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

When I look at our call logs, I see that they’re able to answer all but three of the 15–16 calls we have on average. With the calls they aren’t able to answer, they take written messages, and our team calls the students back for more specific information. Simply put, Abby Connect takes an extraordinary amount of work off of our plate, allowing us to do other things we need to do and help students. 

How did Abby Connect perform from a project management standpoint?

Abby Connect’s project management is wonderful. I’m so glad I’ve found them and that our engagement has worked well. To communicate, we typically use emails.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They use the same team of people to answer calls from our students. I recognize them, and it makes me feel confident that the more they answer our students, the more they understand their questions. In other words, they become more familiar with the answers they must give instead of having to look them up every time. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only time I ever hear from a customer regarding Abby Connect’s services is when I miss the student’s call and I have to give them the information they need. To do that, they need to be patched through Abby Connect’s lines again, and this gets a bit cumbersome. To fix this, I’ve given the students my direct number so they don’t have to go through Abby Connect’s processes again. 

Other than that, the things we’ve improved or changed are things that we’ve learned along the way. I’ve once forgotten to tell them that our business schedules have changed, but that’s on me since I’ve failed to update the information the Abby Connect team needs. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you need a team to take care of your phone calls, then hiring Abby Connect is the right way to do it. Let them do what they do best, and give them the information that you want to deliver to the students. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CFO and one of the four owners of Urban Air Adventure Park, an indoor family entertainment center complete with trampolines, go-karts, laser tags, a cafe, and more.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Abby Connect?

We were getting tons of calls about questions that our website could answer. These include our operating hours, ticket costs, birthday party packages, available attractions, and more. 

We just didn’t have the time or workforce to answer the phones since most of the calls were received on Saturdays, which was our busiest day of the week. We needed a partner to help us manage some of the calls.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Abby is providing us with call center services. We’ve provided them a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and their answers, so they don’t have to reach out to us to know how to respond. They’ve been upfront on asking the information they were going to need to do a good job. 

However, Abby continued to get questions they didn’t have answers to. We modified the FAQ document, and that has been an interactive process. If they have a question, they don’t hesitate to call me. That said, they tried to learn our business and figure out answers by themselves by visiting our website and looking for information. 

We’ve recently hired an in-house sales and marketing teammate, and they also answer our phone. If they can’t answer the phone for some reason, the call rolls over to Abby’s team. With that, we still pay them for the minimum package just in case we need some assistance.

What is the team composition?

I work with 3–5 teammates. Three of them are handling calls while the rest are in charge of administrative matters. 

How did you come to work with Abby Connect?

I found them through a Google search. Additionally, I had been listening to satellite radio a lot, and I always heard their commercials. 

I contacted and vetted three companies. I was happiest with Abby’s offer and price, which was a little bit better than the others. Still, their service was the deciding factor on why we chose to work with them. 

They were very professional and had a great deal of energy — they were precisely the type of people I needed answering our calls. People were expecting to have fun when they came to our place, so I needed teammates answering our phones to deliver that kind of energy as well. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $5,000–$6,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2021, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Abby’s team is personable, and I even became good friends with one of their teammates. Anytime that teammate had a question, they called me to clarify. They went above and beyond to either find the answer themselves or through me. 

I feel like I didn’t have to overexplain things to this teammate — I could just give them basic information, and they can use that to resolve issues. However, that teammate got promoted, and they no longer answered calls.

Overall, I’ve been happy with Abby’s service. They’ve saved us time because they’re able to answer questions quickly, and they’ve spared us the hassle of having to answer questions by ourselves.

How did Abby Connect perform from a project management standpoint?

Abby is awesome at project management. Their account manager is excellent with follow-ups, and they always communicate promptly. Their emails are concise and thorough, whether it’s about pricing, an explanation of the minutes, or how the program works. 

That account manager puts me in touch with one of their colleagues whenever they were out of the office. Their customer service has been top-notch. Somebody from their team always answers the phone, and it’s just easy to work with them. 

In addition, it was nice to have the consistency of working with the same teammates. They can call me quickly, and we’re already comfortable talking to each other. I’m not always talking to somebody different. That way, if they have a question that isn’t on the FAQs document, I can give them the answer, and if the same question comes up again, they already knew how to respond.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Abby’s team is top-notch from top to bottom. I have no complaints — from the first time I’ve called, I got the sense that they care about our business. They want to learn how they can help us become successful. They make themselves feel like they’re a part of our team. 

Abby’s energy level and professionalism are impressive. They go above and beyond to ensure that they provide you with the service you’re looking for.

For example, you don’t have to wait long for someone to answer the phone; somebody will pick up the call within 2–3 rings. You get a real person, and they answer the phone with the energy level you want them to use when talking to your customers. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you’re clear on your needs and that you optimize your phone tree — you can save money that way. Set up a voicemail service; that way, calls that can be answered easily, and it doesn’t have to go through Abby.