AnswerForce

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a franchise organization with various owners throughout the US. I am the Director of Marketing for the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the business challenge your company was facing that incited the need for this answering service solution?

We needed to find a partner who could answer our phones during off-hours, especially during evenings and weekends.

SOLUTION

How did you integrate the answering services into your company’s operations?

We forward after-hours calls to the answering service. In addition to this, we have them roll over to the call center, ensuring that there will always be a live person at the other end of the line.

AnswerForce has helped us take on more outbound calls, which is an important part of our operations. I’m excited to see how it turns out.

Why would you recommend this answering service over comparable companies?

I've always appreciated the friendly environment within AnswerForce. Everyone I've talked to has been able to help us with any questions or challenges when trying to roll a new program out. AnswerForce is also good in terms of beta testing.

On an annual or monthly basis, how much does your company spend to use this answering service?

Each of our franchisees spends around $270 per month on AnswerForce's services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any success, metrics, or overall results of your integration of this service?

We had a ROI (return on investment) of 508%.

Were there any features/tools that you were really impressed by offered by AnswerForce?

From a corporate point of view, I like being able to use the dashboard to review and analysis the calls coming in. It's nice to have the ability to help each of our franchisees out, giving them a better understanding of how calls are being answered and how they can reply to those calls.

Looking back, are there any areas of the service that you feel could be added or improved upon?

The outbound call capacity is something on which we're working together with AnswerForce. We hope to get that service up and running soon, and will have access to franchise owner's calendars, with AnswerForce setting up appointments on our behalf.

Have you had to interact with the answering service’s support team or reference their support resources?

Not too long ago, I had contact with AnswerForce's support staff for reviewing some dashboard data. They responded to my email, we had a phone conversation, and resolved the issue.

BACKGROUND

Briefly describe what your company does and your role there. 

I manage a group of senior financial analysts responsible for pricing and profitability analytics in the group retirement space

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What were your company's goals when you started looking for a partner?

Meet service standards

SOLUTION

Describe the scope of your partner's work with your company. Please include a summary of any key tasks or deliverables.

Provides global, around the clock, support

How many people does your company work with?

21–50

How did you find this provider?

Online organic search

Why did you choose to work with them?

• Good value for cost

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What are the results or deliverables of this partnership that demonstrate progress or success?

Backlogs were minimalized by 72 percent

How does your team communicate with this service provider?

• Virtual Meetings
• Phone calls
• Email or Messaging App

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

I'm impressed with their consistency in problem resolution.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

As a trusted operations partner for e-commerce businesses worldwide, we source the highest quality goods and optimize supply chains for the fastest shipping so our customers can increase margins and scale profitably.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We initially partnered with AnswerForce to expand our lead generation strategy through outbound marketing. We have since added inbound services to the mix.

SOLUTION

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

We conducted research on companies that provide similar services, and had multiple introductory calls.AnswerForce stands out to us in this process

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

Our outbound marketing consists of email outreach, LinkedIn direct messages, and cold calling to a very specific list of leads based on our ICP. New campaigns are launched weekly, and our AnswerForce reps continually follow up with prospective clients till appointments are set. Inbound campaigns focus on improving our SEO and gaining website traffic through guest posts and backlinks

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

We have a sales operations manager and two sales executives on the outbound side. For the inbound team, we have a campaign manager as well as a team of SEO experts, developers, and content writers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Through AnswerForce , we have generated 11 sales meetings and added 137 marketing-qualified leads to our pipeline. Our inbound team is ramping up, but we look forward to the results.

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

The workflow has been very effective and easy to manage. Until a meeting is booked, the sales executives handle the campaigns. We communicate through email and direct messages to answer any questions and schedule appointments. We have a weekly meeting with our outbound team and a bi-weekly meeting with the inbound team.

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

We appreciate how AnswerForce thinks outside the box to discover opportunities. We service a very niche market, so they work around traditional methods to find prospects that best fit our ICP.

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

No, not at this time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Organizational Development Manager

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire AnswerForce?

Call Center

What were your goals for this project?

Streamlining

SOLUTION

How did you select AnswerForce?

existing service

Describe the project in detail.

Streamline call center and enhance script.

What was the team composition?

Single representative assigned to assist with changes.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Streamlined process.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very, Sagir was wonderful to work with.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They have excellent customer service!

Are there any areas for improvement?

n/a

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder and managing partner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire AnswerForce?

They expertly and very professionally answer my calls.

What were your goals for this project?

Have a professional call answering solution for my inbound call traffic.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

They called me and I did test with them. They answer my phone very professional and the agents are well trained.

Describe the project in detail.

Dimple inbound call services, then the operator transfers calls to me or a rep.

What was the team composition?

Call answer agents only.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Simple, the agents speak clearly, follow scripts and transfer calls professionally.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effecitive

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They have very good and well-spoken agents.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They do gret.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Why does your company use Business Process Outsourcing services? Did you use to handle these needs in-house?

We use these services because they are safe and more professional.

What is the volume of inbound calls your company was handling per day?

60.

What were your company’s goals for the partnership with this service provider?

Our goal was to have a professional service for our clients' insurance.​​​​​​​

SOLUTION

What does this service provider provide for you on a normal basis?

AnswerForce offers a program of adjustment of appointments for meetings, personalized attention for customers when placing orders, and a multichannel option CRM.

Could you describe this service provider's pricing structure and how they bill you?

They charge according to the service that the company needs. We send payment by check.

How did you find and select this service provider?

They were the recommendation of a friend.​​​​​​​

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Please assess this service provider's quality of work.

Their work is excellent and very professional.

How much time and money do you estimate that this service provider saves you each month?

They save us 20% a month, which is very effective.

Based on your experience, what takeaways can you share about working with this service provider?

AnswerForce is a company that offers an excellent service at a good cost.​​​​​​​

What do you think are the strengths of this service provider?

The service and treatment they provide is excellent quality.​​​​​​​

Where do you think this service provider can improve?

I think AnswerForce provides a perfect service. I'm satisfied.​​​​​​​

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Why does your firm need inbound services? Did you previously handle these needs in-house?

We require inbound services when our firm goes through a lot of organizational changes.

How many inbound calls did your company handle every day? How much time did your employees spend on the phone every day?

The volume of inbound calls per day is around 60%.

What challenge were you trying to address with the service provider?

To better manage the volume of incoming customer calls.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of the service provider's involvement?

They provide us with a great service will managing our incoming calls.

Could you describe the pricing structure and how they billed you?

They bill us monthly for their great service.

How did you come to work with this service provider?

We found the service through an online search.

How would you assess the service provider for answering calls, customer service, and communication?

They are very fast to respond to all our needs.

How much time, in hours, does this service provider save you each month?

At least $300 per month.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What takeaways and measures of success can you share about working with this service provider?

They have improved our business in many ways and we now have more customers than we thought we would.

What are the service provider's strengths?

They make our company more versatile.

How can the service provider improve?

Nothing at all. They are great.

How long has your company been working with this service provider?

We've worked with them for over two years.

How much money do you spend annually with this service provider?

We spend about $50,000 to $199,999.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Why does your firm need inbound services? Did you previously handle these needs in-house?

It's a 24-hour service. We used to handle it in-house but it wasn't cost effective.

How many inbound calls did your company handle every day? How much time did your employees spend on the phone every day?

25%.

What challenge were you trying to address with the service provider?

Our goal was to get our operations running more smoothly and to free up employees for other tasks.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of the service provider's involvement?

They help with answering calls, processing orders, and routing calls to appropriate departments.

Could you describe the pricing structure and how they billed you?

It is a one-year contract and we have a base package of allotted calls per month. After those are used we pay on a percentage.

How did you come to work with this service provider?

We heard about them from a friend and business associate who was using them.

How would you assess the service provider for answering calls, customer service, and communication?

They have done a fantastic job and have allowed employees who were in those positions to do other things. That has increased productivity and moral.

How much time, in hours, does this service provider save you each month?

50-100 hours.

How much money does this service provider save you each month?

$1,500.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What takeaways and measures of success can you share about working with this service provider?

Saving $1,500 a month has made it possible to hire a few more part-time employees so now my company is more productive.

What are the service provider's strengths?

Their strengths are their customer service and ability to take a call center in-house.

How can the service provider improve?

Thus far I have no complaints with them.

How long has your company been working with this service provider?

Feb. 2017 - Ongoing.

How much money do you spend annually with this service provider?

$10,000 to $49,999.